Anyone can report discrimination and harassment to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD). Reporting enables the University to address and prevent harm and impacted parties to receive information about their options and resources. Employees of UC Berkeley have an obligation to notify the OPHD when they learn, in the course of their work, of possible violations of the UC SVSH Policy and/or the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.
Who is considered a Responsible Employee at UC Berkeley?
A Responsible Employee is “any University employee who is not a Confidential Resource.” This applies to student employees (e.g. resident assistants and GSIs), when disclosures are made to them in their capacities as employees.
Supervisors, managers, and faculty, including department deans and chairs, are Responsible Employees with additional reporting obligations.
What are Responsible Employees required to do?
Reporting required for all Responsible Employees
Any University employee (including any student employee) who is not a Confidential Resource must notify the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD) of the following if they learn of the Prohibited Conduct in the course of their work:
- Prohibited Conduct under the UC SVSH Policy(link is external) affecting students
Reporting required for faculty, managers, and supervisors
Any faculty member, manager, or supervisor who is not a Confidential Resource must notify OPHD of any of the following if they learn of the Prohibited Conduct in the course of their work:
- Prohibited Conduct under the UC SVSH Policy(link is external) affecting anyone affiliated with the University
- Prohibited Conduct under the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy(link is external) affecting anyone affiliated with the University
What should Responsible Employees report?
Please see the UC SVSH Policy(link is external) and the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy(link is external) for definitions and more information about Prohibited Conduct.
Prohibited Conduct under the UC SVSH Policy(link is external) includes, but is not limited to, sexual assault, sexual harassment, relationship violence, stalking, and sexual exploitation.
Prohibited Conduct under the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy(link is external) includes harassment and discrimination based on the Protected Categories defined in the Policy, including but not limited, race, gender, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, and disability.
Responsible Employees should share with OPHD any details they learn about the alleged Prohibited Conduct (for example, who, what, when, where, how), including names, and contact information. Only provide information to OPHD that you were told or you know.
How should a Responsible Employee fulfill their obligation to report?
Please contact the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD), the campus Title IX Office, as soon as possible by completing a reporting webform, emailing ask_ophd@berkeley.edu, or calling 510-643-7985.
For more information, please visit OPHD's reporting webpage.
Please note that a Complainant may report to OPHD anonymously. Responsible Employees may not report anonymously.
Can a Responsible Employee report anonymously?
No. While a Complainant or witness may report to OPHD anonymously, Responsible Employees may not report anonymously.
What happens after a report is made?
OPHD will assess the report. OPHD will then contact the impacted party to provide resources and information about the person’s rights and options for support and resolution. The impacted person will always have a choice whether or not to respond to outreach from OPHD and/or participate in an action or investigation.
You may see or work with the impacted person, as well as the parties involved in the misconduct, in the future. It is critical to maintain privacy and to avoid asking anyone about the OPHD report, case, or investigation. Your interactions with all parties involved should be kind, professional, and respectful.
Will Responsible Employees find out what happens in a case they reported?
Responsible Employees, witnesses, and other third parties will not be informed about the status of a case unless OPHD determines there is a need to know. The University prioritizes the privacy interests of those involved in reports as well as the integrity of complaint investigations and other resolution processes.
Where can I go if I have questions about Responsible Employees?
Anyone can contact OPHD by emailing ask_ophd@berkeley.edu or calling 510-643-7985.
What does reporting do to help me or other people?
A report enables the University to promptly address reports of discrimination and harassment by informing the individuals charged with taking action under University policy, thus helping foster a safer learning and working environment.
What are other reporting requirements, like a Campus Security Authority (CSA)?
An individual may have other reporting obligations, in addition to their obligations as a Responsible Employee. For example, a person may be considered a Campus Security Authority(link is external) (CSA) under the Clery Act and/or a Mandated Reporter under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act(link is external) (CANRA).
Please see the Understanding Reporting Obligations page(link is external) for more information about various reporting obligations.
What if an incident must be reported to multiple offices?
If you are unsure where to report, please start with any office and reporting method you feel comfortable with. Reports made to any campus offices will be re-routed to the appropriate office(s) as necessary.
In order to ensure that all the information you are required to provide reaches all of the right offices in the appropriate time frame, you are advised to report directly to all of the relevant offices.