Equity contacts and services

Harassment and Discrimination Contact Officers

The Staff Equity and Diversity Office within Human Resources maintains a trained network of volunteer employee Harassment and Discrimination Contact Officers (HDCOs) in most areas of the University, providing a vital link to ensure that the University meets its legal obligations in relation to employment and education. HDCOs are recruited through a nomination process.

A HDCO is usually the first point of contact and information for employees and students seeking further information regarding discrimination, workplace harassment, sexual harassment and bullying (eg race, gender, sexuality or disability discrimination).

A HDCO may be contacted by:

employees or students who feel they have experienced discrimination or harassment (complainants)
employees or students who think a complaint of discrimination or harassment may be made against them (respondents), or
supervisors/managers resolving complaints of discrimination or harassment.

The specific role of HDCOs is to:

Provide a ‘first point of contact' for people with enquiries related to discrimination, harassment and bullying.
Provide information to clients, including complainants, respondents and managers/supervisors about the University's policies, grievance resolution procedures related to harassment and discrimination, and where to access support or advice, both internal and external to USQ
Assist people to identify and respond to workplace harassment.
Undertake awareness-raising in the workplace about USQ policies and procedures in regard to discrimination and harassment and complaint resolution.
Assist parties to work towards a solution by encouraging them to generate options for dealing with their particular concern.
Where possible and as appropriate, encourage parties to utilise the lower level, informal processes available to them.
Provide feedback for statistical purposes, and
Alert the Manager (Staff Equity and Diversity) to any issues/problems related to the HDCO role.

Information for complainants

When contacted by a complainant, the role of a HDCO includes:

listening to and assisting the complainant to clarify the nature of their complaint
exploring possible strategies/options for the complainant to resolve the situation directly with the respondent (if they choose to do so)
accompanying the complainant (as a support person), to any meetings with the respondent or the respondent's supervisor (if requested)
informing the complainant of options available through USQ’s discrimination and harassment complaint procedures
informing the complainant of rights and responsibilities under legislation and procedures for taking a complaint through external channels, such as the Australian Human Rights Commission or the Anti-Discrimination Commission, Queensland (if they choose to do so)
ensuring the complainant understands the need to maintain confidentiality.

Information for respondents

When contacted by a respondent, the role of a HDCO includes:

listening to and assisting the respondent to understand the nature of the complaint and to clarify their response
exploring possible strategies/options for the respondent to resolve the situation
accompanying the respondent (as a support person), to any meetings with the complainant or the complainant's supervisor (if requested)
informing the respondent of USQ's discrimination and harassment complaint procedures
informing the respondent of their rights and responsibilities under legislation and procedures if a complaint is taken through external channels, such as the Australian Human Rights Commission or the Anti-Discrimination Commission, Queensland.
ensuring the respondent understands the need to maintain confidentiality.

A HDCO will not advise both the complainant and respondent for the same complaint. If both parties contact the same HDCO, one will be referred to another HDCO.

Information for managers and supervisors

When contacted by a manager or supervisor, the role of a Harassment and Discrimination Contact Officer includes:

explaining USQ’s discrimination and harassment complaint procedures
clarifying the nature of a complaint
providing options or strategies for resolving a complaint of discrimination or harassment.

The role of a HDCO is to inform and support one of the parties to a complaint and to ensure that a fair and just process is being followed.

A HDCO will not:

engage in advocacy on behalf of an individual
undertake mediation or investigation
in any way become involved in the grievance resolution process
act as a HDCO in situations where there may be a conflict of interest. In such instances, clients are to be referred.

It is expected that HDCOs will:

have a commitment to and an understanding of social justice and equal opportunity.
be discreet and maintain confidentiality of the issues raised by employees and students seeking information.

Harassment and Discrimination Contact Officers

Employees and students may contact any one of the trained HDCOs for information and assistance at Toowoomba, Springfield and Fraser Coast Campuses.

Please note that the HDCOs are part-time volunteers whose role is to provide information about USQ processes. This does not in any way constitute legal advice.

Toowoomba Campus

Claire Beattie, Faculty of Business and Law
Katrina Bidgood, Faculty of Arts
Fiona Broksch, Faculty of Business and Law
Raeleen Cahill, Students and Communities Division
Sian Carlyon, Academic Services Division
Susan Carter, Faculty of Education
Grant Daggard, Faculty of Sciences
Rebekah Davidson, Students and Communities Division
Emily Duckett, Students and Communities Division
David Fawcett, Human Resources
Richard Gehrmann, Faculty of Arts
Maria Giuffrida, Campus Services
Ray Hingst, Faculty of Business and Law
Melissa Jarick, Faculty of Sciences
Kay Lembo, Faculty of Sciences
Robert Mason, Faculty of Arts
Brad McLennan, Faculty of Education
Rabi Misra, Faculty of Engineering and Surveying
Annette Nanka, CCRAH
Matthew Neilsen, Faculty of Arts
Fatima Ngandu, Library Services
Cheryl Perrin, Faculty of Sciences
Karen Robertson, Vice-Chancellor's Office
Belinda Sanewski, Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges
Sonia Swanepoel, Human Resources
Sam Tickell, Corporate Communications

Fraser Coast Campus

Lyn Forrest, Faculty of Sciences
Judy Hawkes, Administration
Helen van Herk, Administration

Springfield Campus

Sue Basu, Campus and Student Support
Kerrie McLaren, Library Services
Bonnie Hampson, Faculty of Business and Law