Discrimination and Harassment

The University is committed to maintaining learning and working environments that are free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. Each member of the community is responsible for fostering civility, for being familiar with this policy, and for refraining from conduct that violates this policy.

How do I decide if I should file a complaint?

JHU will not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment (including sexual violence), discrimination or retaliation in the workplace or educational environment whether committed by managers, faculty, administrators, staff, or students, or by visitors to our institution of higher learning. If you are a victim of any such situation, you are strongly encouraged to file a complaint through official university channels.

The Office of Institutional Equity is responsible for the investigation and resolution of discrimination complaints received from faculty, staff, and students at Johns Hopkins University.

All information received in connection with the filing, investigation, and resolution of allegations will be shared only with those individuals with a need to know in order to assist in the review, investigation or resolution of the allegation. All individuals involved in conducting an investigation are expected to use discretion and exhibit respect for the reputations of everyone involved in the process. In certain circumstances, however, the university may in be compelled to release information by law.

What is the process?

These four steps summarize the process of filing complaints of discrimination and/or harassment; for comprehensive information, review the University's Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures.

You decide whether or not you want to file a complaint with the university
Key steps:
Submit a complaint form online, download the complaint form and mail or fax it, or otherwise clearly communicate your complaint to OIE. You also may call or visit OIE’s office to discuss a complaint, although we strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment in advance, if possible.
The University reviews the complaint and assesses whether the allegations raise an issue or issues that falls under OIE’s purview of investigating discrimination or harassment.
Key steps:
The University reviews the allegations in the complaint and, if necessary, obtains preliminary available evidence to assess the nature of the allegations.
If the allegations raise concerns of discrimination and/or harassment based on a protected class, OIE will consider the preferences of the Complainant and may conduct an investigation or otherwise address the concerns.
If the allegations do not raise discrimination or harassment concerns, OIE may refer the complaint to another appropriate office or department, such as Human Resources, Student Life, or Safe at Hopkins. In this case, you will be notified of the referral by OIE.
OIE conducts a full investigation of the allegations of discrimination and/or harassment.

Key steps:
The University may recommend interim measures during the pendency of the investigation to prevent additional issues or concerns from arising and/or to protect the integrity of the investigation.
OIE gathers information and evidence about the case.
In certain cases, if OIE and all involved parties agree that it is appropriate, OIE can facilitate informal resolution to resolve the complaint. This does not involve the parties directly interacting with one another.
Unless informally resolved, OIE makes factual findings and analyzes whether the policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment have been violated. OIE conducts a full investigation of the allegations of discrimination and/or harassment.
If OIE finds that harassment and/or discrimination occurred, OIE makes recommendations to the relevant management or leadership for the parties, which would include Student Conduct for students. Possible recommendations are varied and dependent upon the specific circumstances.

...I have been accused of harassment or discrimination
JHU will not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment (including sexual violence) or retaliation in the workplace or educational environment. Whether you are a victim of such conduct or the accused, you are strongly encouraged to review university policies regarding harassment and discrimination or sexual misconduct. In addition, students should be aware of the Student Conduct Code as outlined in the e-catalog.
If you are experiencing distress because you have been accused of discrimination or harassment, you can access JHU’s confidential counseling services for faculty, students, or staff:
mySupport
mySupport serves faculty and staff of the Johns Hopkins University, and their family members. mySupport offers free, confidential, and professional support and makes referrals to community services and resources. Callers can reach in-the-moment clinical support and connect with a variety of services by calling 443-997-7000 any time.
Johns Hopkins Student Assistance Program (JHSAP)
JHSAP provides counseling services to students of the following schools: Bloomberg School of Public Health, Carey Business School, Engineering for Professionals, School of Advanced International Studies, School of Education, School of Medicine, and School of Nursing. JHSAP services are free and confidential, and there is no limit to the number of times you may access services during your academic career. Your spouse, partner, or child may also access JHSAP services.
443-287-7000
University Health Services (UHS)
UHS provides medical and mental health services to Hopkins Public Health, Medicine and Nursing students, residents, fellows and trainees and their spouses/domestic partners.
Health Services: 410-955-3250 (Available 7 days a week, 8am-5pm)
Mental Health Services: 410-955-1892 (Available by phone 24/7. Press “0” to speak with the on-call psychiatrist in an emergency.)
Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC)
The SHWC provides high quality, confidential health care to students of the Homewood campus and Peabody community.
410-516-8270 (Available by phone 24/7)
JHU Counseling Center
The Counseling Center serves all full-time undergraduate students from the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Whiting School of Engineering, and Peabody Institute.
410-516-8278
College Chaplains, Bunting Meyerhoff Interfaith and Community Service Center
Johns Hopkins University Campus Ministries promotes and supports spiritual development, theological reflections, religious tolerance and social awareness among students, faculty and staff within the university community.
410-516-1880 (Available M-F, 8:30am-5pm)
...I'm looking for training on harassment and discrimination
Because JHU is committed to maintaining work and academic environments that are free from all forms of harassment and discrimination, the Office of Institutional Equity offers an online training program for faculty and staff and one for students. For more information, visit our training page.

In addition, we encourage you to review and understand the following equal opportunity policies: