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Directions for reporting racial bias/discrimination at MIT

The Institute Discrimination & Harassment Response (IDHR) Office: idhr.mit.edu is the office that has the responsibility for handling concerns of discrimination and discriminatory harassment (this includes sexual misconduct) and there are several options for individuals to report such concerns and several options for how the Institute might respond and/or address those concerns. IDHR can make sure you are fully aware of all of the options available to you to address your concerns. Please be assured that IDHR will not speak to anybody, until after they speak to you and you have indicated how you wish to proceed.

It is MIT policy (9.7) that no one shall be retaliated against for, in good faith, raising a complaint of a violation of an MIT policy, participating in the Institute’s complaint resolution process (whether as a complainant, a witness, an investigator, or in any other capacity), or opposing a violation of an MIT policy.

How to report an incident of discrimination or harassment

• Reach out directly to IDHR The Institute Discrimination & Harassment Response (IDHR) Office: idhr.mit.edu is the office that has the responsibility for handling such concerns. You can file an incident report anonymously, though IDHR will not be able to contact you to follow up. IDHR will typically notify the department’s Deputy Title IX Coordinator or other department contact to strategize an appropriate response to the reported conduct.
• Reach out to the Department Head When an individual at MIT comes to Professor Anne White and shares a concern of harassment and discrimination, as Department Head she is obligated to report it to IDHR. This means that someone from IDHR will reach out to you and ask if you’d like to meet to learn more about the full range of options available to you. You can decline this meeting.
• Reach out to any Responsible Employee Responsible Employees have a duty to inform IDHR when they learn of incidents of discrimination or discriminatory harassment occurring at MIT. Responsible Employees include all faculty members, most staff (other than confidential resources), and managers and supervisors. Similarly, when a Responsible Employee informs IDHR, someone from IDHR will reach out and ask if you’d like to meet. You can decline this meeting.
• Use the MIT hotline hotline.mit.edu. Unlike the IDHR Office, which is the recommended reporting path, the hotline does not involve direct and rapid feedback. But you may prefer to use the hotline, in certain circumstances.  It is possible to file a complaint anonymously using the hotline, although the Institute may be limited in how it is able to respond when a complaint is anonymous.

How is an employee disciplined if they have violated MIT policies?

• If a staff member or a postdoctoral scholar has been found to have violated MIT’s policy prohibiting discrimination and discriminatory harassment, the Dean from the appropriate school (or the Vice President for Research or other Academic Council member when the staff member or postdoctoral scholar is in a research lab or center) will determine the appropriate action to take against the employee. This may include, but is not limited to, a reprimand (oral or written), suspension, a salary reduction, a demotion, a removal of privileges, or termination of employment or appointment.

• When a faculty member, senior research scientist, senior research engineer, or senior research associate is accused of having engaged in discrimination or discriminatory harassment, a faculty panel will decide whether the policy was violated, and if so, will recommend to the appropriate Dean (or other Academic Council member for some senior research scientists, engineers, and associates) what action should be taken in light of the finding. Examples of discipline include, but are not limited to, a reprimand (oral or written), a suspension, a salary reduction, a demotion, a removal of privileges, or termination of employment or appointment.  The Dean reviews the recommendation from the Faculty Panel and determines what discipline will be imposed or other action taken.

Is information about bias complaints available?

• IDHR produces an annual report summarizing general information about complaints, including bias incidents. Beginning with the 2019–2020 Annual Report, IDHR will start reporting data on incident reports and cases involving staff and faculty. The office officially expanded in February of 2020. View annual reports.

What if I just want to resolve this within the department and not report to an Institute-wide office?

• We encourage you to bring any concerns to the following people within the department (some individuals have an obligation to inform IDHR of incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking but you are not obligated to meet with them or pursue any informal or formal resolution process):
• Professor Anne White, Department Head
• Peter Brenton, Administrative Officer
• Brandy Baker, Academic Administrator
• Valerie Censabella, Human Resources Administrator