Sexual Harassment and Misconduct

When a report is submitted by a student about another student or staff member, an advisor will be assigned to the case and will contact the student making the report (referred to here as the ‘Reporter’) via email to arrange an appointment to discuss next steps.

To ensure the Reporter gets the right support, we will always try to link them with an advisor who has experience in the issue they are reporting.

Any actions following a report will depend on what the Reporter has experienced and whether they wish to take any further action. If they wish to pursue action after their report, they will be fully supported by the advisor assigned to their case. Reporters can also choose not to pursue any action, or to pursue this later. However, there are some limitations if action is pursued later (for example, details may become less clear as time passes). Advisors will share this information with Reporters as required to ensure they fully understand their options.

While reports are confidential, we have a duty of care for students and staff and may have to break confidentiality if there is a safeguarding concern, or if there is a concern relating to a student’s Fitness to Practise related to the course they are studying. This includes if a Reporter withdraws from the process at any time.

In cases where Student Misconduct might have occurred, the report is reviewed by the University’s Student Case Management Group and may be referred to investigation. This process may include the investigator meeting with the Respondent (the person who has been alleged to have broken the Student Code of Conduct), gathering accounts from any witnesses and reviewing relevant evidence in relation to the allegation(s).

During this process, the Reporter is provided with regular updates and support by their assigned advisor.

Any actions as a result of the investigation depends on the nature of the report, however the University may proceed with formal action through the Student Misconduct Procedure or Fitness to Practise Procedure.

Reports submitted to Report It by University staff members where a reported/responding individual is a student follows the same process as above. However, staff members will be advised to receive support through HR / their line manager rather than through our student support services.

Reports submitted to Report It by University staff members about themselves or other colleagues that don’t involve students are handled by our Human Resources (HR) team who will look at the best approach in line with our staff policies and will reach out to advise the Reporter of possible next steps. Staff members can also speak to the HR team directly by submitting a help desk request through the University's HR system, Oracle.

If a report is submitted anonymously, our team is not able to reach out and provide support directly. No action against a particular member of staff or student will be taken unless it is possible to verify the matter reported.

However, we still encourage anonymous reports as they can highlight potential issues and enable us to identify any trends for which we can create a plan of action. For example, we encourage staff to report on behalf of students who have disclosed to them (but who have indicated that they do not want support from our teams or to be identified). Capturing this data helps shape proactive activity to change our community’s behaviour, encourage more active bystanders and generally improve understanding of these issues – ultimately leading to prevention.

We will not share the details of a report with anyone else without consent, unless we are worried about an individual’s safety or we have safeguarding, security or campus safety concerns. We will always try to discuss this with the person who made the report first.

We will only keep information contained in a report for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it has been collected.

Submissions to Report It are not official complaints. However, if a student or staff member want to make a report 'officially’ to the University, they can decide when they want to do this with the full support from the member of the team looking after their case.

When the University receives a report of alleged misconduct by a student from any reporter, the Student Cases Management Group initially assesses the report to determine whether it warrants a full investigation under the Student Misconduct Policy and Procedure. The initial assessment centres on the credibility, relevance and seriousness of the allegations.

In some instances it may be necessary for information to be gathered to inform the decision-making process, which is when an independent investigator is appointed to conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation. Wherever possible, the investigator appointed will have no connection to the reporting student’s school or location of where the alleged incident took place.

All investigators are provided with comprehensive training that covers:

• The investigation process from the initial report to the final outcome, including case studies demonstrating investigations in practice
• Relevant policies and procedures, including our Code of Conduct
• Approaching investigations and investigation interviews where support considerations are required (i.e. making accommodations for disabilities)
• Adopting a trauma-informed approach to investigations
• Self-care strategies for supporting others through trauma

All staff members are required to act in line with University HR policies, including the Dignity at Work and Study Policy. This continues to apply throughout the Student Misconduct investigation process.

The principles of confidentiality and objectivity are central to the investigation process and all information and evidence gathered is handled with the utmost integrity. Involved parties are also provided with an opportunity to raise any concerns about investigators during our processes.

Respondents are provided with an overview of the allegations which have been made, the process and their rights throughout the process, and the potential consequences. Respondents are also offered and signposted to wellbeing support through the University and advice through the Students’ Union as appropriate.

