Feedback for the Carlson School

Students may report anonymously or they may choose to self-identify. If a report is received anonymously, it may impact the school’s ability to investigate and respond fully to the report.

Students are invited to consult with an Undergraduate Program staff member to talk through how to navigate the various options for reporting that are available to them, and what might be the best fit for their specific concern. Please call 612-624-3313 or email ugdean@umn.edu.

When documenting the feedback, you may be prompted to provide a detailed account or include supporting documentation. You may also be asked to provide more details in the Immediate Response (see more below).

Your submission will be received and reviewed by the Carlson Undergraduate Program lead staff members as assigned. 

If the report is not anonymous, you can then expect the following steps:

1. You will receive a message acknowledging receipt of the report. 

2. Within 1-2 business days (meaning 48 hours that does not include weekends and holidays), a your case will be reviewed and responded to.

If you submit anonymously, we will not be able to respond to you directly.

Both the overall University Code of Conduct (PDF) and the Student Conduct Code (PDF) provide university-specific information. You can also view the University's Sexual Misconduct policy for definitions and procedures related to these types of misconduct.

All students agree to these terms (listed above) by accepting admission to the Carlson School or accepting admission to any of the academic programs operated either solely by or jointly with the Carlson School of Management.

You always have the ability to address them with a trusted administrator and your Academic Advisor at Carlson can be immensely helpful as you determine how you might want to navigate a situation. Depending on the nature of the issue, many concerns can be resolved quite easily by speaking directly with the other person involved, especially involving grading concerns or similar classroom issues. If direct contact with the other party does not resolve the situation, or it would make you uncomfortable (for example, bullying or harassment), you can seek assistance through the reporting form, and you will be guided to various channels that can help depending on the nature of your complaint. 

In addition, the University of Minnesota has an initiative called “The Dignity Project,” which aims to ensure campus academic climates are conducive to well-being, learning, and productivity.  This project equips students with tools to address and sustain civility in academics.

The University of MN’s Bias Response and Referral Network’s website addresses a number of questions you might have, such as:

• What is a bias incident?

• What is the difference between a bias incident and a hate crime?

• How do I know if I have experienced bias? 

• What about free speech and academic freedom?

Microaggressive behaviors are insults, actions, or comments that contribute to an environment or experience that is not welcoming to a person or group based on their age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, religious practices, or sexual orientation. Students are encouraged to report these incidences. They will be documented and will inform efforts to raise awareness and sensitivity toward creating a more inclusive and supportive Carlson School environment.

Please see more below under Terms and Definitions. Also, see Examples of Microaggressions from UMN School of Public Health

The Carlson School takes all reports seriously, and a number of approaches may be used depending on the nature of the circumstance and the individual(s) involved. An educational approach, for example, may be to help the individual realize how their actions and/or words impact others through formal or informal means. At times, this may include education on UMN policies and procedures, like accommodation requests. If there are multiple reports about an individual with no evidence of improvement, annual performance reviews may be impacted. Allegations of illegal behavior and/or explicit violations of university policies will be referred to appropriate investigative bodies on campus.

University policy states that no member of the University community may retaliate against an individual because of the individual’s good faith participation in:

• reporting or otherwise expressing opposition to, suspected or alleged misconduct;

• participating in any process designed to review or investigate suspected or alleged misconduct or non-compliance with applicable policies, rules, and laws; or

• accessing the Office for Conflict Resolution (OCR) services.

The Carlson response teams involved in reviewing reports will maintain a reporting student’s confidentiality whenever possible, given the University’s responsibility for supporting a safe and nondiscriminatory working and learning environment. The response teams will also have safeguards in place for eliminating any potential conflicts of interest through the reporting.

Remember, you always have the ability to consult with a trusted individual (your academic advisor, a career coach, instructor, staff member, etc.) if you want to talk through your concerns and options prior to submitting any report. 

In all circumstances, students submitting a report non-anonymously will receive communication from the Immediate Response Team on steps taken.

In situations where individuals may be personally identified, privacy laws and confidentiality of student and employee records may prevent the college from disclosing specific details about the resolution of a report. 

Reports that are submitted ­­­­­­­­anonymously will still receive a response and consideration from the Immediate and Core response teams, although the college’s ability to respond may be severely limited by those circumstances.

Each semester, the campus community will have access to a report of cumulative themes and responses identified by the core team.

The Carlson School Immediate and Core response teams cannot:

• Conduct official investigations

• Take disciplinary action

• Impinge on free speech rights and academic freedom

For incidents that require official actions, a student will be referred to the appropriate University office.