When you report sexual misconduct or discrimination and/or harassment to the OEO, the first thing to know is that you have choices on how you want to proceed. A report against someone does not automatically trigger an OEO investigation, and you are not “locked in” to a particular option just because you made a report. When in doubt, reach out!
There are often legitimate reasons why you may want to remain anonymous when you report - and we understand this. If you would prefer to submit a report to OEO anonymously, you can report via Ethicspoint, a third-party secure web tool that offers both confidential and anonymous reporting options.
Ethicspoint also allows you to anonymously or confidentially"chat" with OEO staff to ask questions, share information, and receive support. If you submit a report, just remember to keep the key code the system assigns to you after you submit so that you can check back on the progress of your report.
Please note that If you report anonymously, we may be more limited in the options we can provide and our ability to respond.
STEP 1: When we receive your report at OEO we will discreetly contact you via email to offer confidential support and resources and provide options for next steps. We will also offer to meet with you in a safe location to discuss what happened (or what you witnessed).
STEP 2: When we meet with you, we will never force you to share details you don’t want to share. We will also preserve your anonymity if you request it to the greatest extent that we can. Note: You will need to be named if you choose to pursue a formal complaint. We will explain your options and give you time to think through your choices.
STEP 3: Once we have a sense of what happened and have discussed your options for next steps, you can choose to either pursue an informal or formal process to address the sexual misconduct or the non-discrimination issue. We’ll help you to decide which process is most appropriate, but ultimately it is your decision. If the respondent is already known to OEO, there may be fewer options available.
Regardless of what you decide, we are here to support you.
OEO reviews all reports received and assesses allegations to determine if further investigation is possible and required. OEO will prioritize reports from/about current community members (e.g. current students, current employees and current patients, etc.). Reports received from third parties, including but not limited to parents, alumni or non-Tufts affiliated and anonymous reporters, will be assessed to determine if OEO has jurisdiction based on the nature and detail of the allegation received to enable further investigation. Due to privacy requirements, OEO is not able to share information with third parties who are reporting on behalf of a Tufts student or employee. In certain circumstances, depending upon the type of allegation or policy implication, OEO may refer a matter to a more appropriate Tufts university administrator and OEO will then defer to their investigative process for their response and handling of the matter. For more information about policies used as part of OEO’s assessment, visit Tufts Policies and Procedures. For more information about reporting options, visit Reporting.
You might want to talk to someone about reporting first to get a sense of your options. OEO Liaisons are employees from different schools within Tufts University who have received specialized training from OEO on discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct reporting. OEO liaisons can also provide information regarding support, resources and disciplinary options within the University. It's important to know that all employees at Tufts are considered mandated reporters. This means they are required to direct information they receive about sexual misconduct or discrimination and/or harassment to OEO.
Tufts University is committed to creating and maintaining environments free of discrimination and harassment. Because of this commitment, Tufts strongly encourages students, staff, faculty, patients, visitors and community members who experience or witness an incident of discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct to report the incident as soon as possible so the conduct can be addressed.