Retaliation

Retaliation against someone who files a complaint or who participates in the investigation of a complaint is strictly prohibited by University policy and by law. Retaliation can occur in many forms. The following list illustrates some (not all) examples of behavior that would be considered retaliation:

  1. Asking a complainant why he/she complained. Likewise, asking a witness why he/she was willing to make a statement.
  2. Asking a complainant to rescind his/her statement. Having friends ask the complainant to rescind his/her statement.
  3. Threatening the complainant or witness in any manner.
  4. Cyber-bullying the complainant or using social media to criticize, harass, demean or aggravate the complainant/witness.
  5. Excluding the complainant from team meetings or other such events to which the complainant is a rightful participant.

Respondents need to be careful to avoid behaviors that could be experienced as retaliation. If you are unclear as to how to proceed in a particular situation, you are always welcome to seek counsel from the University, through an academic contact, Human Resources and Compliance, or the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.