New Office of Safe Disclosure opens at MRU
By Keoputhy Bunny, News Editor
The new Office of Safe Disclosure has officially opened for Mount Royal University (MRU). This new office, headed by the Safe Disclosure Advisor Feden Abeda, a social work graduate and multi-disciplinary artist, aims to be a safe place for students, staff and faculty to report about discrimination equity and human rights.
Reports made by community members of MRU will be received in a confidential manner. The new office also aims to make sure the university’s processes and policies are understood.
When an issue is reported, the office will work to find an appropriate solution to whatever the situation may be. Abeda says that the office acts as a central point of safe disclosures. If something is unable to be resolved through this office, Abeda says she could point individuals in the right direction to a service who can help.
“Feden’s prior experience with training lawyers who represent survivors of gender and racially based violence as well as harassment and discrimination in the workplace is what makes her a great fit as our first safe disclosure advisor,” MRU’s General Counsel Amy Nixon said in an article published on the university’s website about the new office.
However, Abeda’s job extends further than helping with disclosures.
Abeda added that, “Because this role is meant to fill a gap in the community, I work to identify trends and patterns on the disclosure side, within the limits of confidentiality, and share what I’m observing with appropriate decision makers so we can look at [it in the] long term.”
Abeda also stated that she’s not a replacement for current MRU services but she can “guide people to the resources and processes already available.”
If anyone is looking to contact the Office of Safe Disclosure, they are able to be reached through a Google Form through their website.
There are also other third-party services outside the university that MRU community members can report to if they need it. ConfidenceLine offers confidential reporting focused on professional or financial misconduct. Although geared more towards staff and faculty, ConfidenceLine will also take reports from students and alumni as well.
They can be reached toll-free at 1-800-661-9675 and at mru.confidenceline.net.
If any MRU community member may suspect a person to cause harm to themselves or someone else, the Concerning Behaviour on Campus Team (CBCT) offers their help. According to their website, they combine the expertise of services like the Office of Student Community Standards and Student Counselling Services to assist people confidentially on a case-by-case basis.
The CBCT can be contacted by their email cbct@mtroyal.ca or by calling Security Services at 403-440-5900 and asking to make a report to CBCT.
