Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Resources regarding academic concerns, including tutoring and help with writing skills, can be found on the Student Academic and Career Support page. 

The Academic Accommodations Hub provides guidance for instructors(link is external)(link is external) and a quick guide(PDF file)(link is external)(link is external) who receive requests for flexibility from, or on behalf of, students for a variety of reasons, including for crises or significant events in the world. University Health Services provides information about support services in the campus community after a crisis(link is external(link is external) and a written resource on coping with traumatic events and news(PDF file)(link is external)(link is external).

For resources to share with students, please visit the Mental Health page. 

The Learning and Working Environments page of this website points to resources for creating inclusive and welcoming learning environments. The page also points to resources for students and employees who have concerns about their learning or working environment.

The Learning and Working Environments page of this website points to resources for students and employees who have concerns about their learning or working environment. The page also has resources to help with creating inclusive and welcoming environments. 

The Student Academic and Extracurricular Support page provides resources for students to get involved in extracurricular activities, find community, and have learning experiences outside of the classroom. 

The Office for Faculty Equity and Welfare(link is external) (OFEW) is a good place to start for new faculty. The Career Development page also has information. 

This is outside the scope of the Supportal, however these resources are good places to start: 

• For all employees: the People and Culture Foundational Skills - Required Training webpage(link is external) provides information about employee required trainings and troubleshooting assistance. For help with technical issues, please email learningcenter@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)(link sends e-mail) for assistance. 
• For students: You will be assigned required training via CalCentral. Incoming undergraduate students also have required trainings that take place during Golden Bear Orientation. Incoming graduate and professional students haverequired trainings that take place during New Graduate Student Orientation or during their department's orientation. For help with technical issues, please email sishelp@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)(link sends e-mail) for assistance. For undergraduates, please email the Dean of Students Office at deanofstudents@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)(link sends e-mail) with questions about why you were assigned a course. For graduate students, please email the Office of the Dean of Graduate Division at gradlife@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)(link sends e-mail) with questions about why you were assigned a course.
• To get information about required training on the prevention of sexual violence and sexual harassment, please visit the Required SVSH Prevention Trainings page(link is external) of the SVSH hub website.

UC Berkeley uses Warn Me to provide notification to campus in an emergency, such a wildfire. Please check your information at warnme.berkeley.edu(link is external) and register a mobile number to receive text notifications.

The Office of Environment, Health and Safety provides resources and guidance for community members to prepare for wildfires, smoke, and poor air quality(link is external).

Yes, you can make an anonymous report. You may report anonymously to the following places: 

• The Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination(link is external) (OPHD) using the online reporting form(link is external) or calling 510-643-7985. Please note: Without contact information, the department will be unable to contact you for follow up, and the university's options for response to the report will be limited. UC employees reporting on behalf of a student or subordinate employee must provide their name to fulfill their reporting responsibilities.
• The University of California Police Department(link is external) (UCPD) using Tip411(link is external).
• The UC Whistleblower Hotline(link is external) (Ethicspoint): The Ethicspoint system allows users – without disclosing their name or other identifiable information – to follow-up on a report; to read the university's response; or to provide additional information.
• The Abusive Conduct Complaint Intake Form(link is external): If you are reporting alleged Abusive Conduct on behalf of yourself or someone else, you may do so anonymously. However, UC employees reporting on behalf of a student or subordinate employee must provide their name and other information to fulfill their reporting responsibilities.
  
•  The UC Systemwide intolerance report form:(link is external) You may report to the UC systemwide intolerance report form anonymously or using your name. Please see the reporting form for instructions. 

You may also contact the following Confidential Resources for support and assistance reporting anonymously (reports to these confidential units do not constitute actual notice to the university or a formal report): 

• The PATH to Care Center(link is external)
• CAPS(link is external) and Social Services(link is external) counselors within University Health Services 
• Employee Assistance counselors(link is external) within Be Well at Work at University Health Services
• The Ombuds Office for Students and Postdoctoral Appointees(link is external)
• The Staff Ombuds Office(link is external)
• The Faculty Ombuds(link is external)

Yes, there are Confidential Resources available to support you on campus. Confidential Resource are not required to share information about reports of misconduct with the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination or other entities. Confidential Resources will not share information about a report of misconduct without the individual’s express written permission unless there is a continuing threat of harm to the complainant (the impacted person) or to others or there is a legal obligation to reveal such information (e.g., suspected abuse or neglect of a minor). The following campus departments are Confidential Resources:

