Harassment / Discrimination

The University encourages all members to interact / treat / deal with each another with courtesy, respect and professionally at all time. Therefore, any act of harassment that threatens an individual is considered a serious misconduct. All acts of harassment will be subjected to disciplinary action. 

Generally, the acts of harassment include: 

•  Physical Harassment 
•  Psychological Harassment 
•  Verbal Harassment 
•  Sexual Harassment 

In addition, the University also encourages a healthy campus environment that without any form of discrimination. There are many channels established within the University community to communicate the discrimination issues. Staff members may utilise the Grievance Procedure and/or Staff Feedback System, as the way to communicate the discrimination issues.

Sexual Harassment

The University aims to provide an educational and working environment for staff members, students and visitors, which is free from any sexual misconduct.

Sexual Harassment may be defined as unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favours or other verbal or physical conduct or written communication of sexual nature when: 

• Submission to such conduct is made a term or condition of an individual's employment or educational experience; or 
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individual; or 
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonable interfering with an individual's work, academic performance, participation in extracurricular activities; or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning environment. 

Sexual Harassment in workplace includes any employment related sexual harassment occurring outside the workplace as a result of employment responsibilities or employment relationships. Situation under which such employment related sexual harassment may take place includes but is not limited to work related-social functions, conferences or training sessions, travel or work assignments outside the workplace or over the telephone or electronic media. 

The University has established a procedure in handling sexual misconduct, which is under the Handbook on HR Policies and Regulations - PROCEDURE FOR HANDLING SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT THE WORKPLACE. The procedure can be viewed by the staff members at the staff intranet (Web2) under UTAR Policies ->DHR.

Anonymous Complaints Against Staff Members

Complaints on staff members or staff related matters, whether in person or in writing (including by facsimile, email, or other electronic means or any other forms) or through phone calls, are normally involve sensitive issue or irregular practices. However, some complaints (especially anonymous complaints) are often made under false identities or without identities. 

The University is not able to investigate such anonymous complaints, as the source of the complaints remain unknown. There may be cases whereby anonymity might be misused by complainant to conceal what would otherwise be readily identified as a malicious or vexatious complaint. 

The University has established a Policy On Handling Anonymous Complaint, which can be viewed by accessing into Staff Intranet (Web2) under UTAR Policies -> DHR.