The Office of the Dean of Students seeks to cultivate a culture of care where students feel safe and supported during their time at Boston College. Part of this culture of care is responding to reports of concern. Whether you are concerned about yourself or others we are here to help.
Student of Concern
Are you concerned about the well-being of a student, peer, or yourself? The Student Support team in DOS will consult with you about how to support a student and will meet directly with students who are having difficulties or aren't sure where to go for support.
When should I submit a report?
- You should submit a student of concern report if:
- You are concerned about the welfare of a student, yourself, and/or other students.
- A student asks for help in navigating personal issues that are outside the scope of your role
- Your efforts to manage a concern has not resolved the problem.
- You have referred the student previously and there does not seem to be any improvement and/or the problem has worsened.
- You are unsure where to refer a student or how to address a concerning behavior.
What types of concerns should be reported?
Changes in a student’s academic performance, behavioral and/or emotional presentation, or in physical appearance / presentation should be reported, as well as any time a student’s behavior is concerning or disruptive. Please be advised that any reports of a student’s recent or current suicidal behaviors and/or thoughts need to be reported to our team. Please see our Faculty / Staff Guide to Supporting Students of Concern for more indicators.
Who receives the report?
The Student Outreach and Support Team within the Office of the Dean of Students receives the report.
Will the student(s) noted in the report be contacted by the Office of the Dean of Students?
We typically outreach to students who are noted in reports. The reporting form offers reporters the opportunity to share desired outcomes / DOS follow up and the Student Outreach and Support team usually will consult with the reporting party prior to outreach. There are some instances where the DOS Student Outreach and Support team has to outreach to a student, for example, when there are concerns for safety or when a student’s behavior may be significantly disrupting the learning environment.
Will the student know that I reported concern for them?
We encourage reporters to share with the student that they are sharing concerns with the Student Outreach and Support team. When reporters wish to remain anonymous, we will not share information about who made the report, but there are times when the student can ascertain who made the report based on information shared.
Should the reporting party expect a response?
Yes. After our team receives a Student of Concern report, we reach out to the reporter to confirm our receipt of the report and ask for any additional information as needed. We then will typically reach out to the identified student directly to offer support. Additionally, in an effort to learn more about a student’s status around campus, we may speak with the identified student’s academic dean or another campus office if we learn that the identified student is connected there.
Is the reporting process confidential?
No. The Student of Concern Reporting Form, along with the Dean of Students Office, is not a confidential resource. Information shared with our team does, however, remain private and is shared only as needed among staff members to coordinate support for a student. When submitting a report, there is an option to remain anonymous. However, this limits our team’s ability to follow up with reporters for any additional information we may need to best support a student.
Alleged Conduct Violation Reporting
The Office of the Dean of Students reserves the right to not proceed with complaints not submitted within a reasonable time frame including, but not limited to instances in which material witnesses are no longer in attendance at the University.
When should I report?
We encourage students to report any alleged violation of the Boston College Student Code of Conduct so that the University can review the matter, provide support, and respond appropriately.
What types of incidents should be reported?
Students, Staff, or Community members should report any incident where the safety or wellbeing of the community is at risk, being disrupted, or otherwise concerning behavior. Behavior involving substance use and abuse, disrespect for individual or groups of people, disrespect for personal or community property and/or disrespect for the community should be reported by the student(s) who are impacted or witness an incident.
Who receives the report?
The Student Conduct Team within the Office of the Dean of Students receives the report if it is submitted through our website. You can also report by coming into our office in Maloney 448, or speaking with your Residence Life Staff, such as an RA or RD. A staff member can submit a report on your behalf.
What is the process by which the report will be reviewed and acted upon?
Reports are submitted and responded to within two to three business days. If there is an emergency, Boston College Police Report should be contacted for any immediate response. Please note that it is possible to report an incident anonymously; however, this may impact our ability to address the complaint effectively.
Should the reporting party expect a response?
If you choose to disclose your name, DOS may contact you for further discussion. Please note that it is possible to report an incident anonymously; however, this may impact our ability to address the complaint effectively.
What are retaliation policies if I’m scared of backlash for my report or involvement in the conduct process?
While DOS will endeavor to safeguard the reporting party's information, the respondent may independently identify the reporting party. Boston College prohibits retaliation of any kind against anyone filing a complaint or report, or any participant involved in the conduct process in any way. Retaliatory behavior includes:
- Discouraging an individual from reporting an incident
- Discouraging witness participation
- Threatening, harassing, or intimidating a participant in a conduct process
- Intentionally causing negative consequences for a participant in a conduct process or for a participant’s personal relationships or social circles
Bias-Related Incident Reporting
Boston College students may report any suspected violations of the University's "bias-motivated conduct" policy that involves other students by calling us at 617-552-3470, by emailing studentconduct@bc.edu or by filling a report.
Reporting allows the University to directly outreach to impacted students to discuss their support needs individually.
Additionally, all reported incidents are documented in a database that is assessed continuously for trends and other critical information that contributes to the University’s efforts in fostering a positive campus climate.
Ultimately, the information collected through reports is utilized to educate our community and ultimately better enable the University to prevent this kind of behavior and to address it properly when it occurs.
Campus Accessibility Reporting
We are committed to ensuring and improving physical and technological access on campus. If you notice or run up against a barrier that restricts access to BC programs, services, activities, or facilities, please report it via our reporting form. You can find more information on our Disability Services page.
When should I report?
The Accessibility Report Form is intended for members of the BC community to report physical access barriers that the Disability Services Office is unaware of, and that it wishes to resolve quickly. If you see an access issue, please don’t hesitate to report.
What types of accessibility issues should be reported?
Report access issues such as elevators that are out of service or push buttons on doors to administrative or academic buildings that are malfunctioning. Any issue that would impede smooth travel across campus or hinder/prevent access to campus spaces.
Who receives the report?
The Office of the Dean of Students receives the report and will begin work to resolve the problem as soon as possible.
Process by which report will be reviewed and acted upon?
Dean of Students staff will work with various administrative offices such as Facilities Management and Capital Planning to resolve the issue.
Should the reporting party expect a response?
Yes, if you choose to include your contact information on the form, we will get in touch once the problem has been resolved.
Reporting FAQ
Appropriate DOS Staff members are automatically notified when your report is submitted. From there it is reviewed and depending on the type of report, it is investigated, escalated, and/or responded to.
No. The Office of the Dean of Students is not a confidential resource. However, information shared with our team remains private and is shared only as needed among staff members to respond to the report effectively. When submitting a report, there is an option to remain anonymous. However, this limits our ability to follow up with reporters for any additional information we may need to best support a student.
Sometimes it can be unclear where or whether to report a concern or incident. We encourage you to call our office, 617-552-3470 or email us deanofstudents@bc.edu and we can help navigate next steps.
Yes, you are welcome to call our office to speak with a member of our team: 617-552-3470.
Yes, you may remain anonymous, however, that may limit our ability to respond to or follow up on a report.