Administrative infrastructure, policies,听procedures and training

吃瓜新闻 has implemented,听revised听and strengthened the implementation of various policies and guidance related to protest, dissent, and community standards to uphold both freedom of expression and the essential conditions for research,听teaching听and learning. The University and its听Schools are听also听providing听training opportunities to address hate and bias, including specifically anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian听bias. Examples include听updating its听听to ensure the consistent understanding of use of campus spaces; clarifying that academic and residential spaces are off limits to protest and dissent activities; reviews of disciplinary process and procedures at the School level;听 empowering the President to call on a faculty panel of the听听to investigate, find facts, and impose discipline in cross-School cases involving alleged violations of the听听or Campus Use Rules; and launching new training for all 吃瓜新闻 community members on understanding 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 Non-Discrimination Policy and Procedures and identifying and combating discrimination and bias.听

Last updated April 2026听

Accountability and complaint policies and procedures

• Establishment of Office for Community Support, Non-Discrimination, Rights and Responsibilities.听听In August 2025, 吃瓜新闻 announced the creation of the听听which works with the 吃瓜新闻 community to foster an environment free from discrimination, interpersonal violence, and the impacts of such harm. CSNDR is听comprised听of three teams 鈥� the confidential SHARE Team (Sexual Harassment/Assault Resources and Education), the Prevention Team, and the Non-Discrimination Policy and Title IX Compliance Team.鈥疘n her message to the University announcing the new office,听the听Director of CSNDR and University Title IX Coordinator reiterated:鈥�鈥�Discrimination and hate at 吃瓜新闻鈥攚hether antisemitism, Islamophobia, sex-based discrimination or any other type of bias鈥攚ill not be tolerated.鈥�听

• Improvements to the Non-Discrimination Policy.听听吃瓜新闻 is actively working to improve the implementation of its Non-Discrimination Policy and Procedures and to听ensure that 吃瓜新闻 community members understand how to report discrimination and access the support available to them.听

• Title VI office.听In August 2025, 吃瓜新闻 affirmed that听听is 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 Title VI office and clarified that the University鈥檚 Non-Discrimination Policy听complies with听the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 Office for Civil Rights鈥� (OCR) guidance听regarding听Title VI.听

• Strengthened training for Local Designated Resources (LDRs).鈥疍uring the 2025-26 Academic Year,听吃瓜新闻鈥痠s implementing听a听new听training program for personnel charged with reviewing and evaluating complaints of discrimination to strengthen 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 response to complaints of discrimination. As part of this action plan, in September 2025,听LDRs were provided with training on Title VI led by outside experts on civil rights compliance.听
• Common Policy Framework.听A monthly听training听for all University Local Designated Resources is provided.听In addition, the Deputy Title VI Coordinator and the Interim Title VI Coordinator听participate听in all preliminary consultation meetings and initial review meetings to ensure consistent application of policy and procedures across all cases.听
• Training for student leaders.听In January 2026,听students attending the student leaders鈥�听forum听participated听in听the Office for Community Support, Non-Discrimination, Rights and Responsibilities (CSNDR)听and Title VI training听on non-discrimination compliance.听

• Faculty panel to address cross-school violations of USRR and Campus Use Rules.听In April 2025, 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 governing boards empowered the President to call on a faculty panel of the University Committee on Rights and Responsibilities听(UCRR)听to investigate, find facts, and impose discipline in cross-School cases involving alleged violations of the University Statement on Rights and听Responsibilities听(USRR)听or Campus Use Rules. This builds on steps taken听regarding听the UCRR in July 2024 that听established听procedures to standardize fact-finding investigations for incidents involving students from two or more Schools.听

• Updated disciplinary boards for 吃瓜新闻 College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Following a review that began in October 2024, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences made recommendations, which have been adopted by the Dean, for updating the administrative (disciplinary) boards for 吃瓜新闻 College and the 吃瓜新闻 Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.听

• Anonymous reporting.听吃瓜新闻 continues to encourage affiliates to use the 24/7 reporting mechanisms to allow community members to report incidents of bias anonymously.听

