Addressing problematic behavior

If you are in immediate danger or worried about someone: call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or contact a professional either on or off campus.

Consider starting here

blurred photo of people

Are you thinking about reporting an incident?

What to report

man leaning on his hands

Do you need to talk with someone?

Get support

blurry crowd

Looking for more skills to help others?

How to help

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.

OIEC info

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 JEDI Task Force leaders.

INSTAAR info

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
JEDI 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.

OVA info

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.

Ombuds info

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.

CU Ethics info

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

Labs, groups, & programs
Sitemap

Addressing problematic behavior

Consider starting here

Consider general advice from INSTAAR

1. Explore your options with the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC)

OIEC's Don’t Ignore It website

Mandatory reporting

Reporting for yourself

Contact OIEC

2. Get help from INSTAAR leaders

3. Get support from the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA)

4. Address the problem directly

5. Resolve a conflict with the Ombuds Office

6. Submit an anonymous report with CU’s Ethics Hotline

Labs & Groups

Programs

Research

People

Diversity

Community

News

Events

About INSTAAR

Prospective students

Resources for INSTAARs

Jobs

Support INSTAAR

Search

Breadcrumb

Addressing problematic behavior

Consider starting here

Consider general advice from INSTAAR

1. Explore your options with the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC)

2. Get help from INSTAAR leaders

3. Get support from the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA)

4. Address the problem directly

5. Resolve a conflict with the Ombuds Office

6. Submit an anonymous report with CU’s Ethics Hotline