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Home / Guidelines for Handling Inquiries from the Press, Outside Attorneys, and Other Outside Parties Regarding Individual Employee and Student Matters

Guidelines for Handling Inquiries from the Press, Outside Attorneys, and Other Outside Parties Regarding Individual Employee and Student Matters

In the interest of protecting the sensitivity and confidentiality of personal information, we need to take care in handling outside inquiries regarding Tufts’ faculty, staff, and students. It is the University’s view that such information is generally not a subject for public debate or comment by University personnel. We therefore ask you to follow these guidelines in responding to inquiries from the press, outside attorneys, and other parties outside the University.

Inquiries from the Press:

In response to press inquiries regarding individual employees or students, the caller should be referred to the Director of Public Relations for the University or the senior public relations officer for the campus involved. Please notify the Director and/or senior public relations officer immediately after making such a referral.

Inquiries from Outside Attorneys:

In response to oral or written inquiries from outside attorneys regarding individual employee or student matters, the attorney should be referred to the Office of University Counsel and any written communications from outside attorneys should be referred to the Office of University Counsel.

Inquiries from Other Outside Parties Regarding Individual Employee or Student Claims or Disputes with the University:

From time to time, inquiries are made by Tufts’ students, alumni, parents, community groups, and others regarding individual employee or student claims or disputes with the University. Such inquiries should be referred to:

  • The Provost, in matters involving faculty.
  • The Dean of Students of the applicable school, in matters involving current or former students.
  • The Office of University Counsel, in matters where the inquirer indicates that a legal claim against the University is pending or contemplated.

As a matter of general practice, the individual receiving the call or inquiry should not comment upon or discuss the claim or dispute, but simply refer the matter to the individuals designated above.