Staff Harassment Advisers (SHAs) are staff who have volunteered their time to provide an information service to staff who feel they are experiencing (or have witnessed) unwanted behaviour as well as to staff who have been accused of unwanted behaviour. The same adviser will not provide support to both the complainant and the alleged perpetrator.
Staff Harassment Advisers
- Provides an impartial and confidential listening ear outside of the usual university structures and services;
- Provides information on the options that are available;
- Assists those seeking advice in thinking those options through, but respects the wishes of the member of staff.
- Make judgements about the legitimacy of a complaint or act as an investigator (staff nominated by the People Directorate would undertake any formal investigations);
- Provide counselling. If the SHA feels a member of staff might benefit from counselling, they can signpost them to the Occupational Health Service;
- Act as an advocate – they provide informal support only and cannot meet with other parties to the situation;
- Meet with members of staff outside of office hours or outside of the university premises. Online meetings can be set up using the University Google Meet facilities.
Details of the SHAs are given below (staff are based at the Headington Campus unless otherwise indicated). You can contact one of the SHAs directly in confidence. They work on a cross-University basis, so you do not have to contact someone from your own faculty or directorate.
| Name | Email address | Role |
| Ruth Collins | ruthcollins@brookes.ac.uk | Head of Partnership Student Information Management, Academic and Student Administration |
| Vicki Farmilo | vfarmilo@brookes.ac.uk | Academic Liaison Librarian, Health and Life Sciences |
| Wes Fraser | wfraser@brookes.ac.uk | Reader, School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Judie Gannon | jmgannon@brookes.ac.uk | Director of Digital Programmes (OBBS) |
| Sara Hannam | shannam@brookes.ac.uk | Associate Dean Strategy and Development (OBBS) |
| Aindreas O’Donovan | aodonovan@brookes.ac.uk | Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing Support, Academic and Student Administration |
| Warren Rödel | wrodel@brookes.ac.uk | Student Investigation and Resolution Officer (ASA) |
| Sarah Whitmore | swhitmore@brookes.ac.uk | Reader in Politics, Humanities and Social Sciences |
If you are a member of a trade union, you can seek advice, support and representation from your TU representative. Recognised unions for Oxford Brookes are UCU and UNISON.
For general advice, you can also contact your link in the People Directorate.