I’ve Encountered an Ethics Violation at HSE. What Do I Do?

HSE University takes incidents of discrimination and harassment on campus very seriously. Read on to learn what to do and whom to contact if you have experienced or witnessed a possible ethics violation.

To resolve any questionable ethics-related issues, a special commission of the Academic Council has been established at the University. The commission, in turn, is based on the adopted Code of Conduct.

What is HSE’s stance on harassment, discrimination, and other types of inappropriate behavior? Are there any documents regulating this issue?

HSE has adopted a Code of Conduct for University Employees (Employee Charter). It is a body of academic, professional, and social norms that apply at the University, and it sets the standards for employee-student relations at the University.

The document also contains two important sections: ‘Equality and Non-Discrimination’ and ‘Prevention of Violence and Sexual Harassment’.

I have experienced harassment, bullying, discrimination, or other problems at the University. Whom can I contact?

You can contact the leadership of your academic programme or faculty. Issues can often be resolved locally.

The Academic Council’s Commission on Academic Ethics, the membership of which was updated in 2019, considers cases of inappropriate behavior at the university level. You can write to Commission Head Natalia Erpyleva at nerpyleva@hse.ru, or to the Commission’s general address, academicethics@hse.ru. In your message, describe the situation and, if possible, attach evidence.

The Commission examines complaints from both students and staff, academic or administrative.

How does the Commission consider each specific case?

The main principle of the Commission’s work is the involvement of all its members in the consideration of each case. All members of the Commission express their position on each case. When making a decision, participants rely on the Code of Conduct.

All materials and discussions of the Commission are strictly confidential. Personal information is strictly confidential.

Does the Commission consult with psychologists while considering cases?

One of the main principles of the commission is confidentiality, so psychologists are not involved in the consideration of specific cases.

However, there is a Centre for Psychological Counseling at HSE, and students can turn to the Centre’s specialists for help free of charge. You can also call the Centre’s hotline: 8-800-250-04-33.

If the commission concludes that misconduct occurred, what measures may be taken against the culprit?

Since the Commission does not have administrative authority, it only determines whether the actions detailed in the received complaint have occurred and gives an assessment in terms of whether the actions violate ethical norms.

If there was simultaneous violation of both ethics and legal norms (for example, local regulations or even laws), then by decision of the governing bodies of the University in accordance with their competence, disciplinary measures can be applied to the culprit based on legislation, the Charter, and local regulations of the University.

March 15, 2021