University employees designated as “responsible employees” have an obligation to promptly report to OIE any information about possible:
- Sexual and sex-based misconduct (including sexual assault, stalking, sexual/ sex-based harassment, intimate partner violence and sexual exploitation); and
- Discrimination and/or harassment based on a protected characteristic (e.g., race, religion, national origin, disability)
If you are not certain whether the conduct fits into any of the above categories, contact OIE for assistance.
Responsible employees must promptly report all known relevant information to OIE, including:
- The name of the complainant, respondent, and any witnesses;
- The date, time, and location of the misconduct;
- Any other pertinent facts.
OIE will then determine next steps. No employees are permitted to investigate or resolve reports or complaints of this nature without express direction from OIE.
Responsible employees can easily file a report using OIE’s online Responsible Employee Report Form.
Responsible employees include:
- All faculty, including deans and department chairs/directors
- Student Affairs staff
- Athletic Coaches
- Resident Advisors (RAs)
- All supervisors (meaning JHU employees who supervise other employees)
- Academic advisors and administrators
- JHU Public Safety staff
- Human Resources staff
- Office of Institutional Equity Staff
Please note that no employee is authorized to investigate or resolve reports or complaints of this nature without express direction from OIE.
Step 1: Inform
Inform the student/staff/faculty (hereinafter referred to as the “individual”) that you are a responsible employee and have a duty to report information regarding discrimination, harassment and/or sexual/sex-based misconduct. Be thoughtful and try not to stop the individual from sharing their experience too abruptly.
What should I say if the individual begins to share information about possible discrimination, harassment, and/or sexual/sex-based misconduct?
- “I think that you are about to tell me something about an unwanted sexual situation/an incident that I may be obligated to report. I am here to listen and I want to help you, but I am a responsible employee and I am required to take the information that you share with me to the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE).”
- “Even if you do not feel comfortable sharing anything more with me, I can still help connect you with on-campus confidential resources.” [For more information about confidential resources, see Additional Resources below and the Confidential Resources webpage.]
- “If you feel comfortable sharing your experience with me, we can talk about how OIE will reach out to you after I fulfill my responsible employee obligation.”
What should I do if the individual discloses more information?
Please explain that:
- Someone from OIE will reach out to the individual to offer information about their options and various resources;
- While it is up to the individual whether they want to respond to OIE’s e-mail, OIE will also simultaneously assess what risk the reported complaint may pose to the individual and/or the JHU community, and thus if any immediate action is needed;
- OIE will send at least one additional follow-up e-mail if the individual does not respond to OIE’s initial outreach; and
- The individual can connect with confidential and non-confidential resources regardless of whether or not they engage with OIE.
Step 2: Support
How should I show my support for the individual who disclosed to me?
- Patiently listen, don’t judge, and allow the individual to share what they want.
- Empower the individual to make their own choices about which resources to utilize and what to do next, if anything.
Step 3: Report
Promptly submit OIE’s online Responsible Employee Report Form, call OIE at 410-516-8075, or e-mail [email protected] (no later than 24-48 hours of speaking with the individual).
What does OIE do after receiving a report from a Responsible Employee?
OIE will reach out to the individual – most often by e-mail – to offer information about their options and various resources. OIE also seeks to understand the individual’s preferences for moving forward. While certain situations and information – such as active safety concerns – may require OIE to take action without first speaking with the individual, OIE generally prefers to speak with the individual before moving forward with formal action, like an investigation.