Inappropriate Behavior

Issue

I shared a hotel room at the annual national conference for our field with one of my classmates. He told me that one of our senior professors was intoxicated at a reception and came onto him verbally and physically. He kind of laughed it off, but seemed freaked out. I didn’t say anything, but a friend who recently graduated from the program had already warned me about this professor.

Possible Responses

• Check in with the classmate. “How are you doing?” “I’ve been thinking about what you told me about Professor X. Have you thought any more about what to do?”
• Speak with your advisor or the department chair about the experience and/or the warning you received. These faculty may be “responsible employees” and thus required to share your report with the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office
• Contact Gender Violence Service Coordinators for confidential assistance. If you are uncomfortable naming the professor, you can still describe the incident and concerns.
• See the Speak Up Toolkit for resources to help you get assistance or make a report.