• The PATH to Care Center(link is external)
• CAPS(link is external) and Social Services(link is external) counselors within University Health Services 
• Employee Assistance counselors(link is external) within Be Well at Work at University Health Services
• The Ombuds Office for Students and Postdoctoral Appointees(link is external)
• The Staff Ombuds Office(link is external)
• The Faculty Ombuds(link is external)

All employees of UC Berkeley*, including student employees, may have certain obligations to report what they learn about incidents of violence, abuse, neglect, discrimination and harassment, or other conduct that could be a violation of the law and/or University policy. Reporting obligations enable the University to address and prevent harm. Certain employees may have more than one reporting obligation. Please refer to the Reporting Obligations Quick Guide (PDF file)(link is external) for details about who has reporting obligations, what to report, how to report, and more. *Designated Confidential Resources are not required to share information about reports of misconduct with the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination or other entities. 

 Confidential Resources will not share information about a report of misconduct without the individual’s express written permission unless there is a continuing threat of harm to the complainant (the impacted person) or to others or there is a legal obligation to reveal such information (e.g., suspected abuse or neglect of a minor). The following campus departments are Confidential Resources:

• The PATH to Care Center(link is external)
• CAPS(link is external) and Social Services(link is external) counselors within University Health Services 
• Employee Assistance counselors(link is external) within Be Well at Work at University Health Services
• The Ombuds Office for Students and Postdoctoral Appointees(link is external)
• The Staff Ombuds Office(link is external)
• The Faculty Ombuds(link is external)

A person who has experienced harm or misconduct themselves is not required to file a report. This is a personal decision that only the person impacted can make for themselves. 

Depending on the type of misconduct and whether you are a student, staff, postdoc, or faculty member, there are different places to report or find support on campus. If you're unsure exactly what category the misconduct falls into, it can be good to start with a confidential resource, such as a counselor at University Health Services (for students(link is external) and employees and postdocs(link is external)) or an ombuds office (for students and postdocs(link is external), staff(link is external), and faculty(link is external)). For confidential support regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment, the PATH to Care Center(link is external) is a good place to start for all students, postdocs, staff, and faculty. Wherever you start, they can help you get to the right place. 

You can use the UC Whistleblower Hotline(link is external) (EthicsPoint) as a confidential means for reporting certain types of suspected misconduct. The report will be triaged to the appropriate office. 

The word “grievance” has a lot of different specific meanings and usages, so it’s understandable to be a bit confused!

• For Senate Faculty, grievance can have the specific meaning of an instance when a faculty member believes the terms and conditions of their employment, or their rights as an employee, have been violated. These types of grievances are addressed by the Privilege &Tenure Committee. Please refer to the Vice Provost for Faculty's Grievances webpage(link is external) for more.
• For Non-Senate policy-covered academic appointees, a grievance “A grievance is ... a complaint [alleging] that: (1) a specific administrative act was arbitrary or capricious and adversely affected the appointee’s then-existing terms or conditions of appointment; and/or (2) a violation of applicable University rules, regulations, or Academic Personnel policies occurred that adversely affected the appointee’s then-existing terms or conditions of appointment.” The Academic Personnel Office(link is external) (APO) is the responsible office.
• For postdoctoral appointees, a grievance is "a claim by an individual Postdoctoral Scholar, a group of Postdoctoral Scholars or the UAW, that the University has violated a specific provision of this Agreement during the term of this Agreement." Employee and Labor Relations(link is external) is the responsible office.
• For Unit 18 lecturers, a grievance is “a formal written claim ... alleging certain article(s) of [the union contract] has (have) been violated by the University”. Employee and Labor Relations(link is external) is the responsible office.
• For academic student employees, a grievance is “a grievance is a claim by an individual ASE, a group of ASEs, or the UAW, that the University has violated a specific provision of [the union contract].” Employee and Labor Relations(link is external) is the responsible office.
• For other represented staff (academic or non-academic), your union representative and/or the Employee and Labor Relations(link is external) is a good place to start.
• For PPSM-covered staff (both PSS and MSP), a grievance/complaint is “is a written claim by an employee regarding a specific management action(s) that is alleged to have: i. adversely affected that employee’s existing terms and conditions of employment in a material way, or ii. adversely affected that employee’s existing terms and conditions of employment in a material way and violated a provision of the Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM)." Employee and Labor Relations(link is external) is the responsible office. The People and Culture Complaint Resolution page(link is external)(link is external) is a good place to find resources for specific concerns.
• For students, the Grievance page(link is external) of the Student Affairs website outlines different types of student grievances and complaints that can be filed and where to go for each. The Student Advocate's Office has a Grievance Division(link is external) that can provide peer support to resolve different kinds of complaints. Letters & Science also has a Student Support & Advocacy page(link is external) to help students navigate their resources to address a variety of concerns. 

