Campus response to reports of policy violations

Commitment to standards of conduct

  • To ensure our campus is a place where everyone can learn and work without fear, we hold our community to high standards of conduct.
  • Speech that violates policies against protected category harassment and discrimination and abusive or violent conduct is not protected.
  • The campus is committed to addressing complaints of policy violation in a fair and consistent manner. This helps protect UC Berkeley as an inclusive environment where all can thrive.

Process for resolution of complaints and violations

  • The process by which the campus receives reports and resolves complaints of policy violations is described in the policy that addresses the specific type of violation that is alleged. For example, the UC Policy on Sexual Violence/Sexual Harassment and the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy are overseen by the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination; the Abusive Conduct Policy is overseen by Employee and Labor Relations. For information about which offices enforce which university-wide and campus policies relating to expressive activity, please visit the "Reporting" section of the Supportal website.
  • Suspected criminal activity on campus is reported to and handled by the relevant law enforcement agency. For the Berkeley campus, that is the UC Police Department. Non-affiliates can be excluded from campus pursuant to the process described in Penal Code section 626. Violation of campus policies and regulations may result in the partial or total exclusion of non-affiliates from campus facilities.

Range of possible consequences 

The imposition of campus disciplinary consequences for a violation of policy or law is handled by different units, depending on the affiliation of the individual committing the violation.

These accountability measures are taken only after disciplinary proceedings are completed with appropriate procedural safeguards. Accountability measures for the violation of the University’s policies may include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Students: Educational sanctions, written warning, disciplinary probation, exclusion from areas of the campus or from official University functions, restitution, suspension, and dismissal. 
  • Staff: Counseling memorandums, written reprimands, suspension without pay, reduction in pay, and termination or dismissal. 
  • Senate Faculty: Informal counseling memorandums, written censure, reduction in salary, demotion, suspension without pay, non-reappointment, denial or curtailment of emeritus status, and dismissal. 
  • Non-Senate Academic Appointees: Informal counseling memorandums, written warning, written censure, demotion, suspension without pay, reduction in salary, non-reappointment, and dismissal. 
  • Visitors and Non-UC Affiliates: Exclusion from campus, restitution, and potential for criminal sanctions for violation of University rules in accordance with the California Education Code.