• Harassment liaisons help in all matters related to misconduct and refer you to the services you need, such as the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS).
• Misconduct in study-related situations: LUT Universities’ harassment liaisons
  • Lappeenranta campus: Head of Student Services Minna Ranta & Facility Services Manager Tuomas Nevalainen
  • Lahti campus: Head of Student Counselling Services Jarkko Tuominen & Facility and Safety Manager Janita Markwort
• Contact the harassment liaisons by email at misconduct@lut.fi, by phone, or face to face.
• Harassment at student events: LTKY and KOE student union harassment contacts

If the situation falls within the scope of the Criminal Code, contact the police, and in urgent cases, call the emergency number 112.

Bullying means treating another person badly.

Bullying may include:

• Insults
• Humiliation
• Spreading false information about someone
• Exclusion
• Ridiculing

Discrimination means treating a person or people differently than others in the same position for an unjustified reason, such as:

• race
• nationality or ethnic origin
• skin colour
• language
• age
• sex, gender identity or sexual orientation
• health
• religion, opinions
• trade union or political activity
• other reasons related to the person

Sexual harassment refers to undesired verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that violates a person’s physical or emotional integrity. 

Sexual harassment may include: 

• sexual innuendo
• touching
• double entendre
• sexual remarks or messages
• propositioning
• violation of a person's sexual autonomy

Gender-based harassment refers to offensive behaviour relating to a person’s sex, gender-identity or gender expression.

Gender-based harassment is not necessarily sexual but violates a person’s integrity. It often involves threats, humiliation and intimidation. 

Gender-based harassment may include: 

• derogatory speech concerning gender
• belittling a person’s gender
• bullying based on gender

Racism means judging that a group of people is inferior to others based on matters such as ethnic origin, skin colour, nationality, culture, native language or religion. Racism often comes with a sense of superiority.

Racism may involve:

• name-calling
• racist jokes
• stirring up prejudices on social media
• physical abuse

• Tell the bully or harasser that you do not approve of what they are doing and tell them to stop. The bully or harasser may not be aware that their activity is offensive.
• Write down in detail what happened, when it happened and who were present. Keep all emails and other messages related to the event. Documentation is very important when the matter is investigated!
• If the misconduct continues, report the matter to misconduct@lut.fi or otherwise. Harassment liaisons will start investigating the matter and will be in touch with you. You can also talk about the matter with your student union’s harassment contact.
• The harassment liaison will inform the dean (LUT) or faculty director (LAB) of the matter as soon as possible.
• You are obligated to collaborate in the investigation after you have filed a report on misconduct.
• Your identity may need to be disclosed to those involved. You will be informed of the matter in advance. Anonymous reports cannot be processed.
• If needed, the harassment liaison calls a meeting to discuss the points of view of the parties involved. A person accused of harassment always has the right to be heard. The matter may also be discussed with each party separately.
• Students may bring a support person to the meeting, such as the student union harassment contact.
• If needed, representatives of LUT or LAB, the Finnish Student Health Service or a student association will take part.
• The meeting aims for mediation, and a memorandum will be written.
• If both parties are not willing to meet or the meeting is otherwise unnecessary, guidelines on addressing cheating in studies will be applied to handling the matter.

• If the person behaving inappropriately is a staff member, let the LUT, LAB or student union harassment liaison know.
• The harassment liaison informs LUT Universities’ HR director of the matter.
• If the harasser is a student, the harassed employee brings the matter to his or her supervisor, who then starts to investigate the matter with the university harassment liaison.

Universities Act and Universities of Applied Sciences Act:

A student who disrupts teaching, behaves violently or threateningly, or threatens another person's life or well-being can be removed from the teaching space or university event. A student may be banned from attending teaching for a maximum of three days where there is danger that the safety of another student or a person working at the university or in some other teaching facility is threatened as a result of the student's violent or threatening behaviour or where the disrupting conduct of the student makes teaching and associated activities unreasonably difficult.

If a student behaves threateningly and poses an immediate danger, call 112 and submit a Secapp alert. 

If there is no immediate danger:

• Tell the student to stop the disrupting behaviour.
• If the student continues the disruption, tell the student to leave.
• If the student does not leave, submit a Secapp alert or stop teaching.
• Report the incident to the campus harassment liaison, your supervisor and online if needed: https://app.falcony.io/lut-yliopisto/links/turvallisuushavainto/report.
• Teachers do not have the right to physically remove students from teaching facilities.

If an official hearing process confirms student misconduct, such as disruption of teaching, violent or threatening behaviour or other violations of campus rules, disciplinary measures may be issued in accordance with the Universities Act or the Universities of Applied Sciences Act:

1. The student may be removed from the teaching space and banned from teaching for up to three working days.
2. The rector or president decides on issuing a written warning to the student.
3. The board of the university or university of applied sciences decides on the fixed-term suspension of the student.

In a misconduct investigation or in other situations, it may become apparent that a student needs health care services for issues such as substance abuse. If the student is covered by the services of the FSHS, the campus harassment liaison can arrange a discussion on referral to treatment with FSHS representatives. 

• The discussion is attended by the student, a possible support person, and an employee from both the FSHS and LUT or LAB.
• The purpose of the discussion is to help students understand that they need to seek treatment and to ensure that treatment is available.
• The student is responsible for committing to the treatment, and the health care unit is responsible for providing it.

LUT or LAB may also require the student to present drug test results based on the Universities Act or the Universities of Applied Sciences Act.

Early support

We all need to step in and provide early support when someone needs it! (Inappropriate conduct, substance abuse, etc.)

General principles: 

• Providing support at an early stage
• Discretion and respect
• Knowing the difference between observations and interpretations
• Respecting a person's individuality and autonomy

What to do:  

1. Observe.
2. Don't wait long to address the issue.
3. Refer the person to someone who can help. In emergencies, contact authorities or crisis counselling.
4. All you need to do is express your concern.