Complaint Review and Resolution
In the course of their education or employment, individuals may have complaints or concerns about University of Washington School of Law personnel, policies, or procedures. Resources that provide opportunities to express concerns and for the Law School to respond and improve.
Complaints Related to Inclusiveness, Respect, and Cultural Competency
The School of Law is dedicated to nurturing a student-centered, culturally competent, collegial community.
The School is guided by the University's diversity commitment: The University of Washington values diversity
and is committed to promoting respect for the rights and privileges of others, the understanding and appreciation
of human differences, and the constructive expression of ideas.
As our law school seeks to live out the University’s diversity commitment, and to create an inclusive
environment that promotes cross-cultural competency, there will be times that we will fall short of our
goals. So that we may learn from these instances, we commit to a process through which our community members,
students, faculty or staff, may bring complaints and concerns to our attention.
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Student complaints or concerns may be raised to the Dean, to any Associate or Assistant Dean, or to the faculty or
student chair(s) of the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Diversity (the names of which shall be posted annually on the
diversity section of the law school’s website). While we understand that anonymity may be important in certain
circumstances and we will honor that request to the extent possible, complainants should note that it limits our
ability to respond directly to these inquiries. Additionally, depending on the conduct at issue and the existence
of any imminent or ongoing threat, disclosure may ultimately be required.
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Anyone receiving a complaint or notice of a concern from a student shall promptly notify the Dean
and the Associate Dean for Students. The Associate Dean for Students shall follow this process:
(1) acknowledge receipt of the complaint or concern within five business days; (2) review each
submission within two weeks and whenever possible meet or correspond with the individual who raised
the complaint or concern; (3) address each concern as appropriate, including referral to applicable
university resources; (4) if further investigation is needed, provide the student with information
about what steps are being taken to the investigate the complaint and the estimated date for the
completion of the investigation; and (5) prepare a monthly report of concerns for the Dean’s review.
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Pursuant to existing policy, staff or faculty complaints or concerns related to inclusiveness, respect, and
cultural competency may be raised to the Dean, to any Associate or Assistant Dean, to the Human Resources
Administrator, or to any supervisor, through the University’s internal processes or through the grievance
procedure in the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Any member of the Law School community receiving
notice of such concerns from faculty or staff will immediately notify the designated Assistant Dean.
This Assistant Dean shall follow this process: (1) acknowledge receipt of the complaint or concern within
five business days; (2) review each submission within two weeks and whenever possible meet or correspond
with the individual who raised the complaint or concern; (3) address each concern as appropriate, including
referral to any applicable further procedural process in the university; and (4) prepare a monthly report of
concerns for the Dean’s review. All staff or faculty complaints or concerns will be addressed consistent
with University policy and the applicable collective bargaining agreement. If this statement conflicts with
the applicable collective bargaining agreement, that agreement controls.
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The Dean shall discuss the reports of concerns with the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Diversity in order to
determine further measures to take to improve the school’s climate of inclusiveness, respect, and cultural competency.