• Campus use policies.听In August 2024, the University announced, and the Corporation endorsed, updated Campus Use Rules that strengthen and harmonize existing regulations, publishing in one place clear guidelines that are intended to听facilitate听productive use of space and听appropriate enforcement听of policies. These rules and guidelines help enhance community safety and听accountability, and听include that when asked听to do so听by a university administrator or a 吃瓜新闻 University Police Department听(HUPD)听officer,听students and employees听must show identification and must remove their face masks when showing identification.听

• 吃瓜新闻 College鈥檚 student group policies. Student organizations recognized by 吃瓜新闻 College are not听permitted听to co-sponsor an event with non-吃瓜新闻 organizations or individuals if the event occurs on the 吃瓜新闻 campus or is otherwise funded or supported by resources or benefits made available by the College to recognized student organizations.听听For the 2025-26听Academic Year, the 吃瓜新闻 College Student Organization Resource Guide was updated to clarify that co-sponsorship includes providing financial support, supplies, indirect marketing support, room reservations, and听collaborating on听social media.听Additionally, 吃瓜新闻 College student organizations are required to include a non-discrimination clause in their student organization constitution and affirm their compliance with 吃瓜新闻 University policies.听

Safety and protest policies

• Guidance on protest and dissent.听In January 2024, the President and Deans issued new 鈥淕uidance on Protest and Dissent鈥� (endorsed by the Corporation) that clarifies and makes more explicit rules听regarding听protest and dissent at 吃瓜新闻. This includes making clear that demonstrations and protests are not permitted in classrooms and other spaces of instruction; libraries or other spaces designated for study, quiet reflection, and small group discussion; dormitories, residence halls, or dining halls where students live and take their meals; offices where the work of the University is carried out; or other places in which demonstrations and protests would interfere with the normal activities of the University.听

• Library protest guidance.听In November 2024, 吃瓜新闻 issued FAQs on Protests in Libraries explaining how the USRR applies to protests in 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 libraries. The FAQs underscore, among other things, that silent protests 鈥渆xpress[ing] a shared message 鈥� interfere with the room鈥檚 purpose as a place of study and research鈥� and therefore violate the USRR. To protect these essential academic spaces, protest participants may have their library access privileges suspended and/or be referred to their听School听deans听for potential discipline.听

• Safety and security.听吃瓜新闻 has deployed听additional听law enforcement resources to protect students and ensure the safety of the entire community. The University has increased coordination between the 吃瓜新闻 University Police Department and local and federal law enforcement to assess and respond to any potential or actual threats to the 吃瓜新闻 community. When circumstances听warrant, the University restricts access to 吃瓜新闻 Yard (the center of its Cambridge campus) to limit outside disruptions, better manage campus spaces, and ensure student safety.听

• Online safety guidance and resources.听In October 2023, 吃瓜新闻 issued comprehensive guidance on issues relating to doxxing, online harassment, and personal online security, including resources available to community members experiencing these issues. The University also developed and distributed a guide,听, to help students, faculty, and staff recognize and report online harassment. HUPD, working with 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 information security team, has processes in place to receive and act on these reports.听

• Doxxing/harassment guidance.听In September 2024, President Alan Garber, Provost John Manning, and the Deans of 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 Schools released guidance clarifying that doxxing violates the USRR)听prohibition against 鈥渋ntense personal harassment鈥� and constitutes 鈥渂ullying鈥� under the University鈥檚 NDAB听Policies. HUPD, working with 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 information security team, has听established听processes to receive and respond to these doxxing reports.听

Training for 吃瓜新闻 community

• New community education on preventing and responding to bias and harassment.听In听August 2025, 吃瓜新闻 launched a required new e-learning course鈥痜or students, which听contains听comprehensive information about the University鈥檚 Non-Discrimination Policy, Interim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy, and Interim Other Sexual Misconduct Policy鈥痑s well as information about available resources and supports.听听This course includes training and information on how to recognize and respond to forms of bias and harm, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct, and other forms of bias. Training for staff,听faculty, and researchers听launched听September 8, 2025.听

