Frequently Asked Questions

The Office of Institutional Equity at The American University in Cairo is responsible for the University’s initiatives for preventing and responding to concerns related to harassment or discrimination. 

The Anti-Harassment and Non-Discrimination Policy and the Non-Fraternization and Familial Relationships Policy.

The Anti-Harassment and Non-Discrimination Policy is a policy that all AUC community members have to follow. At AUC, we are committed to safety, inclusion, equity and dignity for all members of our community. This policy sets clear expectations for conduct and establishes accountability if necessary, ensuring that everyone can have a learning and working environment free from harassment and discrimination.

Anyone can submit reports to the Office of Institutional Equity. This includes students, faculty, staff and alumni. You can also report incidents that you witnessed or heard about, even if you did not experience them yourself.

You may submit reports online through our online reporting form for students and for faculty and staff or anonymous reports. You may also submit complaints or any questions to the email equity@aucegypt.edu  or come to our office in person.

Confidentiality is a very important aspect of this policy. If you submit a complaint to the OIE, we will only involve a limited number of people in the resolution process. We will not reveal any information about you or your identity to anyone outside the office.

You can submit an anonymous report through the AUC Ethics Helpline. Since this may limit the office’s ability to respond as appropriate and to investigate anonymous or third-party reports, we encourage individuals to submit as much detailed information as possible. It is important to note that the University will not impose disciplinary actions based solely on an anonymous complaint that cannot be supported by other evidence.

Once you file a report, we will meet with you to ask for more details and determine if a formal investigation is necessary. If we open an investigation, we will interview both the complainant and respondent separately and collect any relevant evidence about the incident. Once we gather all relevant information in an investigation report, it is shared with a decision-making committee, which will determine if a violation took place and whether sanctions need to be imposed. This process can take up to 60 days.