Columbia University is an academic community committed to fostering intellectual inquiry in a climate of academic freedom and integrity. Its members are expected to uphold these principles and exhibit tolerance and respect for others. Thus, the Graduate School condemns all forms of misconduct and works strenuously to assure that its students are accorded tolerance, dignity and respect. Any graduate student who believes that he or she is a victim of misconduct has recourse to the mediation and grievance procedures developed by the Graduate School. Students are encouraged to discuss problems, questions and grievances with anyone in a supervisory position, such as an advisor, director of graduate studies, department chair or appropriate dean or university administrator. they may also discuss them with teh Ombuds officer, a neutral complaint-handler who seeks fair and equitable solutions to problems. Students should consider filing a grievance if resolution through informal means is not possible. Grievances may be brought against indivduals subject to the authority of the Dean including administrators, faculty members, a department or program or fellow graduate students. Grounds for grievances include but are not limited to cases of academic or personal misconduct such as:

• Violation or misapplication of deparmental academic rules and regualtions so as to be unfair or in conflict with Graduate School of University policy.
  
  
• Unfair or inappropriate decisions concerning financial aid or teaching or research fellow assignments.
  
  
• Excessive or unreasonable demands on a TA or RA made by a faculty member or department.
  
  
• Violation of Graduate School or University rules an regualtions or misapplication of Graduate School or University policy.
  
  
• Unfairness or unreasonableness of a Graduate School or University policy.
  
  
• Disrupting, refusing to comply with or preventing free expression or dissemination of ideas in the performance of duties (e.g. research, teaching or meeting.)
  
  
• Other interpersonal conflicts, which impact on the student's academic environment.
  
  
• Academic dishonesty among students, including cheating, plagiarism and improper acknowledgement of collaboration. Academic dishonesty on the part of a faculty is properly handled through the procedure on professional misconduct outlined in Appendix C of the Faculty Handbook.
  Note: The standards presented here also apply to graduate students and post-docs who engage in teaching and research at Columbia.
  
  
• Disregard of University policies or improper use of University property or facilities.

The University has established alternative policies and procedures for the following types of grievances:

• Discrimination and sexual harassment may be dealt with through the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, the Ombuds Office, the dean of the school of the accused if the accused is a student or the Department of Security if the situation may involve criminal activity.
  
  
• Sexual misconduct by a student may be dealt with through the Office on Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Education.
  
  
• Professional misconduct or fraud in research on the part of a faculty member should be brought to the attention of the dean of the school according to the procedure outlined in Appendix E of the Faculty Handbook.

Please note:

• Formal grievances filed against administrators, faculty members, departments and programs, and students of other schools must be reported to the dean of the school in question.
  
  
• Academic assessment of students resides with the departmental faculty. Thus, in cases of grievances relating to academic evaluation brought by a student against a faculty member, department, or program, the grievance procedure is limited to assuring that the assessment was made impartially and according to procedures applicable to all students.