This year, an initiative named Supporting a Fair Environment (SAFE) was founded to address mistreatment and unprofessional behavior primarily at the School of Medicine. However, DBBS students on the Danforth campus or other off-campus sites are also encouraged to use this resource. It can be found after you log into the Student Resource Center, or at safereporting.wustl.edu. You can also access the FAQ page for the SAFE reporting tool to learn more.
Below, you can find a summary of the goals of this resource and ways in which you can use it to report incidences.
How can I use SAFE?
SAFE reporting tool can be used to report both negative and positive experiences about members of the community. Reports can be anonymous and can be further deidentified if the person filing the report also doesn’t want the SAFE committee to know their identity or follow up with them. However, reporters may choose to delay action on their specific concern until after a specific period (e.g., after graduation, rotation, or the semester). This is in place to protect reporters against retaliation. Reporters may also file an FYI report where they request no action to be taken; however, in cases of serious violation of policy or law (such as sexual harassment), investigation and action may still be taken. The report will then be reviewed by HR leaders not affiliated with DBBS departments. There is no limitation on what may be reported.
What happens after a report is filed?
After a report is received, HR determines whether the misconduct violates existing WUSM policy. If it does not, the report will be sent to the SAFE committee members Dr. Lisa Moscoso and Dr. Jennifer Duncan, who may conduct further investigation to fully understand the nature of the event (including reviewing previous reports about the same individual).
Currently, the ways in which inappropriate behavior will be dealt with (that does not violate university policy) is through conversations with trained SAFE committee members. The goal is to bring people in and describe the impact of their behavior without giving away specific details about the incident.
The response is graded, so if multiple reports are received about a certain individual, the response may be escalated. Therefore, students are encouraged to file these reports in an effort to maintain institutional memory. If retaliation is suspected, it should also be reported. Reporters can monitor the status of the report using the log-in information provided after filing the report.
How will data be shared with the wider community?
Deidentified data will be shared with the community about the use of this tool to maintain transparency. The individuals who serve as SAFE-trained faculty span multiple departments across campus. There is also ongoing conversation about including students as trained members.
Other systems that exist at WashU:
- OASIS system for medical students. SAFE is considered an expansion of this resource.
- BRSS is an FYI system only.
- Compliance Hotline for Reporting Violations
We understand that circumstances that may lead to SAFE reporting may be distressing and difficult. In addition to the reporting system, there are mental health resources available to DBBS students on campus:
- The Student Mental Health Counseling Services: To schedule an appointment, you can simply send an email to the available counselors.
- Students seeking mental health support can also seek the NexGen Student Assistance Program. Counseling services include:
- Text or Call 1.800.327.2255
- Live Chat Online at www.nexgeneap.com
- Use the NexGenEAP Mobile App
- Company ID 8591