Faculty and Staff Who Want to Help a Student
Often, the first person that a student will tell if they have experienced discrimination or harassment is a faculty or staff member.
For this reason, it’s important for faculty and staff to be able to identify concerns of discrimination and harassment including interpersonal violence and stalking when they are raised by a student. This helps ensure that the student receives the support, resources and reporting options that they need.
What to Look For
A student may directly confide in you. Or, they may exhibit behaviors that indicate they are experiencing discrimination or harassment. These behaviors may include:
- Requesting a different seat in class
- Requesting a room change in the residence hall
- Unusual absences or requests for extensions
- Asking not to be placed in a group with a certain student
- Stepping down from leadership in a student organization
- Complaining about a colleague's behavior
- Explaining uncharacteristic classroom behavior
What to Do
Most university employees are responsible for promptly reporting any concern of discrimination or discriminatory harassment as related to a student. Employees are encouraged to report to the most appropriate entity given their understanding of the student’s concern.
Office of Institutional Equity
For discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, as related to:
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- Sex
- National origin
- Age
- Disability
- Veteran status
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity
- Genetic information
Title IX
For discrimination concerns including:
- Sexual assault
- Sexual harassment
- Interpersonal violence (dating and domestic)
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity
- Transgender harassment
- Gender-based stalking
University of Arizona Police Department
For concerns that occur on campus related to:
- Criminal complaints
- Criminal reports
- Emergencies
- Crises
Call 520-621-8273 to contact UAPD with a non-emergency
Call 911 on campus to contact UAPD with an emergency
Tucson Police Department
For concerns that occur locally off campus such as:
- Criminal complaints
- Criminal reports
- Emergencies
- Crises
Call 520-791-4444 to contact the Tucson Police Department with a non-emergency
Call 911 off campus to contact the Tucson Police Department with an emergency
What to Say to the Student
We know that it can be difficult to tell a student that you need to report their concern; below we offer a few important tips.
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Ensure the student knows your reporting obligation in advance of their sharing information with you. This gives them a chance to determine what information they would like to disclose. Tell the student about on campus confidential reporting options.
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Listen to the concern carefully and empathetically without judgment.
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Try not to make comments about the people or situations involved in the concern.
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Try to gather information from the student that will be helpful in assessing the concern without forming an opinion about the viability of the complaint.
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If the student is reporting an incident of violence or stalking, let the student know that you will be obligated to report the names of the alleged perpetrator(s) and student(s) affected, as well as relevant facts (date, time, location).
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Tell the student that they may request that their confidentiality be maintained and the university will consider this request.
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Share with the student the available complaint and support options and provide them with the appropriate contact information.