C. Campus Services

1. Sexual Harassment Education Program

2. Campus Violence Prevention Program

3. Conflict Management Programs

a. Managing Conflict
b. Mediation Services
c. The UCD Administrative Responsibilities Handbook

4. Whistleblower Policy


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1. Sexual Harassment Education Program

The Sexual Harassment Education Program (SHEP) has two main functions: to prevent sexual harassment from occurring on the campus by educating the campus community about the issues; and by assisting individuals and campus units to resolve sexual harassment conflicts if and when they occur. The office serves students, staff, and faculty and maintains an Anonymous Call Line which individuals can use to report incidents of sexual harassment; on campus: A-CALL (2-2255), and off campus (530.752.2255; 916.734.2255).

Department chairs and program directors are considered "designated officials", which means they are responsible for reporting or responding to sexual harassment incidents. Any manager, supervisor or other designated official who knows of a harassment incident and takes no action to stop it or who had failed to report the prohibited harassment may be subject to disciplinary action. Chairs should be prepared to do the following if there is such an incident(s) in the department:

  • Listen with care and sensitivity when the victim is describing the incident(s) that occurred.
  • In cases where an individual reports an incident or an ongoing situation involving sexual harassment in the workplace, whether it is reported to the chair directly or to the MSO, it is important that the chair be responsive and see that University policy is followed: 1) receive the report of sexual harassment from any member of the UCD community; 2) notify the campus or UCDHS Sexual Harassment Officer once having received the report; and 3) take whatever action is necessary to prevent sexual harassment and to correct it when it occurs.

The chair should report as soon as possible after the incident, optimally within one year. See the SHEP "Resources" section below for Sexual Harassment Officer contact information. The chair can also request at any time that the Sexual Harassment Education Program set up an educational session to reacquaint department members (faculty and staff) with university policy on sexual harassment.

NOTE: California State Assembly Bill 1825, signed into law in 2004, mandates that all supervisors receive two hours of interactive training in sexual harassment presented by trained instructors. (Supervisors hired after Jan. 1, 2005 must be trained within six months of hire, and supervisors already employed by January 1, 2005, must be trained not later than January 1, 2006. After January 1, 2006, each supervisor must be trained every two years.) The UC Office of the President has determined that faculty members are considered supervisors and will, therefore, need to receive this training. The Office of the Vice Provost – Academic Affairs will be involved in coordinating this training.

Resources

2. Campus Violence Prevention Program (CVPP)

The Campus Violence Prevention Program, a unit of the campus Police Department, is concerned with prevention of sexual violence, relationship violence, and hate related activity through education. It provides services to survivors (victims) by intervention, education, training and policy. Immediate, confidential, and supportive responses to survivors are a priority, as is advocating for victims of violence with initial medical evaluation, legal and police procedures, and concern for academic and housing issues. Confidential crisis intervention and advocacy is available to both recent and recovering survivors.
• In cases where a violent incident has occurred in the department, the campus police must be called immediately to investigate, and emergency medical care must be sought for the victim as needed (dial 911).
• The CVPP can provide appropriate supportive response to survivors. Training is provided to university staff and faculty that addresses both the issues themselves and the effects of the incident on survivors, friends, and families. Response teams (victim advocates) are trained to deal sensitively and effectively with persons affected by an assault or violent incident.
• The chair should make a report of the alleged incident to the CVPP, even though the Police Department has investigated and reported it.

Resources

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3. Conflict Management Programs

a. Managing Conflict
When there are conflicts in the department between faculty members, staff, and/or students, it is the chair’s responsibility to see that they are resolved as quickly as possible so that they do not negatively affect the work environment in the department. There are many resources available on campus to help resolve conflicts.
• The deans’ offices have staff who can advise chairs on ways to handle conflict situations that occur in the department.
• Vice Provost--Academic Affairs Office can provide advice to the dean’s office when conflicts are related to academic issues.
• If there is a need for confidential counseling of faculty or staff, the Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP) provides that service.
• Any member of the campus community (students, staff, faculty) can file a complaint accusing a faculty member of violating the Faculty Code of Conduct (UCD 015).
• Non-Senate academic employees may file a grievance under the conditions outlined in APM 140 (pdf) if they feel that there was a violation of University rules or policies that adversely affected their appointment.

b. Mediation Services
Intractable problems between individuals in the department, which last for long periods of time, are detrimental to the department and impact its mission. It is the chair’s responsibility to assess the situation and suggest ways to resolve the issues, if possible when they are in the early stages and can be solved by using a common sense approach in talking to the individuals, suggesting confidential counseling, rearranging teaching schedules or departmental research facilities, etc. When there are problems (among faculty, staff, and/or graduate students) that cannot be resolved by appropriate informal and formal means, mediation may be the next logical step. If all parties agree to submit the problem to mediation, then the specially trained mediators meet with them individually to hear all sides of the problem. Then the parties come together with the mediators to discuss the concerns and work toward a mutually agreeable outcome. If they reach agreement, the mediators will help them create a written agreement listing the specifics of the agreement, which the parties sign.
• It is important that the chair be made aware of conflicts in the department sooner, rather than later, no matter if they are made known by one of the involved parties, the MSO, faculty, staff, or students.
• It is equally important that informal means of solving the problem be applied in the early stages, as well as using formal advisory services like Student Judicial Affairs, the dean’s office, the Vice Provost--Academic Affairs.
• Where conflicts relate to represented staff covered by an MOU, the chair is advised to consult with the dean’s office and with the Office of Employee and Labor Relations in Human Resources.

c. The UCD Administrative Responsibilities Handbook
The UCD Administrative Responsibilities Handbook outlines principles and responsibilities regarding informal conflict management in an administrative unit. (see pages 40-41)

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4. Whistleblower Policy

The University of California has a Whistleblower Policy on reporting and investigating allegations of suspected improper governmental activity, including misuse of University resources (APM 190 (pdf), Appendix A-1 (pdf) and Appendix A-2 (pdf)), such as cash and other assets, intellectual property rights, facilities and the rights to use of University facilities, the University name, University records (including student and patient records), and other violations of University policies and state law. A whistleblower making a protected disclosure (confidential) may be a university employee, applicant for employment, students, patients, vendors, contractors, or the general public. Normally, a report by a University employee of allegations of a suspected improper University activity should be made to the reporting employee’s immediate supervisor or other appropriate administrator, or to the Locally Designated Official (LDO), the person designated by the campus as the official with responsibility to receive reports of allegations of suspected improper use of University resources. APM 190 (pdf) describes the protection of whistleblowers, and the method of reporting allegations. On the Davis campus, the LDO is the Chief Compliance Officer (in the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor) and all downloaded forms are to be forwarded to that official (Telephone: 530.752.6550; FAX: 530 .752.2400).

Resources

Vice Provost--Academic Affairs (530.752.2072) for problems with Conflict Management; within the Vice Provost’s Office, contact Lisa Brodkey, Director of Faculty Relations (530.752.7643)

Mediation Services (530.752.9257)

Academic & Staff Assistance Program (ASAP) (530.752.ASAP) (Confidential consultation and referral services for faculty, staff, and their immediate families)

Student Judicial Affairs (530.752.1128; e-mail sja@ucdavis.edu)

Whistleblower Policy (APM 190 Appendix A-1) (pdf)

Whistleblower Protection Policy (APM 190 Appendix A-2) (pdf)

Whistleblower forms to be completed (UCD P&P Manual, Section 380-17)
Improper Governmental Activities-- Exhibit A, Improper Activities Report
Improper Governmental Activities-- Exhibit B, Retaliation or Interference Complaint

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