Ohio University strives to create an environment where students, staff, faculty, and families feel that their authentic self is personally accepted, respected, included, and supported in the university environment. We strive for inclusive excellence.
Sometimes events, behaviors, or actions that negatively impact the goal of inclusive excellence or sense of belonging at OHIO may occur. We encourage members of our community to come forward to report when they feel there has been a negative impact on the overall campus climate.
The Campus Climate Concerns Team (CCCT) is a group of professionals who support, refer, and track these issues with the goal of creating a stronger campus community for all.
- Support– provide support and resources to those negatively impacted by a concern.
- Refer– direct and connect impacted community members to those that can assist and support
- Educate– share information about the university’s freedom of expression obligations and policies
- Monitor– look at any trends in reported concerns or behaviors and make recommendations for voluntary training and information sharing on campus
What types of issues should be reported?
A campus climate concern is any act that appears to be or is perceived to be inappropriate by an individual. Such an act may be motivated by race, ethnicity, age, religion, national origin, sex, disability, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, veteran status or socioeconomic status. To be considered a concern, the act is not required to be a crime under any federal, state or local statutes, nor does it have to violate university policy.
How to report
Provide as much detailed information as possible. Reports made anonymously may hinder the Team’s ability to respond effectively.
To report incidents of sexual harassment or other forms of sexual misconduct or harassment, discrimination, or retaliation
Visit Equity and Civil Rights Compliance
What will happen next
The report will be first reviewed to consider any policy violations. Any reports that include information about potential criminal behavior will be forwarded to the Ohio University Police Department. If there are no evident violations of policy or law, the information will be forwarded to the CCCT.
Where appropriate, someone from the CCCT will reach out to the impact person(s) to offer assistance, support, and appropriate referrals. Information from anonymous sources will be received but may hinder our ability to take any steps or actions.
What the CCCT Can do...
- Ensure that the reporting party and those impacted by the reported concern have support
- Offer an opportunity for the reporting party or any of those impacted to meet with a member of the CCCT
- Refer to other university offices that may be able to provide resources or help
- Use collected information to make recommendation on future voluntary training, education, and information sharing on campus
What the CCCT Cannot do...
- Propose or facilitate any formal discipline for involved staff, students, or faculty
- Investigate or fact find
- Change programs or curriculum
- Censor or punish for offensive speech that are protected speech
Additional Resources
- Office of the Dean of Students
- Division of Diversity and Inclusion
- Ombuds
- Equity and Civil Rights Compliance
- Counseling and Psychological Services
To learn more about Freedom of Expression at Ohio University, including the policies, history, and resource, visit our Freedom of Expression Website