The process to reach a solution

The process to reach a solution

Reports to be made by the Consultant to the Harassment Complaint Committee

With the consent of the person seeking advice, the Consultant will report to the Harassment Complaint Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Complaint Committee) by stating the details of the incident on the designated form. If the case is resolved as a result of consultation, the persons involved will remain anonymous. If consultation cannot resolve the case, the names of the persons involved will be revealed and

(1) the person seeking advice will request that the problem be resolved by discussing it between the parties concerned; or

(2) a complaint should be filed with the Corporation for taking appropriate measures.

Assistance offered by Harassment Complaint Committee and investigation of the facts

When the person seeking advice requests that the problem be resolved by discussing it between the parties concerned, the Complaint Committee shall resolve the problem as below.

(1) If the person seeking advice requests that the problem be resolved by discussing it between the parties concerned, the Complaint Committee Chair shall appoint a small number of mediators from among the harassment consultants and other school personnel and shall contact both parties involved to arrange some talks, be present at the talks and try to find a solution for the problem. If the Complaint Committee Chair considers it necessary, the Consultants may assist in solving the problem.

(2) If the person seeking advice files a complaint with the Complaint Committee Chair to take appropriate measures, the Complaint Committee shall establish a Harassment Investigation Committee (hereafter referred to as the Investigation Committee) within ten days from the day the complaint is filed, to make an investigation of the complaint.

The Investigation Committee shall complete its investigation of the facts of the incident within three months and report the results in writing to the Complaint Committee. However, in cases of emergency, the Complaint Committee Chair may have the Complaint Committee discuss the matter and establish an Investigation Committee without the filing of complaint from the person seeking advice. The Investigation Committee shall give the person accused of harassment an opportunity to state his/her views.

Cases in which both parties involved are affiliated with the same school

If both the complainant and the person accused of committing an act of harassment are students of schools established by the Corporation, for example, they are both students of Sophia University, the Chairperson of the Complaint Committee shall not convene an Investigation Committee but instead, shall request the President of the school to which the students belong to undertake an investigation of the matter and to report in writing the investigation results and the measures taken to assist the victim.

This is to assure that prompt and appropriate measures of solution are taken by each individual school, namely Sophia University and Sophia Junior College according to the varying number of their students and specific features of campuses.

If the complainant and the person accused of committing harassment are students affiliated with different schools, for example, Sophia University and Sophia Junior College, the Complaint Committee will be responsible for solving the problem.

Assistance to the victim

Based on the investigation report of the Investigation Committee, the Complaint Committee shall confirm the facts about a case of harassment and determine the appropriate measures to assist the victim. The Complaint Committee shall notify in writing the person who filed the complaint report and the person accused of the harassment about the facts confirmed by the Complaint Committee investigation and the appropriate measures for assisting the victim. The Complaint Committee shall provide assistance to the victim and if necessary, the Chairperson shall request assistance from persons or institutions on or outside campus.

To assist the victim, the Complaint Committee may request mental care and psychological counseling by specialists and have the environment for study, research or work restored.

In addition, in case the Complaint Committee Chair judges that redress measures to aid the complainant are urgently needed while the investigation, appeal, and reinvestigation are still in process, the Chair shall be able, with the consent of the complainant, to request the relevant parties to take provisional measures, limited to a suitable time period.

Punishment for the harasser

The harasser shall undergo counseling and training programs by specialists to prevent repeating similar offenses. If the Complaint Committee decides, according to the Code of the University, that the harasser should be dismissed, suspended from school or given admonishment, or, according to the employment regulations, given disciplinary punishment, the Complaint Committee will submit a request in writing to the responsible officials of the school or Corporation to which the harasser is affiliated to discuss the punishment. The school or the Corporation will duly discuss the matter and take necessary steps to carry out the punishment.

For persons who cannot be dealt with under the regulations and rules of the Corporation and schools, the responsible officials at the Corporation or school where the harasser is located will be requested to deliberate on how to deal with the person.

Objections to measures taken

If the victim or the harasser wishes to object to the measures taken to resolve the problem by the Complaint Committee, he/she shall do so in writing to the Complaint Committee Chair indicating the reasons within fourteen days from the day after the notification. In such a case, the Complaint Committee must discuss the objection at a meeting within one month from the filing of the objection and notify the decisions in writing to the parties involved. Objection to these decisions cannot be made.