Scope: This procedure applies to all students, faculty, staff, residents and affiliated personnel within the medical school, including clinical rotations and off-campus sites.
Responsible Offices: Office of Student Experience and Office of Educational Affairs
Definition of Student Mistreatment
Mistreatment, either intentional or unintentional, occurs when behavior negatively impacts the dignity of others and/or unreasonably interferes with the learning process. Examples of mistreatment include: public belittlement or humiliation; verbal abuse (e.g., speaking to or about a person in an intimidating or bullying manner); physical harm or the threat of physical harm; explicit or implicit requests to perform personal services; being subject to sexist remarks or being subjected to unwanted sexual advances (verbal or physical); being subject to derogatory remarks; retaliation or threats of retaliation; discrimination or harassment based on protected class; and the use of grading or other forms of assessment in a punitive, retaliatory, or discriminatory manner. Mistreatment can be committed by faculty, staff, residents, and/or students.
The following are examples of student mistreatment (see the Association of American Medical Colleges Graduation Questionnaire):
- Public humiliation
- Threats of physical harm
- Physical harm
- Bullying, intimidating, or coercive behavior
- Requirements to perform personal services
- Unwanted sexual advances
- Being asked to exchange sexual favors for grades or other rewards
- Denial of opportunities for training or rewards based on gender or gender identification
- Subjected to offensive sexist remarks/names or offensive remarks/names due to sexual orientation (e.g. directed toward patients, staff, learners, others)
- Subjected to racially or ethnically offensive remarks/names used in the learning environment (e.g. directed toward patients, staff, learners, others)
- Subjected to offensive remarks/names related to a disability
- Received lower evaluations or grades solely because of gender, race/ethnicity and/or a disability rather than performance
- Denied opportunities for training or rewards based on sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and or related to a disability
- Subjected to negative or offensive behavior(s) based on personal beliefs or characteristics other than gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability
- Microaggressions (a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a person or group)
Allegations of mistreatment may be reported through multiple avenues (refer to the policy for additional details):
WSU College of Medicine Student Mistreatment Form
- Student Mistreatment Form
- Also available through the student’s home page in E.Flo MD under “Helpful Links”
- Under Student Feedback and Forms in Student Affairs resources
Compliance and Civil Rights (CCR)
For student mistreatment involving discrimination, sexual harassment, or sexual mistreatment can be reported to CCR in accordance with UPPM 10.60, Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment. Most employees (unless designated as confidential by UPPM 10.60) must report sex discrimination and sex-based harassment to CCR, and employees with supervisory responsibility must report all other forms of discrimination and discriminatory harassment to CCR.
- Reports may be made online or by calling 509-335-8288, or via email ccr@wsu.edu
Human Resource Services (HRS)
For student mistreatment involving prohibited consensual romantic relationships between faculty or staff and a student must be reported to HRS. See UPPM 60.13, Consensual Romantic or Sexual Relationships Between Faculty, Staff, and/or Students, section 4.1 Prohibited Relationships.
College of Medicine Administrators
- Deans of Student Affairs
- Regional Associate Deans
- Assistant Dean for Pre-Clerkship and Clerkship
- Vice Dean for Admissions, Student Affairs, and Alumni Engagement
- Vice Dean for Educational and Faculty Affairs
Evaluations
- Student Feedback Channel
- Via an optional confidential survey sent three times per year by the College of Medicine Evaluation Unit
- If there are concerns of alleged student mistreatment submitted via these avenues, the Evaluation Unit forwards to Student Affairs for review.
Center for Community Standards (CCS)
Peer to peer student mistreatment can be reported to CCS. Any and all reports of alleged hazing should be reported to the CCS. All WSU employees and volunteers are required to report alleged hazing to the CCS. Students, although not required, are encouraged to report potential violations to CCS. Reports can be made online, through email at community.standards@wsu.edu, or by calling 509-335-4532.
Allegations of mistreatment may be directly brought to the attention of any College of Medicine faculty, staff, or administrator; in these cases, they should then be referred to a Dean of Student Affairs or directly to CCR if it involves discrimination, sexual harassment, or sexual mistreatment.
1. Immediate Response
- In cases of imminent danger or serious harm, the student should contact campus security or emergency services immediately.
- The student should be referred to services available to them including counseling services.
- Determine if the student needs to be immediately removed from the learning environment.
- The Deans of Student Affairs should be notified.
2. Filing a Complaint
- All are encouraged to report mistreatment as soon as possible.
- The complaint should include:
- Details of the incident(s), including date, time, location, and individuals involved.
- Any supporting evidence (e.g., emails, witnesses).
- The impact of the alleged mistreatment on the student.
