Page 49 - HKUST Student Guide 2022

STAYING SAFE

• Any aspect of your educational experience is made conditional on
submission to such conduct, either explicitly or implicitly, or
• Educational decisions affecting you are based on rejection of such
conduct, or
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of:
- Unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or
educational experience, or
- Creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or learning
environment.

Sexual harassment is prohibited under the University policy. University
faculty, staff or students are liable to disciplinary actions if found guilty of
sexual harassment.

What can you do about Sexual Harassment?
• Maintain a record of the events, behavior and witnesses as well as your
reactions and feelings about any incidents that occurred. Many people
confronted with unwanted sexual behavior experience a range of feelings
from self doubt and self blame to depression and anger.
• Report the behavior and seek an advocate such as your supervisor, APPENDIX
a student counselor or Residence Master, or any other supervisory
personnel with whom you feel comfortable with who may provide advice
and support to you, and act as an informal mediator between you and the
offender.
• Report the behavior to the Gender Equity Officer (GEO), and follow the
University Complaint Procedure from then on.

What is the University Complaint Procedure?
• Attempts to resolve problems or conflicts should be sought informally.
However, if these informal means fail to resolve a situation, or if you feel
that only a formal complaint can provide relief, you may do so under the
University Complaint Procedure.
• File a formal complaint with the GEO. The GEO will investigate the complaint,
establish merits and initiate the mediation process by recommending a
settlement with the intent to provide a remedy for the complaint.
• If either party is not satisfied with the results from these steps, the GEO
will initiate a formal hearing into the complaint.
HKUST University Policy on Sexual Harassment
https://gdc.hkust.edu.hk/

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