Reports of and Complaints About Discrimination and Harassment
Last updated March 2026
This document is a general summary of procedures for filing a Report and a formal, non-criminal Complaint about discrimination or harassment that is either witnessed or personally experienced by students, staff, or faculty members at Western. The purpose of this summary is to provide greater transparency about the reporting and Complaint processes. However, each situation is unique, and many procedures vary on a case-by-case basis. If you have experienced or witnessed discrimination or harassment, we encourage you to contact the Human Rights Office for support, additional information, or to request a consultation.
Reports and Complaints can be made by and about anyone affiliated with the University (i.e., students, faculty, staff, volunteers). Individuals who may have experienced discrimination or harassment may consult with the Human Rights Office, make a report to the Human Rights Office and/or file a formal Complaint. The majority of this document discusses filing a Complaint, but the consultation and reporting options are also summarized. Reporting discrimination or harassment is managed by the Human Rights Office, while filing a Complaint is managed by the Office of the Associate Vice-President - Human Resources (AVP-HR), or the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Student Experience (AVP-SE). The Human Rights Office is also available as a support for parties involved in the formal Complaint process. Complaints against employees (e.g., faculty, staff) will follow procedures outlined in the Procedure for Policy of Non-Discrimination and Harassment. Complaints against students may also involve the Code of Student Conduct. Respondents (i.e., the person(s) about whom the complaint is being made) who hold dual roles (i.e., as students and employees) may be subject to sanction in both their roles, as multiple policies may apply to them.
The Code of Student Conduct applies to Graduate Students except when acting in their capacity as Graduate Teaching Assistants, and when the Complainant and Respondent are both students. The Complaint process outlined in the Code of Student Conduct is similar to the Complaint process described below, however, the Complaint is handled by the AVP-SE and the process is typically more informal and quicker. Complaint procedures involving the Code of Student Conduct are clearly explained in Section F of the Code and possible sanctions are described in Section G of the Code. To begin this Complaint process, you may submit the Code Complaint Form online, or you may email studentconduct@uwo.ca. Because the Complaint process in the Code of Student Conduct is clearly described in the documents linked above, this process is not summarized here. The rest of this document summarizes consultations, Reports and Complaints with the Human Rights Office that are then handled by AVP-HR.
Consultation
If you would like to discuss your experience or an incident or concern that you witnessed without necessarily filing a Complaint (e.g., to determine whether certain behavior(s) may be considered discrimination or harassment, to learn more about the formal Complaint process, or assistance drafting a Complaint), you may request a consultation via email (humanrights@uwo.ca) or phone (519-661-2111 x 83334). A representative of the Human Rights Office will connect with you within 48 hours (or two business days) to offer guidance and support. Requesting a consultation does not automatically result in a formal Complaint being made. The Human Rights Office representative can help you determine whether the alleged facts of your experience, if supported, would constitute a violation of the Non-Discrimination/Harassment Policy, and whether you wish to learn more about and/or proceed with a formal Complaint. Consultations with the Human Rights Office are subject to their confidentiality policy.
Summary
In summary, a consultation with the Human Rights Office will allow you to ask questions, discuss your experience and receive support without initiating a formal Complaint process; reporting will formally notify the University of an experience of discrimination or harassment and is often the first step in making a Complaint, which can lead to an alternate resolution process or a formal investigation of the incident and possible disciplinary action. Anyone interested in any of these processes is strongly encouraged to reach out to the Human Rights Office to learn more.
Contact information:
Human Rights Office: humanrights@uwo.ca, 519-661-3334, Somerville House Rm 2319
Sources:
Western University Policy 1.35: Non-Discrimination/Harassment Policy
Procedure for Policy 1.35: Non-Discrimination/Harassment
Human Rights Office: Get Help - Report an Incident or Concern
