The success of our NMSU community relies on the collaboration of faculty, staff and students to identify challenges and work together to solve them. These challenges may include unethical, illegal, inappropriate, or unsafe behavior in the workplace. Such behaviors can have serious consequences for employees and NMSU. Employees can lose their jobs and reputation. NMSU can lose its credibility, general morale and productivity can decline, or the behavior can result in significant fines and/or financial loss. Addressing misconduct and other concerns in the workplace early on will help minimize negative morale issues and financial impact to the University and its employees.
We encourage you to speak with your supervisor, department head, or dean and report inappropriate behavior. We understand that may not always be possible, or that it may be uncomfortable. We offer confidential options in those cases, either reporting to the Office of People Relations, or via the EthicsPoint® system.
NOTE: For allegations involving discrimination or sexual misconduct, report such matters directly to the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) at 575-646-3635 or equity@nmsu.edu.
You may also choose to file a report, or complaint, with the Office of People Relations. The investigative specialists have training in keeping these reports in the utmost confidence; moreover, the OPR specialist that may be charged to investigate and to recommend disciplinary corrective action are also bound by policy and law to maintain confidentiality.
Confidentiality of the identity of the reporter will be maintained to the extent feasible under the circumstances; absolute anonymity cannot be guaranteed; however, the internal investigation and any subsequent personnel actions taken remain confidential and known only to those who need to know. Additionally, in order to fully and fairly investigate, as well as to provide adequate due process in the event of subsequent employee discipline, the source of a complaint may need to be disclosed or may be able to be ascertained by those interviewed. All persons who become involved in the course of a confidential internal investigation are asked to maintain confidentiality. Any pending criminal investigations are also confidential to the extent feasible.
Equally important to confidentiality to a fair complaint and reporting process is the prohibition of retaliation. All employees are prohibited from retaliating against any individual participating in a complaint reporting process as well as in investigative processes as a result of a complaint.
NMSU has selected EthicsPoint® as the confidential reporting system. This is a simple system that provides an alternative method to report a business concern utilizing either the internet or telephone. Access the EthicsPoint® site here for additional information.
If the concern reported is not a one-time incident, but a general, long-term behavior, provide specific examples to support your claim, so that the investigator can conduct a thorough investigation. If you are not the victim of the reported incident, did you observe it, or was it reported to you by someone else?