3. Consulting with CCR
- When reports come to Student Affairs (via the Mistreatment form or referrals from faculty, staff, administrators, course evaluations, or via the feedback channel, Student Affairs consults with CCR to determine if the case may fall under UPPM 10.60.
4. Learning Environment Committee – Executive Committee (EC) Triage
- Meet to review known details and determine if further information gathering is warranted.
- Determine whether the allegation constitutes mistreatment.
- Conduct remaining process including reporting, notification, and documentation.
- NOTE: Student-to-student mistreatment is reviewed by SEPAC.
5. Confidentiality Assurance
- Students should be reassured that their report will be handled with the highest degree of confidentiality as is reasonable within the circumstances. For non-CCR cases, they may work with Student Affairs to determine if they want their name known. CCR will explain confidentiality in more detail if they are handling the case.
- Information will only be shared on a need-to-know basis to facilitate the review.
Reports of alleged mistreatment addressed by one of the following:
WSU Compliance and Civil Rights (CCR)
- For forms of alleged mistreatment that involves discrimination, sexual harassment, or sexual mistreatment will be assessed and potentially investigated by Compliance and Civil Rights (CCR) following EP15 guidelines.
WSU Human Resource Services
- Any alleged student mistreatment that involves workplace violence and/or maintaining a professional working environment will be reviewed for appropriate follow-up by Human Resource Services (HRS) following BPPM 50.30 and/or 60.31 procedures.
- Any student mistreatment that involves consensual romantic or sexual relationships between a faculty or staff and student will be reviewed for appropriate follow-up by HRS following BPPM 60.13 procedures.
WSU College of Medicine Learning Environment Committee
- Student mistreatment involving a faculty member, staff, and/or resident will be reviewed by the Executive Committee of the Learning Environment Committee, and administrative committee within the Office of the Dean.
- See details of the Learning Environment Committee below
WSU College of Medicine Student Evaluation, Promotions, and Awards Committee (SEPAC)
- Student-to-student mistreatment may be reviewed by SEPAC.
WSU Center for Community of Standards
- Student-to-student mistreatment may be referred to the University’s Center for Community of Standards when warranted.
WSU Threat Assessment Team
- Reports of student mistreatment which include threats to the WSU community or WSU community member(s) will also be routed to the WSU Threat Assessment Team which may recommend additional supportive measures, response, or investigation.
Learning Environment Committee
The Learning Environment Committee (LEC) was relaunched in March 2026. The LEC serves as a mechanism to improve responsiveness to broader student concerns of the learning environment, to examine and respond to any maladaptive trends across the learning environment, and to identify trends with suggested areas for improvement.
The LEC includes an Executive Committee (LEC-EC) which reviews individual mistreatment reports.
Purpose: To promote a respectful, non-discriminatory, civil, and supportive educational environment for learners within the College of Medicine.
LEC Responsibilities
The LEC meets quarterly and is responsible for monitoring survey and reporting trends in aggregate and making recommendations to improve the learning environment. The LEC recommends broad actions, including faculty and student training, to foster a positive learning environment.
The LEC consists of the following roles:
- Co-Chairs (non-voting)
- Vice Dean for Educational and Faculty Affairs, Co-Chair
- Vice Dean for Admissions, Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement, Co-Chair
- Voting
- Faculty Representative: Pre-clerkship
- Faculty Representative: Clerkship
- Staff Representative
- Faculty At-Large
- Student Representative: Year 1
- Student Representative: Year 2
- Student Representative: Year 3
- Student Representative: Year 4
- Associate Dean for Community and Health Equity
- Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education
- Non-Voting
- Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
- Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs
- Educational Affairs Representative
- Regional Dean Representative
- Human Resource Services Representative
- Office of Provost Representative
- Personnel Director
- Office of Compliance and Civil Rights Representative
- Office of Research Representative
EC Responsibilities
The Executive Committee (EC) is a sub-group of the LEC. Its responsibilities include reviewing and identifying actions to address allegations of learner mistreatment. The EC is charged with promptly responding to concerns of student mistreatment as they are reported through the various reporting channels.
The EC consists of the following roles:
- Vice Dean for Educational and Faculty Affairs (College of Medicine)
- Vice Dean for Admissions, Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement (College of Medicine)
- Faculty Advocate (Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs; College of Medicine)
- Student Advocate (Assistant Dean for Student Affairs; College of Medicine)
- Personnel Director (College of Medicine)
- Human Resources Services (University – Spokane)
- Office of Provost (University)
For questions about the mistreatment process or the Learning Environment Committee, please contact:
Dr. Leila Harrison
LEC Co-Chair
Vice Dean for Admissions, Student Affairs, and Alumni Engagement
leila.harrison@wsu.edu
Dr. Radha Nandagopal
LEC Co-Chair
Vice Dean for Educational and Faculty Affairs
radha@wsu.edu