Conflict and Harassment
Statement and Policies on Harassment
The UMN Department of Chemistry condemns harassment of all kinds since it undermines our goal of fostering an environment that is welcoming, supportive, and inclusive. Sexual harassment and misconduct are never acceptable and will not be tolerated in our department. Any individual who reports misconduct will be met with support and respect, and retaliation will not be tolerated in any form. Our department prioritizes and will continue to work tirelessly to build and strengthen a climate based on communication and transparency. We strive to listen to and respect all voices in our community. We emphasize that ours is a climate in which inappropriate behavior is simply unacceptable.
Reporting Resources
If you have been subjected to sexual harassment or harassment based on your gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, disability, national origin or other protected identity, we encourage you to report it through one of the following channels:
Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA). At the EOAA website you will find a phone number to call to report the incident(s) (612-624-9547) or you can fill out an online form.
Aurora Center. This is a confidential resource that specializes in issues like sexual assault and relationship violence, but also sexual harassment. They may be able to provide support in situations where you are not yet ready to go to the University’s EOAA office with a complaint.
Any faculty or staff member with whom you are comfortable reporting can serve as a reporting resource. Faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers and fellows, and graduate assistants are “mandatory reporters” – they must report sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct that they learn about in the course of performing their job duties to the University’s EOAA office. Upon receiving a report, the University’s EOAA office staff will determine whether the issue needs to be investigated.
Ureport is an anonymous reporting service independent of UMN and can be used to anonymously report “any situation or University conduct you believe violates an applicable law, regulation, government contract or grant requirement, or University policy.”
Retaliation Prevention
Under University policy, protections from retaliation are in place. While it is natural to be reluctant to report such incidents for fear of reprisal or creating problems for someone, reporting any incident of harassment is important to prevent further escalation and to hold our community accountable.
If you become aware of harassment or if it is reported to you, it is important to respect the privacy of the individuals involved to the greatest extent possible (restricting your communications to the University’s EOAA office and those who “need to know”). Understand that sharing the identities of or information about complainants or witnesses beyond a “need to know” circle can, in some circumstances, constitute retaliation under University policy.
One deterrent to reporting that can be considered a form of retaliation is the loss of financial support for students who need to change research groups or take leave as a result of misconduct. To counterbalance this deterrent, the Department of Chemistry commits to providing up to one year of financial support for students who need to change research groups or take leave due to misconduct and harassment. This support can take effect at any time after the report is initiated.
Conflict in the Workplace
When there is interpersonal conflict between coworkers, students are encouraged to reach out to their research advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies, or any other mentor to advise. A starting point to resolve such issues is to explore the Resources section of the Student Conflict Resolution Center's website. In other cases, these strategies may not be sufficient or specific enough to address your needs, and you may reach out to the workers at the SCRC for advice on your particular problem. The DGS can also intervene in these cases and reach out on your behalf or reach in to your group and help to find a working solution.
Grievances
If a conflict should arise between a graduate student and another member of the department regarding a course, a teaching assignment, or a matter of research supervision, the student should make every effort to resolve this with the party or parties involved. If the problem remains unresolved at this level, the student may request a meeting with the departmental administration. In particular, grievances should be brought to the Director of Graduate Studies, the Associate Department Head, or the Head of the Department, as appropriate to the problem.