What Can I Make a Report About?

Sexual Misconduct means any act of a sexual nature that a person does not consent to, including:

• sexual harassment - this can be verbal, non-verbal, written, graphic or physical. It includes unwelcome remarks about a person’s appearance or attractiveness; asking a person intrusive questions about their relationship or sexual activity; repeated or inappropriate invitations to go out; sending emails with sexual content; showing a person pornographic pictures e.g. on a phone or computer; unwelcome touching, hugging or kissing; inappropriate staring or leering; sexual gestures; and sexually suggestive comments or jokes.
• sexual assault
• unwanted sexual touching or sexual acts
• voyeurism
• stalking
• recording or distributing an intimate image of another person without their consent
• historical sexual misconduct - It is never too late to report sexual misconduct. Delays in reporting sexual offences are common. The Integrity Unit will respond to reports of sexual misconduct, regardless of the time that has passed. Where appropriate, the University will explore a restorative approach to deal with these matters to better meet the needs of victims/survivors. This approach offers an opportunity to refocus an otherwise adversarial (and sometimes inaccessible)  process on the needs and rights of victim/survivors.

Threatening to engage in any of the above conduct may also constitute Sexual Misconduct.

Information about support available to those who have experienced sexual misconduct is available at Safer Campus Community.

Behaviour is identified as workplace bullying when it is:

• Repeated – a pattern of behaviour (not a single incident); and
• Unreasonable – the behaviour is unreasonable given the circumstances; and
• A risk to health and safety – it is likely that exposure to the behaviour will create a risk of injury or harm.

Some of the behaviours that may be considered bullying include:

• Abusive, insulting or offensive language or comments
• Unjustified criticism or complaints
• Continuously and deliberately excluding someone from workplace activities
• Withholding information that is vital for effective work performance
• Setting unreasonable timelines or constantly changing deadlines
• Setting tasks that are unreasonably below or beyond a person’s skill level
• Denying access to information, supervision, consultation or resources such that it is detrimental to the worker
• Spreading misinformation or malicious rumours
• Changing work arrangements, such as rosters and leave, to deliberately inconvenience a particular worker or workers
• Excessive scrutiny at work

Note: behaviour online, using social networks, can also be considered bullying behaviour.

Racism is the process by which systems and policies, actions and attitudes create inequitable opportunities and outcomes for people based on race. Racism is more than just prejudice in thought or action. It occurs when this prejudice – whether individual or institutional – is accompanied by the power to discriminate against, oppress or limit the rights of others.

Discrimination and harassment occur when someone is treated less favourably than others because they have a particular characteristic or belong to a particular group of people.

Discrimination and harassment can occur on grounds of age, political belief or activity, parental or career status, physical features, disability, race, gender identity, religious belief or activity, industrial activity, sex or sexuality, marital status, pregnancy or breastfeeding, or identity of spouse.

While you are at the University, if you see or experience behaviour that you feel may be discrimination, harassment, racism and/or any of the following types of behaviour, you are strongly encouraged to report it to the Integrity Unit.

• Ableism 
• Antisemitism
• Homophobia
• Islamophobia          
• Transphobia                                                           

Whilst the University supports freedom of speech it is important to know that harassment, discrimination and racism constitute unacceptable behaviour and may be considered misconduct.

Harassment, intimidation, bullying or doxing could be considered to be forms of foreign interference if there is a likelihood it is being carried out by, or on behalf of, a foreign actor. See the section below for more information on foreign interference.

Responsibilities of Public Officers

All University employees and those who provide services to the University are Public Officers and are required by law to report certain types of conduct.

Public officers must report any matter they reasonably suspect to be corruption in South Australian public administration to the Office for Public Integrity  

Public officers are encouraged to report any misconduct or maladministration in public administration to the Office for Public Integrity.

Fraud involves dishonestly obtaining or attempting to obtain a benefit or advantage for any person (whether yourself or another) or dishonestly causing or attempting to cause detriment to the University.

Corruption involves the misuse of the person's position in the University for personal or private advantage and may include bribery, fraud, nepotism, extortion or dishonesty. Corruption includes conspiring to aid, induce or conceal these offences. Corruption can include improper action taken to further the purported interests of an organisation.

Maladministration means conduct that results in the irregular or unauthorised use of public money or the substantial mismanagement of public resources.

Academic Freedom is the notion that all staff and students can freely engage in intellectual inquiry, to express their opinions and beliefs, and to contribute to public debate, in relation to their subjects of study and research. This expression should be free from intimidation, harassment and censorship.

The University of Adelaide supports academic freedom through its implementation of the University Foreign Interference Taskforce Guidelines. These guidelines have been developed to help manage risk against foreign interference in the university sector and ensure that Australian universities continue to benefit from international engagement.

Foreign interference occurs when activities are carried out by, or on behalf of a foreign actor, which are coercive, corrupting, deceptive or clandestine and are contrary to Australia’s sovereignty, values and national interests.

Potential foreign interference includes:

• Harassment, intimidation, bullying or doxing by, or on behalf of, a foreign actor.
• Coercive, corrupting, deceptive or clandestine conduct by, or on behalf of, a foreign actor.
• Constraint of academic freedom.

Foreign interference is different from foreign influence, which is a general term for influence by one government over another in relation to an issue of importance. When conducted in an open and transparent manner, foreign influence is considered a normal aspect of international relations and diplomacy. It can contribute positively to public debate – including on Australian university campuses.

However, foreign influence can, at times, cross the threshold into foreign interference. For example:

• Protest activity alone can be a healthy sign of a democratic society. However, if a protest on an Australian university campus is being directed by a foreign state, or community members have been coerced to participate (or prevented from protesting by a foreign state), this would cross the threshold into foreign interference.
• Voicing support for a particular government or its policies is not, of itself, foreign interference. However, if that advocacy is directed by, or covertly done on behalf of, a foreign government and is contrary to Australia’s national interest, it crosses the threshold into foreign interference.

If your concern is about another types of issue, you may want to consider the following information about where such issues can be raised:

• Non-compliance with a law
• Academic Integrity
• Research Integrity
• Workplace Health and Safety
• A workplace conflict
• IT Security

Reporting suspected wrongdoing