Why Reporting Matters
Our priority is ensuring that Columbia University is a safe community and workplace where we can learn, live, work and express ourselves. As members of the community, we have a shared responsibility to uphold these standards and report behavior that violates these standards.
How to File a Report
The reporting options below provide Columbia University community members an opportunity to share important information directly with appropriate offices. If you or a member of the community needs support please take the time to complete a report so we may provide support, care, and accountability.
- Academic Integrity Violation Referral Form may be used to report all allegations of Academic Misconduct.
- Discrimination, including Antisemitism, Anti-Arab or Anti-Muslim Discrimination, Form may be used to report an incident of discrimination or harassment. (Incidents involving faculty/staff are routed directly to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA). For gender-based incidents, please use the next form on the list.) This form may be used to report discrimination or harassment incidents, including but not limited to the following:
- Age
- Anti-Arab
- Anti-Muslim
- Antisemitism
- Citizenship/Alienage
- Disability
- National Origin
- Race/Color
- Religion/Creed
- Gender-Based Misconduct, including Stalking Form may be used to report an incident involving Gender-Based Misconduct. (Incidents involving faculty/staff are routed directly to EOAA.)
- General Concern Form may be used to report violations of the Columbia University Rules of University Conduct, or other policies and to report general concerns involving Columbia University students and/or student groups, including bias.
- Protection of Minors Report of Child Abuse/Maltreatment Form may be used to refer an incident involving suspected child abuse or maltreatment.
Please note that submissions using these form may not be reviewed outside of normal business hours. If there is an immediate risk to health or safety, please contact Columbia Public Safety:
- 212-854-5555 (Morningside)
- 212-853-3333 (Manhattanville)
- 212-305-7979 (CUIMC)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Community members may file an incident report electronically through the sites listed on this webpage (universitylife.columbia.edu/report). Community members, including students, may also make reports in person at the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EEOA) at 103 Low Library, and students may go to the Center for Student Success and Intervention (CSSI) on the 8th floor of Watson Hall, 612 West 115th Street.
Yes, absolutely. These resources are designed to support affiliates across the entire Columbia community. The University’s reporting policies and procedures are designed with all affiliates’ needs in mind.
First, the report is reviewed and a determination is made whether the complaint should go to CSSI (Center for Student Success and Intervention) or EOAA (Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action), or if the report should instead be referred elsewhere, such as the school or Human Resources. The appropriate office will then determine whether or not more information is helpful to determine next steps. The report is then assessed for possible University policy violations, and the complainant or reporter is contacted (if their information is provided). Depending on the concern, additional resources or support may be provided and/or an investigation may be initiated. Irrespective of whether the report is referred elsewhere or an investigation is initiated, resources are always available for students, staff, faculty and affiliates.
Yes, you can report anonymously. However, anonymous reports can limit the University’s ability to investigate and respond. The more information that is provided, the more likely the issue can be fully addressed.
The individual filing the report will receive a response confirming that the report has been received and is under review. After the report is reviewed, the appropriate office will proceed to contact the Complainant, or in some cases the reporting individual, as soon as possible.
Both reporting offices review and follow up with a complaint as quickly as possible on any report submitted, and the timing depends on the specific nature of the concern. Some reports are about issues that can be quickly addressed. Other reports could take weeks to months to resolve. Investigations can be incredibly complex and involve speaking to several parties and witnesses.
It depends. Those who are actively involved in the process will be informed of the status of the investigation as it proceeds. Since the privacy of all involved parties is a priority and an obligation taken seriously by both EEOA and CSSI, the offices are very limited in providing any additional information to third parties.
Regardless of the nature of the complaint or report, the offices strive to notify the parties at the end of the process. Mandatory reporters will receive initial confirmation that their report has been received and is under review but may not receive communication beyond that if they are not parties to the report.
Reporting a concern through one of the online reporting forms ensures that discrimination or harassment is properly addressed and that the complainant receives appropriate support. Additionally, the University has a variety of campus-wide resources that can be helpful in navigating challenging situations. If someone has been doxed, for example, they can reach out to the Doxing Resource Group for support.
All parties are treated with respect and dignity, and the outcome of an investigation is not prejudged. EOAA and CSSI investigators are all impartial, fully trained, and adept at conducting thorough investigations. EOAA Policies and Procedures and CSSI Policies reflect the University’s commitment to providing a learning, living, and working environment free from discrimination and harassment, neither of which are tolerated at Columbia, in addition to being compliant with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations.