If you are unsure whether a behavior rises to the level of mistreatment, you are encouraged to contact Diana Martínez, Director (confidential reporter) or Emma Naliboff Pettit, Assistant Director (confidential reporter), in the Learning Environment Office, for a confidential discussion.
505.272.7861
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), mistreatment – either intentional or unintentional – occurs when behavior shows disrespect for the dignity of others and unreasonably interferes with the learning process. Examples of mistreatment include:
Mistreatment can take many forms. Consider the following examples to help you determine if what you experienced, witnessed, or heard about might be mistreatment. Remember, if you’re in doubt, just ask! LEO is happy to discuss anything with you before you report, and would prefer that you err on the side of reporting, because all reports are carefully examined by LEO staff in order to make this determination. You can email us for a confidential conversation.
A faculty member yells at physical therapy student in front of their peers and a patient. The faculty member calls them “incompetant” and says, “how could you be so stupid?” Is this mistreatment?
A PhD student is frequently belittled by his faculty mentor. The mentor makes comments about his English fluency as well as his research in ways that make it very hard for the student to feel comfortable in the lab. The student raises these concerns with another trusted faculty member in the department, who offers to speak with the mentor about it. After this conversation, the mentor begins overtly ignoring the student, even when they are the only two people in the lab, and will not answer any questions. A few weeks later, the student is contacted by their chair and told that they are not making satisfying progress towards their degree and their mentor is considering dropping them from the lab. Is this mistreatment?
Yes. The mentor’s initial behavior is likely mistreatment based on race and/or ethnicity and/or nationality. Additionally, the mentor’s behavior changed and became worse after they were told that the student complained, and now the mentor is threatening the student’s academic progress and place at UNM. This is retaliation and is a violation of several UNM policies.
If you'd like to learn more, you can learn how to report mistreatment, what happens when you report, and what our most frequently asked questions are.
Phone
505.272.7867
Physical Address
Reginald Heber Fitz Hall
Rm 106
Mailing Address
MSC08 4716
915 Camino de Salud
Albuquerque, NM 87131
