Anyone who witnesses or experiences student mistreatment at any LSUHSC-S educational or training site is strongly encouraged to report it. Incidents of mistreatment may be reported in a variety of ways. Students may choose to discuss concerns directly with any individual felt to have demonstrated mistreatment at a time and setting conducive to a candid and respectful conversation. This approach is not always a comfortable or viable option. Alternatively, students may also bring concerns about mistreatment to the Office of Student Affairs for guidance and possible resolution. Such informal consultation will be confidential, unless precluded by safety of the student or institutional policy.

If a concern related to mistreatment has not been resolved, individuals may file a formal written complaint using any of the following resources: · The online mistreatment form at https://www.lsuhs.edu/mistreatment

• Direct reporting to the Office of Student Affairs
• The complaint boxes in the Library and the fourth and eighth floor lecture halls

Reports may be made anonymously and will be handled confidentially whenever possible. However, LSUHSC-S has an obligation to maintain an environment free of Title IX offenses (including sex discrimination, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and retaliations); thus, faculty and staff have mandatory reporting and response obligations and may not be able to honor a complainant’s request for confidentiality in those situations.

LSUHSC-S prohibits retaliation against an individual who, in good faith, reports or complains of mistreatment, or provides information relevant to a mistreatment investigation or proceeding. State and federal laws and university policy protect against retaliation for reporting sexual harassment, sexual violence, stalking or dating or domestic violence. University policy prohibits retaliation against a person because he or she made a report, filed a complaint, participated in the investigation of a complaint or assisted others who raised a complaint.

Retaliation is a serious offense that will result in disciplinary action for students or employees. This protection from retaliation applies for any complaint made in good faith, even if it is eventually dismissed or found lacking in merit. A complaint will be presumed to have been made in good faith unless it is found to be a knowing falsehood or made with no factual basis whatsoever.

Once a report is received through the reporting form, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will review the report and ensure that the complaint is handled by the appropriate administrator (i.e., Title IX). Unless requested by the student, the process of investigation and resolution will attempt to avoid meetings between the student and respondent.

The appropriate administrator is responsible for thoroughly investigating the concern and resolving it in a fair and timely fashion. They will then report the resolution information back to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, which will follow up with the student or reporter of student mistreatment when appropriate.

Individuals found to be in violation of the mistreatment policy will be reported to the appropriate body for review and disciplinary action.

• Students found to be in violation of the mistreatment policy will be referred to the Professionalism Committee for review and sanctions up to and including dismissal.
• Residents and fellows found to be in violation of the mistreatment policy will be referred to their graduate medical education (GME) office for review and disciplinary action.
• Faculty found to be in violation of the mistreatment policy will be referred to his/her Department Chair and/or Dean for review and disciplinary action.
• The Dean may review complaints and concerns if the matter is not resolved.