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Reporting Concerns and Misconduct

In Computer Science and Engineering, we aspire to create an educational environment where all community members can thrive. Reporting climate concerns and misconduct can be confusing, and we are committed to supporting community members through this process. This page provides initial resources and information on how to formally report misconduct and other concerns in CSE.

Quick Links

When to report

U-M guidelines for conduct

CSE strives for a community built on respect and integrity. Actions against those values do not only hurt our community members, but weaken our community and what we can achieve as a whole. While we respect the choices of those who experience misconduct, we hope everyone feels comfortable pointing out instances of wrongdoing without fear of retaliation. 

If you experience inappropriate behavior or misconduct, or if you are unsure that you have experienced such behavior, there are resources and contacts available to you. CSE encourages all students, faculty, and staff with concerns about the department or something they’ve experienced to report what they know through any of the channels described on this page. 

For our graduate and undergraduate students, please do not hesitate to report things like poor classroom experiences, negative faculty or staff interactions, discrimination, or patterns of microaggresions. Even if your concern doesn’t fit the criteria for a formal university report, these are serious issues that deserve attention.

How to report

There are two ways that you can report concerns or misconduct: filing a formal report or anonymously through CSE.

  1. Report anonymously: CSE maintains a form for encrypted reporting and a physical dropbox. Either way, your comment is anonymous. This approach limits CSE’s ability to follow-up or address concerns.
  2. We encourage all CSE community members to report their concerns formally through the University of Michigan process. This can be done primarily through the Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office. Other formal reporting options include the U-M Ethics, Integrity, and Compliance website or through the UM Division of Public Safety & Security.

Some community members may want to speak with someone to determine appropriate next steps or to walk through the reporting process. Individuals can either have conversations with confidential contacts within the University or speak or discuss their concerns in CSE.

Report anonymously

There are two ways that you may submit an anonymous report. Please note that these anonymous reporting methods do not constitute the filing of a formal report.

Submit an encrypted message

Any student, staff, or faculty can submit an anonymous, encrypted message via the form below which will be delivered directly to Prof. Nikola Banovic, faculty chair of the CSE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. While your comment will be anonymous, Prof. Banovic is an individual with reporting obligations, so he may be required to submit a report.

Use our physical drop box

A physical drop box for feedback notes is located on the ground floor of the Beyster Building, behind the Foo Bar. Submissions made here will also be picked up regularly by the Prof. Nikola Banovic, Chair of the DEI Committee. While your comment will be anonymous, Prof. Banovic is an individual with reporting obligations, so he may be required to submit a report.

reporting box

File a formal report

This section directs community members to official U-M reporting channels. 

CSE encourages community members to use U-M channels for reporting situations. These reporting mechanisms are well-resourced and often are able to provide more resources and/or support to the reporting party.

Reporting through the Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office

Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office website
Call: 734-763-0235
Contact webform: https://ecrt.umich.edu/about-us/contact-us/
Report online: https://ecrt.umich.edu/file-a-report/
In-person: 2072 Administrative Services Building, 1009 Greene Street

You may also report concerns and learn more about the University’s policies and available resources, at sexualmisconduct.umich.edu.

Reporting through the Ethics, Integrity & Compliance website

The University’s Ethics, Integrity & Compliance website provides complete and updated information on the University’s commitment to maintaining the highest ethical, scholarly and professional standards and provides additional resources and information about reporting. It also provides a reporting link for purposes of making a report related to ethics and integrity.

Reporting through the Division of Public Safety and Security

To report concerns of possible criminal conduct:

Division of Public Safety & Security (DPSS), including UMPD
Call: 911, or for non-emergencies, (734) 763-1131
Text: 377911
Email: [email protected]
In-person: Campus Safety Services Building, 1239 Kipke Drive

Discuss your concerns with someone in CSE

For conversations in CSE

Faculty and staff are available in CSE to support individuals who may want more information about pursuing a formal complaint, may want to provide input on an issue, or just generally want to process an experience in CSE. The following information will help community members determine whom they may wish to contact. 

Assistance from Individuals with Reporting Obligations (IROs)

An Individual with Reporting Obligations (abbreviated IRO, sometimes informally called a mandatory reporter) is a University administrator, supervisor, or employee who is required to share information they have received about possible sexual or gender-based misconduct with the Title IX Coordinator in the Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office. This misconduct includes Sexual Assault, Sexual/Gender-Based Harassment, Intimate Partner Violence, Stalking, Retaliation, and Violation of Protective Measures and must be reported within 48 hours of being informed. IROs will report a situation on your behalf or can help you report a situation yourself.

CSE Faculty IROs

Since CSE faculty supervise GSIs and/or GSRAs at various points throughout the year, community members should assume that all CSE faculty are IROs (i.e., everyone on this webpage with the following titles: Core CSE Faculty, Tenure-Track Faculty, Teaching Faculty, Research Scientists/Investigators, Courtesy Faculty, and Emeritus Faculty). Individuals with specific questions about faculty IRO status should contact the Unit Administrator Kelly Cormier ([email protected]) and CSE’s Human Resource Coordinator Karen Liska ([email protected]). 

CSE Staff & Additional Community Member IROs

ECRT provides this flowchart to help community members understand their IRO status. In general CSE Managers (or those who supervise others) are IROs. Staff should reach out to their supervisor if they have questions about their own IRO status.

Have a supportive conversation with someone in CSE

Individuals may want to talk with someone before starting a process. The below faculty members and staff have identified themselves as being open to having supportive conversations with students. Please refer to the “assistance from individuals with reporting obligations” section to review reporting responsibilities of faculty and staff. 

At CSE, faculty and staff who have consented to being highlighted for private conversations include:

Additionally, individuals without reporting obligations are available for students to speak with. For graduate students, the following non-IRO staff are available to speak with:

For undergraduate students, the following non-IRO staff are available to speak with:

Please note that these conversations may not be confidential. Please refer to the “For confidential conversations on campus” section to find confidential contacts at the University. 

For conversations regarding LGBTQIA+ concerns

Students and community members have asked about particular channels for reporting LGBTQIA+ concerns or asking related questions in CSE. While gender and gender identities and sexual orientations are explicitly celebrated parts of Michigan Engineering Diversity, and any person or resource listed on this page would be happy to discuss such issues, some may feel more comfortable approaching people who self-identify as part of that community, such as:

In addition, the Michigan Spectrum Center has relevant community-wide resources, as well as information for particular groups (such as graduate students).

For confidential conversations on campus

There are also Confidential Resources on campus, who can maintain confidentiality within the University for the individual who shared the information. Confidential Resources are prohibited from disclosing confidential information until (1) given permission by the person who disclosed the information; (2) there is an imminent threat of harm to self or others; (3) the conduct involves suspected abuse of a minor under the age of 18; or (4) as otherwise required or permitted by law or court order. Confidential resources include: