Retaliation

The UMassD shall xnot penalize any individual—complainant, respondent, witness, administrator, faculty, student, or staff—for their participation in the procedures described below. Throughout the entire misconduct procedure, reasonable and practical efforts are taken to alleviate any diminution of the reputation(s) of the respondent(s) and to alleviate any diminution of the reputation of the complainant who has in good faith made the allegation of misconduct, and to protect against and counter any potential or actual retaliation against the complainant. Retaliation is any adverse action taken against an individual because they reported misconduct, cooperated with an investigation, or otherwise participated in these procedures. Examples include threats, demotion, denial of promotion, or exclusion from professional opportunities. Complaints of retaliation should be addressed to the CRO who may consult with Human Resources (HR) and shall advise the injured party of his or her rights in the matter. Any act of retaliation, once alleged, will be treated as an additional allegation of misconduct and processed through the full inquiry and investigation procedures set forth in this document. Retaliation findings may also trigger disciplinary action under other University policies (e.g., employee or student conduct codes).