Mandatory Reporters and Witnesses
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I am a mandatory reporter?
All Columbia University community members who experience or witness prohibited conduct are strongly encouraged to report it.
All Columbia University employees have a Duty to Report any instance or allegation of prohibited conduct - discrimination, harassment, retaliation or gender-based misconduct - that involves any undergraduate or any graduate student. Columbia employees are required to report any information that they learn about or observe.
All Columbia University managers and supervisors have a Duty to Report and Act. Managers and supervisors are expected to both report to OIE any instance or allegation of prohibited conduct involving any employee that is disclosed to, observed by, or otherwise known to them and they are required to take reasonable and necessary steps to stop the misconduct.
Managers and supervisors include individuals who participate in hiring, supervising, evaluating, promoting, setting salary or wages, and/or terminating the employment of any other Columbia employee.
Employees are required to report all information they know about the alleged prohibited conduct, including names of all individuals involved, when and where the alleged prohibited conduct occurred, and any other information about the alleged prohibited conduct.
What should I include in my report?
Reports to the University should include all of the information the reporter knows about an incident or issue being reported. This may include:
- The name and role (e.g., employee, student, third party) of the person or people allegedly engaged in misconduct and the person(s) who was the target of the alleged misconduct;
- Details about the incident(s) or conduct that may have violated an OIE Policy;
- Date(s) and location(s) of the incident(s);
- The name and role of any witness(es) to the incident(s) and their email address(es), telephone number(s), and street address(es) if known.
How do I report an incident or issue?
Incidents should be reported via the online referral form available at institutionalequity.columbia.edu. Just click where it says “Report an Incident.”
Mandatory reporters should identify themselves as mandatory reporters where it asks for the role of the submitter in the section titled Background Information. If, in addition to being a mandatory reporter, you are also a witness to any of the alleged prohibited conduct, you should also identify yourself as bystander/witness in the section “Involved Parties/Witnesses” section of the report form.
If you are the target of the prohibited conduct, you should identify yourself as the “Complainant.” If you observed what happened, please identify yourself as a “Bystander/Witness.” And if you have engaged in or been accused of engaging in prohibited conduct, please identify yourself as the Respondent.
What happens after I make a report?
If you are a mandatory reporter and did not witness the alleged prohibited conduct, you will receive an email acknowledging your report. You should not expect to be contacted by the OIE Office again about the matter unless OIE determines that you may have additional information.
If you are a complainant, witness, or respondent, OIE will contact you to learn more about the issue reported.
When the alleged prohibited conduct falls outside OIE’s jurisdiction, the matter is referred to Human Resources, a supervisor/manager, University Life, the Gender-Based Misconduct Office, and/or another appropriate office.
Most reports that come to OIE are typically resolved in fewer than sixty (60) days. A case may be settled through an inquiry or mediation/facilitated dialogue, investigated, or administratively closed.
OIE strives to preserve the privacy of information shared leading up to and during an investigation where maintaining such privacy does not conflict with its obligations to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation.
Will I receive updates or learn about the outcome of a case after I make a report and/or I am interviewed by an investigator?
OIE is grateful to Columbia employee’s for fulfilling their obligations as mandatory reporters and to witnesses who report alleged misconduct and participate in an investigation.
Mandatory reporters and witnesses should not expect to be updated on the status of a case or its outcome. Typically only the complainant, respondent, and the respondent’s supervisor are informed of the case outcome.