Bias Incident, Non-Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Resources

Bias incident reporting

A bias incident involves any discriminatory act against an individual or a group based on their age, religion, disability (physical or mental), race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, socioeconomic status, or any other identity.

If you encounter or suspect incidents of bias, you are encouraged to file a report, which will be reviewed by the UW’s Bias Incident Advisory Committee. Whenever possible, bias reports will be reviewed within 2 to 4 business days. Click here to report a bias incident.

Non-discrimination and non-retaliation

The College of the Environment and the University of Washington are committed to protecting the rights and dignity of each individual in the University community. We follow State, County and Federal laws that bar discrimination in places of public accommodation, housing, employment and education. The College of the Environment is committed to providing equality of opportunity and an environment that fosters respect for all members of the University community, as detailed in Executive Order No. 31, the University’s policy on non-discrimination and non-retaliation, and Article 2 of the UW/WFSE-UWPMA Contract.

In addition, the College of the Environment works to uphold the protections guaranteed under the Anderson-Murray Anti-Discrimination Law to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) people from discrimination through the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) (RCW 49.60).

These policies have the goal of promoting an environment that is free of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. To facilitate that goal, the University and the College retain the authority to discipline or take appropriate corrective action for any conduct that is deemed unacceptable or inappropriate, regardless of whether the conduct rises to the level of unlawful discrimination, harassment or retaliation.

Sex or gender discrimination

Title IX, Title VII, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Washington State law, and University of Washington policy collectively prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, pregnant or parenting status, and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) identity.

In addition, University policy defines sexual harassment as:

  1. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature by a person who has authority over the recipient when:
    • Submission to such conduct is made either an implicit or explicit condition of the individual’s employment, academic status, or ability to use University facilities and services, or
    • Submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for a decision that affects tangible aspects of the individual’s employment, academic status, or use of University facilities; or
  2. Unwelcome and unsolicited language or conduct that is of a sexual nature and that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it could reasonably be expected to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning environment, or has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s academic or work performance. This also includes acts of sexual violence, such as sexual assault and sexual exploitation.

The policies prohibiting these behaviors for students are located in the Student Conduct Code, and for employees and other members of the University community, in Executive Order 51 and Executive Order 31.

The University’s Sexual Assault Resources webpage provides those impacted by sexual violence with resources, options, and university policies and processes.

If you have experienced sex or gender discrimination, including sexual assault, relationship or intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual harassment, or other sexual misconduct, please connect with a confidential advocate who will provide information about your options, your rights, and support resources. The UW’s Know Your Rights & Resources guide also provides important information on resources and reporting options so that individuals can decide what feels right for their situation. You have the right to make a formal complaint and request an investigation.

If you are aware of a situation that potentially involves sexual assault, relationship violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual harassment, related retaliation or other forms of sexual misconduct, please call UW SafeCampus at 206-685-SAFE (7233) to receive information about options and resources. These calls can be made anonymously. You may also reach out to Title IX Coordinator at [email protected] or 206-221-7932.

In the College of the Environment the Dean and the Associate Dean for Administration are the two designated Title IX Officials Required to Report. Please note that this means neither the Dean nor the Associate Dean for Administration may maintain your identity as confidential if you choose to disclose a situation or experience of sexual harassment, whether yours or someone else’s, to either of them. This is also true of the University’s Title IX Coordinator.

Investigation and resolution

The University encourages the prompt resolution of complaints about the behavior of its employees and students. There are many resources available to assist in this process, including:

To ensure equal access to resources and to protect the rights of all parties, allegations of discrimination and sexual misconduct cannot be resolved solely within a department, school or program.

University policy prohibits retaliation against individuals who bring complaints or who participate in the complaint process.

Additional resources

Counseling

Local

Additional resources