University of Brunswick Develops New Policy to Address Sexual Harassment

Canada- Administrators at the University of Brunswick have made changes to their policies that address sexual harassment and discrimination.

The university had an outdated policy and has spent the past two years drafting the new policy, which addresses reporting and disciplinary issues.

Under the new policy a student who has been sexually harassed can file a formal or informal complaint with The Office of Human Rights and Positive Empowerment. If a student files an informal complaint they can meet with an administrator to discuss if action is required. The second step of the process entails meeting with an outside mediator to resolve the issue.

In the formal process an internal third party will conduct an investigation and an officer involved will determine the final outcome.

In both the formal and informal process the administration will not pursue any disciplinary action unless the involved parties request such actions.

Universities in the U.S. and Canada have been forced to reexamine their sexual harassment and discrimination policies. Yale University received bad press last year when students and sexual harassment attorneys accused them of ignoring sexual harassment allegations and failed to discipline people accused of harassment.

Sexual harassment lawyers are often enlisted by victims because their employers or college administrators fail to take harassment allegations seriously. The people subjected to sexual misconduct usually just want the behavior to stop, and the must turn to sexual harassment attorneys to put an end to their abuse.