Basic Policy on Responding to Harassment against Faculty and Staff by Stakeholders and Other Parties

　Waseda University Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “the University”) establishes and operates universities, high schools, junior high schools, specialized training colleges, and other research facilities for the purpose of pursuing truth and the application of academic principles, providing and disseminating education in the arts and sciences, and cultivating capable individuals. Its primary activities are research and the education of students and pupils.
　In recent years, as the environment surrounding school education has undergone significant changes, schools have been providing students with diverse opportunities for learning and extracurricular activities. Consequently, faculty and staff increasingly interact with a wide range of stakeholders and often face complex challenges.
　In the Waseda University Guidelines for Harassment Prevention, the University declares the adoption of protective, preventive measures against harassment of any kind involving all faculty and staff, in order for them to be respected as individuals and to pursue their research and administrative goals. To maintain and further develop the University’s sound research and educational activities, and to foster positive relationships between the University and its stakeholders, the University will make every effort to take prompt and appropriate measures in accordance with laws and regulations relating to human rights when harassment against faculty and staff by stakeholders occurs.
　Furthermore, in light of this purpose, the University will strive to promote awareness and provide education and training to ensure that its faculty and staff do not engage in harassment toward others while acting as customers or in similar capacities.

 (1) Definition of Stakeholders and Other Parties

　The term refers to students, non-degree students, course auditors, pupils, prospective students, students scheduled to enroll and their guardians, relatives, guarantors, domestic contact persons and tuition payers; graduates; students who have been removed from the student register or have withdrawn; retirees; members of the alumni association; donors; users of the University’s facilities or services; participants in events organized by or involving the University; individuals having a business or continuing relationship with the University (including members of organizations or groups); members of the local community where the University’s facilities are located, and any other individuals, excluding faculty and staff of the University, who have come to be associated with the educational and research activities, business activities, or other operations of the University conducted by the University and its faculty and staff.

 (2) Definition of Faculty and Staff

 　The term refers to individuals who are currently party to an employment contract or a mandate, quasi-mandate, or service contract with the University, as well as temporary agency workers currently dispatched by a staffing agency under a worker dispatch agreement with the University.

 (3) Definition of Harassment against Faculty and Staff by Stakeholders and Other Parties

　The term refers to words and actions by stakeholders or other parties that exceed the bounds of what is socially acceptable in light of the nature of duties performed by faculty and staff at the University and other circumstances, and that adversely affect their working environment at the University.

　The following types of conduct may be considered as examples of harassment against faculty and staff by stakeholders and other parties. These are merely examples and do not constitute an exhaustive list.

 (1) Demands with Content that Exceeds the Bounds of What is Socially Acceptable

•  Making excessive demands regarding matters for which the University has no legal obligation to respond
•  Making demands, without reasonable grounds, for treatment or responses that would undermine the fair and impartial evaluation or administration of matters relating to the University’s operations, including admission, class placement, acceptance into seminars, course registration lotteries, grade evaluation and credit recognition, promotion to the next grade level, certification of graduation or program completion, scholarship programs and their establishment, revision or abolition, application procedures, and selection results
•  Making excessive demands regarding activities that cannot be regarded as those in which the University is directly involved, such as the internal organization and operation of on-campus student clubs as voluntary organizations
•  Excessively interfering with or making demands regarding the details of the provision of education that should be left to the University’s judgement and discretion, such as the determination of the number of required credits and the designation of required courses, the structure of individual courses, and course enrollment procedures
•  Interfering with or making excessive demands regarding the details of educational activities that should be left to the judgement and discretion of faculty members, such as the content of individual courses or research guidance
•  Demanding, without reasonable grounds, that only a specific faculty or staff member be assigned to handle one’s case, serve as one’s advisor, or respond to one’s inquiries, or demanding that a specific faculty or staff member not be assigned to such responsibilities
•  Making abstract demands such as “Show good faith” or “Convince me,” as well as other demands that unnecessarily trouble faculty and staff
•  Demanding the disclosure of faculty or staff members’ personal information or information relating to their privacy

