Policies, Resources, and Bias Reporting

Please see below for information about our Non-discrimination and Anti-Bullying policies and procedures; our Title IX policies and procedures, and our Bias Response Team.
CLICK HERE to report a bias-related incident

Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying Policy and Procedures

 At the Harvard Chan School we believe that all members of our community should be able to study, teach, conduct research, and work in an environment where they feel safe, affirmed, and respected as full members of our community. To foster such an institutional culture, we commit to upholding the policies and procedures defined in our new university Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying Policies.  We also encourage you to review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the university community conduct web page.

To initiate an informal resolution procedure or a formal complaint protocol for responding to an incident, please contact one of our Local Designated Resources (LDRs) at the Harvard Chan School. 

Below is information on the Harvard Chan School’s formal and informal pathways for addressing concerning behaviors covered under the policies referenced above; as well as contact information for all of the Appropriate Officials (AOs) and Local Designated Resources LDRs) supporting implementation of the formal complaint procedure and informal procedures at the Harvard Chan School.

Informal Procedures & Pathways for Responding to Concerns

All members of the Harvard Chan community have the ability to utilize one of our informal pathways for responding to incidents of bias and other concerning behavior covered in our non-discrimination and anti-bullying policies. Please see below for information on available informal procedures and resolution options at the Harvard Chan School.

Formal Complaint Procedure

All members of the Harvard Chan community have the ability to file a formal complaint if they have experienced a bias incident and/or concerning behavior covered in our non-discrimination and anti-bullying policies. To learn more about of our formal complaint procedure and the steps involved, please review the policy language here.

Title IX Policy and Procedures

Disclosing incidents related to sex, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity

There is a separate University-wide system in place for disclosures of incidents related to sex, including sexual harassment and sexual violence, which is a form of sexual harassment; and gender-based harassment, including harassment based on sex (but not of a sexual nature), sex-stereotyping, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity. Though this system is not an anonymous or confidential process, information is handled sensitively and discretely and is shared on a strictly need-to-know basis.

The Harvard Chan School follows the university Title IX policy. For more information on Harvard’s Title IX policy, reporting systems, and available resources, please visit our Office for Gender Equity’s web page.

To make a disclosure, contact a Title IX Resource Coordinator at your School. For information on our Harvard Chan School Title IX Resource Coordinators, please see below:

 

Bias Response Team

FAQs

Click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the work of the Bias Response Team, the reporting process, and available supports.

Community Guide for Addressing Bias

The Community Guide for Addressing Bias provides information on a number of areas including, but not limited to the following: the expectations around reporting for those who have knowledge of bias incidents, ways to support others when incidents occur, steps for how to report, a summary of the bias response process once activated, and a set of existing local resources at Harvard Chan, Harvard University, and in the surrounding Boston Area.

How To Report Online

As a mechanism to promote an inclusive community, we have available an online reporting system that also allows for anonymous incident reporting system. This will allow the administration to track and address concerns as they arise and better support members of the Harvard Chan community who experience bias.

Anonymity:
The bias-related incident reporting system uses the existing University-wide Anonymous Reporting Hotline operated by a third-party vendor, Navex. Those who report may self-identify, if they wish. However, by default, all reports are anonymous. Upon submitting a report, you will be given a personal identification number (PIN) that can be used to access the anonymous reporting system. If a you do not self-identify, all communication will done through the system and you will be able to check on the status of your report by using the PIN the system generates. At any time, you can update the incident report and select to self-identify. If you do self-identify, you might be contacted by the appropriate individual (see protocols below) to help in resolution.

Reporting Flow:
A flow chart can be found in the “Flow Chart” tab after the “Protocols” section below.

Submission:
To ensure your report is received by the Harvard Chan School’s Bias Response Team:

Step 1
Submit Bias-Related Incident Here 

Step 2
Click “Submit a Report” link

Step 3
Click “Academic/Student Affairs”

Step 4
Choose “Bias-Related Incident/Discrimination”

Step 5
Under School/Unit drop-down menu, select Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

 

Please note: this applies if you are a Harvard Chan community member or any person reporting a bias-related incident involving our campus or community members.

Protocols

Protocols for bias-related reporting were developed to offer a consistent, timely, and compassionate response to any person who may experience a bias-related incident. Below are the steps that will follow once a bias-related incident has been reported.

Protocols were developed by members of the Bias Response Team and affiliates of the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (DACDI).


Part I: Bias-Related Incident Reporting

  • You will obtain a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN) at the time of the call or web submission. By default, the bias-related incident reporting system ensures that all submissions are anonymous, unless you choose to identify. To further ensure anonymity, all communication will be done within the reporting system, which you can access with your PIN.
  • In the “incident summary” please indicate that the incident is related to the Harvard Chan School of Public Health.
  • All incident reports involving the Harvard Chan School will normally be directed to the Harvard Chan School’s Bias Response Team within one business day. Should a report involve the any professional staff member of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), it will be referred to the Dean for Academic Affairs.
  • All incidents involving the Harvard Chan School will also be directed to the appropriate office: Office for Student Services, Office of Faculty Affairs or Human Resources.
    *Harvard’s office of Risk Management and Audit Services (RMAS) is the administrator of the anonymous reporting system.

 

Part II: Actions Taken Once a Bias-Related Incident is Received

  • For those who self-identify, either the Chief Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Officer, a Bias Response Team Coordinator, or an ODI professional staff member may contact you to initiate a discussion of possible next steps. Action steps will be determined and carried out in collaboration with the Office for Student Services, Office of Faculty Affairs, or Human Resources as appropriate.
  • One or more of these options may occur, regardless of anonymity status:
  1. Conversation: A coordinator from the Bias Response Team, which includes the Chief Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, Associate Dean of Student Services, and the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs, will have a conversation with the person(s) perceived as responsible for a bias related-incident, respecting wishes for anonymity or otherwise.
  2. Referral: Support and counseling for the affected individual could be arranged.
  3. Disciplinary Action: Under certain circumstances and when institutional policy is violated, disciplinary action may be taken toward the person(s) who caused the incident.
  4. No Further Action: This could be an outcome, for example, if the individual reporting the incident chooses not to further pursue it, or if it is determined no institutional policies or laws were violated.

 

Part III: After a Bias-Related Incident is Resolved/Closed

  • Data on reported incidents are included in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s end of year report on bias incidents. The report will be presented as aggregated de-identified data highlighting themes and patterns related to the reported incidents.
  • Incidents involving the same individual, repeatedly, will be escalated to the Senior Director of Human Resources, Associate Dean of Student Services, or the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs (as appropriate to the category of the individual). As appropriate, Department Chairs and supervisors will be involved in developing remediation plan(s).

Above all, the system and protocol are intended to support affected community members. Through documenting and responding to all bias-related incidents swiftly and appropriately, the long-term goal of the system is to cultivate a supportive culture at the School.

Please Note
Title IX Incidents: Per University policy, all Title IX incidents (i.e. sexual harassment and assault; discrimination based on sex) will be referred to the appropriate Title IX Officer for resolution. Such incidents will be included in aggregate data as described above.

Note: The Dean for Academic Affairs and the Title IX Office have separate processes.

This image reflects the process of bias response at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health highlighted in the protocol section of this web page.

Data & Trends

The Bias End of Year Status Report aims to provide information on reported incidents of bias where follow up was conducted by the Bias Response Team during the calendar year at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Go here to access reports.