Addressing problematic behavior
INSTAAR’s primary responsibility is to create and maintain a safe and inclusive work environment for all.
We work with many groups at CU Boulder to help address problematic behavior via reporting, support services, and learning how to help others.
If you are in immediate danger, call or text 9-1-1 when it is safe to do so. For urgent matters for yourself or others, consider contacting a professional either on or off campus.
The above options go to the Don't Ignore It website from the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC).
Consider general advice from INSTAAR
1. Explore your options with the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC)
You can contact OIEC and give general information without revealing the identity of the people involved to better understand whether what is happening is a policy violation that OIEC could address.
If you are a mandatory reporter and you become aware of possible discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct affecting any CU student or employee, you must contact OIEC.
The Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) implements and enforces policies for students, staff, faculty, volunteers, and affiliates on discrimination and harassment; sexual misconduct, intimate partner violence and stalking; and conflict of interest in cases of amorous relationships. The OIEC has resources and safety measures that can support you if you have experienced discrimination or harassment; they are also the place to report discrimination or harassment. There are a range of ways to make complaints or reports.
OIEC's Don’t Ignore It website
The Don't Ignore it website provides options for seeking confidential support, reporting concerns, and learning skills for helping others. Don't ignore mental health concerns, racism, harassment, discriminatory actions, unwanted sexual behavior, abuse in a relationship, stalking, other interpersonal violence, and abusive conduct. The website is comprehensive and provides many more options for reporting and support than the six key ones hightlighted by INSTAAR HR in the section you are reading now.
Mandatory reporting
All CU members who have the authority to hire, promote, discipline, evaluate, grade, formally advise, or direct faculty, staff, or students are considered "responsible employees" and are required to report alleged misconduct concerning or affecting any CU student or employee to OIEC. These employees are all required to take a course that helps them understand misconduct and how to report it.
Reporting for yourself
If you want to report for yourself, you can choose to file an anonymous report to OIEC.
Contact OIEC
Phone: 303-492-2127
OIEC website
2. Get help from INSTAAR leaders
Contact your supervisor, Director of INSTAAR, Human Resources at INSTAAR, or one of the AllSTAARs Task Force leaders.
These folks can assist in many ways, including helping you find support and making a report to OIEC.
Your supervisor
INSTAAR Director
Becky Miller, INSTAAR Human Resources
AllSTAARs Task Force
3. Get support from the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA)
Free and confidential support services (information, advocacy, short-term counseling) for students, staff, and faculty.
The Office of Victim Assistance offers free and confidential counseling, support, and advocacy to CU Boulder students, staff, and faculty who have experienced a traumatic, disturbing, or life disruptive event, including experiences of bias.
Phone: 303-492-8855 (24/7)
OVA website or Confidential Form
4. Address the problem directly
For smaller incidents that might be settled with a brief conversation, you can choose to discuss the issue and how it affected you with the person.
Please use this approach only if you feel comfortable; you do not have to carry the weight of addressing these issues yourself.
5. Resolve a conflict with the Ombuds Office
A confidential, informal, impartial resource for faculty, staff, and students looking to resolve conflicts or disputes.
The Ombuds office is confidential annd can help you understand your options, and help you explore whether you want to report an issue formally. The Ombuds office can take a complaint forward on your behalf, so that you can remain anonymous. This is a way that INSTAAR leadership can be informed about an issue while protecting your anonymity. Because they offer remote mediation, this is a good option for finding support for issues that arise during travel or field work. Note that mandatory reporters must contact OIEC about any potential policy concern that happens to any CU student or employee on campus, in the field, or during travel related to CU work.
Phone: 303-492-5077
Ombuds website
6. Submit an anonymous report with CU’s Ethics Hotline
A reporting option for fraud, abuse, and other misconduct in the workplace.
Complaints, which can be made anonymously, are forwarded to the appropriate university official(s) for investigation and action. Reports will be looked into as quickly and discreetly as possible. You will be notified when the review is complete. In particular, this option can be used to report on financial matters.
Phone: 800-677-5590
CU EthicsPoint website