 (2) Demands Made in a Manner that Exceeds the Bounds of What is Socially Acceptable

•  Changing the subject, nitpicking, or persistently berating staff
•  Loitering on the premises or speaking on the phone for extended periods
•  Repeating the same questions or demands over a long period of time or on multiple occasions
•  Insinuating ties to criminal organizations
•  Intimidating behavior, such as raising one’s voice, glaring, or banging on objects to make noise
•  Stalking or lying in wait
•  Taking recordings or photographs without a legitimate reason
•  Posting sensitive personal or private information about faculty and staff, such as information regarding their sexual orientation, on social media, email, or other means
•  Throwing objects or damaging university facilities or equipment
•  Verbal abuse, insulting or discriminatory remarks, slander, threats, and defamation (including acts carried out via social media, email, or other means)
•  Physical assault, or coercing faculty and staff into acts not required by their official duties, such as kneeling in apology

 (1) Response Policy

　As a matter of principle, the University will respond in good faith to various consultations, requests, and demands from stakeholders and others, and will regard legitimate consultations, requests, and demands as important opportunities to improve the University’s operations. Furthermore, the University will exercise the utmost care to ensure that students and pupils can receive an appropriate education in an optimal environment.
　To maintain and improve the educational and research environment for students and pupils, and to fulfill its duty to ensure the safety and well-being of faculty and staff, the University will not tolerate harassment against faculty and staff by stakeholders and other parties. The University will respond resolutely as an organization to protect its faculty and staff.
　If the University determines that specific words or actions constitute harassment against faculty and staff by stakeholders and other parties, it will respond as an organization, depending on the circumstances of each case, in consultation with the police and external experts, such as attorneys.

 (2) Campus-Wide Initiatives

　To ensure the effectiveness of its response to harassment against faculty and staff by stakeholders and other parties, and as a concrete measure to safeguard the working environment of faculty and staff, the University will establish response manuals and procedures regarding such harassment, disseminate these materials to faculty and staff, and raise awareness. In addition, the University will regularly provide training on how to respond to various consultations, requests, and demands from stakeholders and other parties. Furthermore, the University will designate a consultation desk for faculty and staff who feel psychological stress due to the words or actions of stakeholders and other parties, and will establish a system for appropriately handling such situations.

◆ Consultation Services: Waseda University Compliance Consultation Desk
 (Harassment Consultation Desk – Waseda University Harassment Prevention Committee)

　If faculty and staff feel that words or actions directed at them by others constitute harassment by stakeholders and other parties, or if they experience excessive psychological stress as a result of such words or actions, they should not hesitate to consult their supervisor, the leadership of their respective school, or the university’s consultation desk. The University prohibits any unfavorable treatment of faculty and staff for making such consultations. In such cases, faculty and staff should not bear the matter alone, and rather should seek assistance from others and respond as a team.
　If faculty and staff believe that words or actions directed at a subordinate or colleague by a stakeholder and other parties constitute harassment against faculty and staff, they should ensure that the affected faculty or staff member is not left to handle the situation alone, and should provide the necessary intervention and assistance promptly and in accordance with the prescribed response manuals and procedures. They should also pay close attention to the mental health and well-being of the affected faculty or staff member.

　To protect the working environment for faculty and staff, the University will ensure that faculty and staff are informed of the response manuals and procedures regarding harassment by stakeholders and other parties and will provide training on how to respond to stakeholders and other parties.
　At the same time, faculty and staff may interact with others as customers or in similar capacities, both on campus while engaged in the University’s operations and off campus as private individuals outside the scope of those operations. The University does not tolerate any conduct by its faculty and staff toward others in such capacities that exceeds what is socially acceptable, causes physical or mental distress to others, or undermines the working environment.
　The University is committed to protecting faculty and staff from harassment by stakeholders and other parties and will strive to promote awareness and provide education and training to ensure that faculty and staff do not engage in harassment when acting as customers or in similar capacities.

※The official version of the Policy is written in Japanese.
In the case where this document is written in Japanese and in other languages and there is any inconsistency or difference between the versions of this document, Japanese version shall prevail in all respects.