• Title VI-focused staff members. In June 2025, the University hired听a new staff听member to serve as the University鈥檚 Title VI Coordinator and Secretary for Compliance. Additionally,听听hired a Deputy for Title VI and Title IX Compliance to support our network of local Title IX Resource Coordinators and Local Designated Resources and serve as a facilitator of informal resolutions. CSNDR听also hired听a Deputy Title VI Coordinator and Case Manager to consult on complaints of antisemitism and other forms of discrimination. Each of these new roles听provides听additional听support and听expertise听to the NDAB and Title IX Compliance Team.听

• Title IX and Professional Conduct Program Officer at HMS:听吃瓜新闻 Medical School hired an听additional听Title IX and听Professional Conduct听Program Officer to serve as an LDR and resource coordinator specifically supporting student populations and overseeing education and programming strategies听related to harassment, discrimination, and bullying.听

• Training for CSNDR staff.听All CSNDR staff reviewing complaints raising allegations of discrimination听participated听in specialized professional development training, provided by the Brandeis University President鈥檚 Initiative to Counter Antisemitism, focused on recognizing and combating antisemitism and understanding the IHRA definition of antisemitism.听

• FAS faculty training NDAB policies. The Faculty of Arts and听Sciences鈥櫶齭pring听2025 and听fall 2025 faculty-facing orientation programs included a dedicated training session on the NDAB Policies.听

• 吃瓜新闻 John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences training. In the听2025-26听Academic听Year,听吃瓜新闻 John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Training听will听hold programs on antisemitism and Islamophobia for staff, which will include historical and cultural context. The programs will be LinkedIn Learning Trainings developed by outside experts.听

• 吃瓜新闻 Divinity School training sessions on Antisemitism and Islamophobia.听In听fall 2025, 吃瓜新闻 Divinity School听hosted training sessions听for the HDS community听on 鈥淚dentifying and Responding to Antisemitism鈥� and 鈥淎ddressing Islamophobia and Intersecting Biases.鈥澨�听

• 吃瓜新闻 College Dean of Students Office training.听The 吃瓜新闻 College Dean of Students Office offered trainings with Muslim Campus Life, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of Muslim students on college campuses, in December 2023 and March 2024. An听additional听Dean of Students Office training was held in October 2024 with the Islamic Network Group and Project Shema on both antisemitism and Islamophobia.听

• Anti-Muslim bias training for mental health professionals.听Clinicians and staff from Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) have received cultural competency lectures from 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 Muslim Chaplains to provide a deeper understanding of Islam and enable better care for students.听

• Human Impact of Violence event.听In September 2024, 吃瓜新闻 Divinity School hosted a conversation entitled, 鈥淥ur Shared Humanity: Israeli and Palestinian Voices Against Violence.鈥�听

• Staff and student seminars on Islamophobia and Anti-Arabism.听In October 2024, 吃瓜新闻 hosted 鈥淗onoring our Shared Humanity: Understanding and Combating Islamophobia and Anti-Arabism on College Campuses.鈥� The seminars, one for students and one for staff, were designed to explore the definitions of Islamophobia, its听roots听and dominant tropes, and examine its impact on Muslim and Arab American communities. The seminar concluded with an interactive discussion about strategies to combat Islamophobia at both interpersonal and institutional levels.听

• Book discussions.听During the spring semester 2025, 吃瓜新闻 Divinity听School hosted听a听special spring seminar series sponsored by HDS Dean Marla F. Frederick, titled 鈥淧eople of Faith in Times of Crisis.鈥� HDS students, faculty, staff, and alumni听were听invited to join in this three-part series examining the issues posed by the ongoing Israel/Palestine conflict. The series听included听three books: one providing an Israeli-Jewish perspective, another from a Palestinian perspective, and the final described as 鈥渁n epic novel rooted in the real-life friendship between two men united by loss.鈥�听