MCBGP students who experience incidents involving discriminatory behavior or harassment have several options for reporting those incidents and for obtaining support from the program leadership and from the university.  

We encourage students to bring incidents to the attention of MCBGP leadership at the time they occur, so that we can work to mitigate the effects immediately. Issues brought to our attention do inform leadership actions. The Program Directors are willing and able to maintain confidentiality and will work to connect students with support, in addition to discussion of possible courses of action. We are also willing to undertake conversations with faculty trainers about students working in their labs as confidentiality allows. Many faculty trainers are receptive to conversations with program leadership about incidents that adversely affect students they work with, and respond positively to suggestions for improving mentor/mentee relationships. 

At the University level, the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity works to address situations involving harassment and discrimination, including gender-based bias (which is handled through the Title IX and Gender Equity Office). We encourage MCBGP community members to use the OIED Bias Incident Reporting System - it is the best way to achieve accountability, because it aggregates data from all levels, independent of trainee career stage and program affiliation. Any member of the Brown Community (including an observer/bystander) can report a bias incident, and program leadership will help students who want assistance and support in using the Bias Incident Reporting System or in contacting OIED or the Title IX office directly. Note that part of the standard OIED response can involve contacting leaders in the relevant department[s]/program[s] with recommendations for action. 

The Ombuds Office (863-6145 [email protected]) is an additional resource that provides confidential, neutral, independent and informal assistance to graduate students (as well as faculty, staff, postdocs and medical students) who have concerns related to their life at Brown.  

For incidents involving aspects of graduate education and the graduate student experience, communicating with the office of Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Alycia Mosley Austin can be similarly effective in aggregating information about issues that concern graduate students. Associate Dean of Student Support Maria Suarez also can provide support and guidance.

Reporting does have consequences for the subjects of bias incident reports, especially if there is a pattern. Those consequences may not be 'visible' to students or even other faculty, due to the confidentiality rules that govern university handling of these issues. Reports or complaints that are not linked to a specific person or lab are generally not actionable (except to suggest topics for mentor training sessions or for discussions in meetings involving trainers). 

If you have questions about an incident or interaction, please feel free to contact any of the MCBGP Directors to discuss your question[s] and possible courses of action.