If you are using “grievance” to mean something more general than any of these, like a problem or concern, we hope that the main supportal page will help you find the right place to start. 

• If you need emergency support related to a threat of harm from someone else (including imminent risk of harm to self or others), please call 911 or call the UCPD emergency number (510) 642-3333 anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
• If you are concerned about someone, you have many options for helping them. The Mental Health page of this website points to a number of campus resources to support community members with their mental health.
• If you are concerned that someone is a danger to themselves, but it is not an emergency situation, please call the UC Berkeley Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at (510) 642-9494 for 24/7 access to a counselor by phone. The Threat of Harm to Self and Others page of this website lists resources that can help. If you are concerned about a student's behavior or a student in distress, you can seek assistance from the Center for Support and Intervention(link is external)(link is external) (CSI) by submitting a CARE Report(link is external)(link is external)
• The National Suide Prevention Line (available 24/7): Dial 988.

It's common to feel deeply affected by crises or tragedies happening in the world around us or impacting our communities. The Mental Health page of this website points to a number of campus resources. If you need request flexibility or adjustments due to what is happening, please visit the Accommodations and Supportive Measures page of this website.

The Housing Insecurity page of this website points to resources for housing stability, including dealing with tenant-landlord concerns. 

The Religious and Spiritual Communities' Concerns page provides information and resources for religious and spiritual communities at UC Berkeley, including a non-exhaustive list of spaces for prayer or meditation.

From the Enhancing Safety on Campus and In the Community website(link is external): "In general, unhoused individuals are more likely to be victims of crimes than to commit crimes. The campus is committed to working with the City of Berkeley and local nonprofits to help support unhoused individuals. UC Berkeley has a full-time social worker dedicated to assisting unhoused individuals(link is external)(link is external) and has a variety of supportive services and programs(link is external)"

If anyone is being disruptive on campus (displaying intimidating or inappropriate behavior or are interfering with the use of campus facilities and resources), please report it to the UCPD Dispatch at their non-emergency number: (510) 642-6760.

For more information, please see the Disruptive Behavior on Campus page of this website. The Enhancing Safety on Campus and In the Community website(link is external)(link is external) also provides information about campus security efforts, safety best practices, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Good question. One answer is: both student and employee resources are available to you! but another answer is: which supports you access can depend on whether you need support in your student role or in your employee role. Similarly, you have to follow rules applicable to students (like the Student Code of Conduct, and required trainings assigned to students) in your student role, and rules applicable to employees (like doing required employee trainings) in your employee role. Some campus services are available to you without your having to separate out your roles. For example, for mental health support, you have access to Counseling & Psychological Services regardless of whether you are dealing with personal, academic, or workplace concerns. If you're not sure whether a resource is the right one for you, just ask.

It varies. As academic employees, postdocs generally can access staff resources, such as Be Well at Work - Employee Assistance. One exception is the ombuds resource. Postdocs should contact the Ombuds Office for Students and Postdoctoral Appointees, rather than the Staff Ombuds Office. In general, Visiting Scholars and Postdoc Affairs(link is external) (VSPA) is a good place to consult. When in doubt, it's okay to start with any office and they will redirect you to the appropriate office if needed.

Yes. Enrolled students are eligible for campus support resources. For support resources, please visit the Immigrant and International Community Concerns page.

Yes. Enrolled students are eligible for campus support resources, regardless of documentation or immigration status. For support resources, please visit the Undocumented Community Concerns page.

In accordance with best practices for websites containing information for survivors about sexual violence and sexual harassment and other forms of violence, this website features "escape this site quickly" links in the sitewide main menu, the sitewide footer menu, and all of the pages in the "Harm & Misconduct" portfolio. Some common abusive or controlling behaviors include monitoring the target's online activity. These escape links give users who are concerned about someone monitoring their online activity a way to quickly exit to another website. Clicking this button brings you to a commonly-used external website (the Google.com homepage), but please note it does NOT erase browsing history.