Report to the University

File a Discrimination or Harassment Report

Any individual may report discrimination or harassment to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance (OCR). We strongly recommend that you report incidents of discrimination or harassment, even if you want to remain anonymous. Reports can be made in person during normal business hours, or by email, regular mail, phone, or via online form at any time.

File a formal complaint

Emily Babb, Associate Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance/Title IX Coordinator
Tiffany Little, Senior Director for Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance/Deputy Title IX Coordinator

(847) 467-6165
OCR@northwestern.edu
1800 Sherman, Suite 4500
Evanston, IL 60201

What to Expect When Filing a Report

Upon receipt of a report, an OCR staff member will contact the person who may have experienced the incident with:

an invitation to meet in person
medical or confidential support
information about how to request a protective order, a no-contact directive or Supportive Measures
reporting and resolution options
how to preserve evidence in cases of sexual misconduct

Cases submitted to OCR that do not meet the standard for a formal investigation or that implicate other University policies are forwarded, as appropriate, to other offices such as the Office of Community Standards, the Office of the Provost, Human Resources or Student Affairs.

Reporting Anonymously

EthicsPoint Reporting

An anonymous report may be made through the Equity, Discrimination, Sexual Misconduct, Harassment incident form or the Human Resources, Employee Relations incident form, both via EthicsPoint, or by submitting a report through the University's reporting system without providing identifying information:

Who can report anonymously?

Student can file an anonymous report. Responsible employees reporting in that capacity cannot report anonymously.

Limitations of Anonymous Reporting

When individuals report allegations of discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct to the University and do not consent to the disclosure of their names and/or do not disclose the identity of the alleged offenders or identifiable information about the alleged offenders, the University's ability to respond to the reports may be limited.

If a Complainant wants the University to conduct an investigation under these procedures but does not wish to participate in the investigation, the University will determine whether it is possible to move forward without the Complainant's participation. In some cases, it will not be possible to do so.

If you are unsure about whether you want to make a report or proceed with an investigation, a confidential resource can help you explore your options and provide additional resources, support, and information.

Should I report?

If at any time you experience or witness violence, harassment, intimidation, discrimination, or any other threatening behavior, we ask that you report it, even if you want to remain anonymous.