Once the investigator has concluded their investigation, they compile a report detailing their findings. They do not determine whether misconduct has occurred: their role is to gather all the necessary information for the case to be reviewed by an independent Student Misconduct Reviewer, who will determine whether there is a case to answer.

Following the conclusion of any student misconduct hearings, any party involved with the process can use the appeals process to highlight their dissatisfaction with the investigation outcome. Any appeal will be reviewed by an independent member of the University, ensuring the grounds for appeal are thoroughly considered.

You can find out more about how we approach investigations fairly on our Student Misconduct Investigations webpage.

The University of Salford is committed to transparency and the fair treatment of all members of our community. We are a signatory of the Can't Buy My Silence pledge and will never support or require the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in the handling of staff and student casework that relates to sexual harassment, sexual violence and other forms of misconduct and/or bullying.

We are of the view that NDAs can create barriers to open dialogue, hinder accountability and may discourage individuals from speaking out about their experiences. We design our processes to ensure they are fair, confidential (where appropriate) and respectful of all parties involved.

Where confidentiality is necessary to protect individuals or the integrity of a process, it will be managed through internal procedures and ethical standards, not through the use of NDAs.

The Student Charter applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as to members of staff at the University of Salford. The Charter outlines our mutual commitments and expectations to ensure a safe learning environment for all. Included in the Student Charter is the expectation that all members of the University community will be treated fairly and respectfully, and are aware of and comply with the Student Code of Conduct.

Harassment and performing sexual acts without consent are outlined within the Student Code of Conduct as unacceptable and not meeting the expected standards. By not meeting these standards, the University has the right to impose sanctions including suspension, withdrawal of a past award or academic credit or expulsion. For more information about acceptable behaviour and expectations, visit our student-facing policies and procedures webpage.

Some students who are on a specific programme leading to membership of, or potential entry to, their chosen profession and Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies must also comply with the University’s Fitness to Practise Procedure. Behaviours identified in the Procedure as constituting professional misconduct include sexual abuse and the failure to keep appropriate professional and sexual boundaries, and sanctions may be applied in cases where allegations are established.

A child, young person under the age of 18 or adult in a vulnerable situation are subject to our Safeguarding policy. As outlined in this policy, in instances of alleged sexual misconduct, the appropriate safeguarding leads will be informed about the case as part of the investigation process and may seek advice from the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or the appropriate Adult Safeguarding Team. You can find out more about this policy and the support provided to children, young people under the age of 18 or adults in a vulnerable situation below.

We recognise the inherent imbalance of power between many colleagues and students and have a Personal Relationships Policy. The University prohibits intimate personal relationships between colleagues and students where:

• The student is under the age of 18 or a vulnerable adult (as defined in the University’s Safeguarding Policy), as such relationships may be unlawful; or
• The colleague has a direct professional colleague/student relationship with the student and the relationship is not an excluded relationship (please see the definitions in the Personal Relationships Guidance for more information). We believe that such relationships give rise to an actual or potential conflict of interest and/or abuse of power.

Any colleague who is in an intimate personal colleague/student relationship, and who is unclear whether it may be a prohibited relationship, may seek guidance on the matter from the Human Resources team.

• Read our Personal Relationships Policy
• Read our Personal Relationships Guidance

We believe that every student has the right to study and be taught in an environment that is supportive and free from harassment, bullying and victimisation. We also believe that every member of staff has the right to work in a supportive environment free from such behaviour. Our Dignity at Work and Study Policy outlines behaviour that we will not tolerate and how we aim to eliminate this behaviour e.g., through raising awareness, providing reporting mechanisms – and promoting a climate that encourages reporting, and taking action through appropriate procedures. This Policy also applies to visitors and third parties and people working for the University who aren’t directly employed by the University.

• Read our Dignity at Work and Study Policy

Our Disciplinary Policy clarifies how issues of colleague misconduct, including sexual harassment are addressed in a fair and consistent manner.  

• Read our Colleague Disciplinary Policy

• Read the Student Charter
• Read the Student Code of Conduct
• Read the Fitness to Practise Procedure
• Read the Safeguarding policy
• Find all student-facing policies and procedures