Harrassment Policy
The College intends to provide an environment for Students, Staff and Fellows free from unlawful or otherwise unjustifiable discrimination (which can include harassment) and to foster mutual respect and consideration. It repudiates any form of harassment of either women or men on grounds such as sex, or sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, national origin or religious belief.
The College Council has authorised the preparation and the circulation of this document in order to: inform each member of the College that harassment is wholly unacceptable behaviour and that any incidents will be taken seriously, fully investigated and acted upon in an appropriate manner.
Harassment can take a variety of forms, some of which are redefined in detail in the University's policy statement. Conduct that has the purpose or the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work, or creating an intimidating, hostile,or offensive working, educational or social environment comes under the definition of harassment.
The College Harassment Officer is Professor Cathie Clarke (cclarke@ast.cam.ac.uk) and can be approached confidentially by any individual.
Any individual who considers someone's behaviour to himself or herself to fall into the category of harassment may also approach any Tutor, the individual's Director of Studies, the Dean, the Welfare or Women's Officer of the JCR, or a member of the MCR Committee, or, in the case of Staff, the Head of Department or the College Bursar. It is hoped that the majority of cases will be resolved at this level.
The College also has a Harassment Monitoring Group, comprising the Harrassment Officer, two Tutors, the Dean and the College Bursar, and will include members from both sexes. Its purposes are twofold: firstly, to investigate complaints brought to it by a complainant or by any of those mentioned in paragraphs 4 and 5 who may act on behalf of a complainant only with his or her explicit consent. The Group will treat all cases with the utmost confidentiality, investigate them promptly, and endeavour to resolve them. If the Group, which has no disciplinary powers, considers a case to merit such action, it will refer it to the appropriate College disciplinary body - one of those mentioned in paragraph 7. Before doing so, the Group will ensure that the alleged offender has been informed of the nature of the complaint in writing.
The second function of the Monitoring Group is to determine and monitor the extent of the problem. Therefore all incidents of harassment should be reported to the Group, even if the matter has been resolved at a level described in paragraphs 4 and 5. These reports will preserve the anonymity of those involved. The Monitoring Group will report to the Equal Opportunities Committee, which in turn will report to the College Council under unreserved business, annually.
Disciplinary Procedures
Junior Members
When it is alleged that the harassment has been carried out by a Junior Member of the College, the Monitoring Group may refer the case to the Dean of Students for possible action under the College's Court of Discipline procedure.
Senior Members
Where it is alleged that the harassment has been carried out by a Senior Member of the College, the Monitoring Group may refer the case to the Master, for possible action in terms of Statute 45.
Staff
Where it is alleged that the harassment has been carried out by a member of the College Staff, the Monitoring Group may refer the case to the College Officer responsible for that department, for action under the terms of the Contract of Employment.
Others
Where it is alleged that harassment has been carried out by someone not a member of the College, the Monitoring Group may refer the case to the relevant Officer in Clare for taking it up with the appropriate authorities.
The code of practice described above is issued without prejudice to criminal or civil liability.