Camp safety and anti-harassment policies
Student Field Safety Rights
Fieldwork and field courses are an extension of on-campus work and coursework, and adherence to a professional code of conduct is required by all participants in a UO field party. All participants are required to report Title IX violations.
If you or someone in your group needs to discuss or report an incident that has occurred while on a recent field trip, please use the following contact information: respect.uoregon.edu. The campus-wide 24-hour reporting line can be reached at: 541-346-5555. You may use this line to make an anonymous report or they can connect you with confidential resources.
Students have the right:
1. To be informed about the plans, nature of work, and risks involved with the fieldwork in which they will be participating
2. To express concerns about their safety and comfort, and that of the team.
3. To refuse to do activities they feel are unsafe or they are not comfortable with.
4. To safe accommodations with which they are comfortable (e.g. students should not be required to share a tent with a person with whom they are not comfortable)
5. To a social environment that would be acceptable in a classroom setting.
6. To reasonable attempts to provide adequate shelter, equipment, and food.
7. To not be left alone in remote field settings if not desired
8. To carry and use remote field safety equipment, including communication devices.
9. To be evacuated at no additional cost, if the student feels a Title VII or Title IX violation has occurred and wants to return to town for safety reasons and/or to file a complaint.
10. To be evacuated at no additional cost if the student feels they are experiencing a medical emergency (e.g. the flu, sprained ankle, broken arm)
11. All of these field safety rights shall be exercised without retaliation or adverse effect on the student’s academic progress.
* This document modified from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Fieldwork charter of rights.
UO Field Camp Harassment Avoidance Policy
As a member of the UO community, you have the right to an environment free from harassment and discrimination, both on campus and in the field. We reiterate for this field course:
There is zero tolerance for harassment or assault, including all forms of bullying.
There is zero tolerance for retaliation against those reporting harassment or assault.
Those found to be harassing or assaulting others will be reported to appropriate authorities including UO authorities, and may be sent home at the instructors’ discretion.
If you experience a harassment or assault incident, here’s what you can do:
1. IF YOU ARE BEING HARASSED, the first priority is for your safety, the second to stop it happening again. Here are some suggestions:
In the moment when it’s happening:
a. Tell the person to stop (e.g., "don't do/say that", "What did you mean by that?", "stop right there", "Stop, I would like you to consider what you are saying/just said or doing/just did", "That was inappropriate/offensive.").
b. If you need to, get away; make an excuse or just go.
In a less immediate situation or after the fact, you can also
c. Ask ANYONE else to tell the person to stop.
d. Consider reporting the incident.
You are always welcome to report it to one of the faculty, graduate students, or a field partner.
You are welcome to report with or without identifying information for the victim or the harasser. There are also UO-wide systems for reporting discrimination or harassment: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?UnivofOregon&layout_id=104. You may use this to make an anonymous report or they can connect you with confidential resources.
You have the right to a respectful and harassment-free environment. You can ask your instructors to be sure to provide that, for example by changing group assignments so you can avoid the person who has harassed you.
2. IF YOU OBSERVE HARASSMENT OF OTHERS, here are some things you can do:
a. Direct intervention (e.g., "don't do/say that", "What did you mean by that?", "stop riight there", "Stop, I would like you to consdier what you are saying/just said or doing/just did", "That was inappropriate/offensive.").
b. Divert (e.g. “What was that last measurement you took?”, “Which rock unit do you think that is over there?”, Ask them to pass you something)
c. Delegate (Tell someone else)
d. Document. Record what is happening (voice or video) or write down what you saw.
In a team setting, if you feel comfortable, after the event:
e. Check in with the person who was harassed. (e.g. "I saw what happened there. I thought that was really inappropriate behavior towards you. Are you okay? What can I do to help?").
f. Check in with the person who was harassing (e.g. "That joke wasn't funny." "That conversation you had with X. Have you thought how that may have come across to them?").
3. IF YOU ARE TOLD SOMETHING YOU DID WAS HARASSMENT, or you realize something you did was unintentional harassment, here’s what you can do:
a. Apologize - a genuine, unqualified apology may solve the problem. Note that "I'm sorry, but..." is not usually a genuine apology. Being told your action was harassing or often felt as an affront, especially if it was unintentional or if you still don't understand why it was harassing. Take a little time to reflect that, whether or not you meant harm, you have obviously just offended someone. It's all the more important to apologize if you didn't intend to hurt them. If the apology doesn't fix it right away, don't be offended yourself; sometimes these things take time to process.
b. Thank the person for pointing it out.
c. Confirm that you will not do it again
d. Understand why it was harassment. If you, on reflection, cannot see why what you did was harassing, see if they want to explain, or ask someone else to explain it to you.
Note that while a‐c are best done in person, you can also ask someone else to take the message for you.