Allegations of Unprofessional Behavior or Conduct

The Process

To report a concern related to unprofessional behavior or conduct of a School of Medicine faculty member, complete the form or schedule an intake with OFR staff by sending an email to FacultyRelations@CUAnschutz.edu.

The Office of Faculty Relations contacts individuals who make reports to gather additional information and determine if the concern is in scope, should be referred elsewhere, or does not meet criteria for School of Medicine action.

A tiered approach is used to determine the appropriate level of restorative action. An overview of the process is shown in the below table.

Level	Action
Level 1 Single incident, not egregious	Meet with referring party: Obtain information, review for merit Meet with responding party, explore stressors, set expectations General communication back to referring party
Level 2 >1 incident	Level 1 action plus: Inform supervisor, obtain additional information Conduct acknowledged by respondent - Conduct & Values Commitment Recommend respondent participate in training + timeline to restorative action Respondent e-mail agreed upon action plan + timeline w/ supervisor, cc'd Office for Faculty Relations (OFR) Conduct refuted by respondent OFR vets allegation by meeting with at least one observing party (limited inquiry.) Conduct confirmed: As per conduct acknowledged Conduct not confirmed: Bad faith reporting explored
Level 3 Persistent pattern or Single egregious event	Level 1 action plus: Inform supervisor, obtain additional information Conduct acknowledged by respondent - Conduct & Values Contract Action plan with timeline co-created with respondent and OFR, approved by Personnel Affairs Committee (PAC) and sent to supervisor and/or chair Conduct refuted by respondent OFR vets allegations by meeting with ≥1 observing party (extended inquiry) and others who work with the respondent, provides summary of meetings to supervisor and PAC Conduct confirmed: Action plan with timeline approved by PAC Conduct not confirmed: Bad faith reporting explored
Level 4 No change in behavior	Level 3 action plus, if conduct acknowledged/confirmed: Dept. Chair, Dean, and relevant Senior Associate Dean informed Letter of Discipline: Letter of Expectation elements with disciplinary action or termination
Data	No. of reports faculty acknowledge/confirmed and remediated No. of bad faith reporting by faculty Actions taken Recidivism

FAQ

Professional Development Conversations are initiated when the reported incident does not meet the criteria for unprofessional conduct but still warrants a meaningful discussion with the responding party. These informal, supportive meetings promote growth, address concerns early, set expectations, encourage self-reflection, and reinforce positive behaviors for success.

The Personnel Affairs Committee (PAC), a small group that includes HR, University Counsel, Risk Management, and the Chief Medical Officers of Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado Hospital, is involved in verified allegations of unprofessional conduct at Level 3 and above.

All Office for Faculty Relations and Personnel Affairs Committee members participate in bi-annual implicit bias training. Referrals are deidentified prior to review by Personnel Affairs Committee and restorative action plans are analyzed yearly by available demographic data to help ensure equity.

Tools & Resources

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CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Offices for the Faculty Experience

School of Medicine

Allegations of Unprofessional Behavior or Conduct

The Process

FAQ

School of Medicine

Allegations of Unprofessional Behavior or Conduct

The Process

FAQ

When is a Professional Development Conversation appropriate?

Where does the Office for Faculty Relations fit into the organizational structure of the School of Medicine?

How can I make a report of unprofessional behavior?

What kinds of behaviors are reported to the Office for Faculty Relations?

What happens during an inquiry?

How is the Office for Faculty Relations different from Ombuds Office?

Who else is involved in allegations of unprofessional conduct?

When are Department Chairs notified of divisional/section referrals?

What happens if a faculty member refuses to meet with the Office for Faculty Relations staff?

What defines unprofessional conduct at Level 3 or above?

What kind of information does a reporter of unprofessional behavior in a colleague receive?

How does the Office for Faculty Relations limit implicit bias in reviewing incidents?

Does the Office for Faculty Relations address allegations of student unprofessional behavior?

What if a need for mental health support is identified during an interaction with the Office for Faculty Relations

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