Resources and Support

The MCB Code of Conduct outlines a set of principles to foster a supportive, respectful, and inclusive environment that allows all members of our community to thrive. Although MCB is dedicated to the safety, success, and well-being of its community members, we acknowledge that there may be times when members or leaders in our community (either intentionally or unintentionally) cause harm or distress and that these situations can be difficult to navigate.

The resources that follow are intended to provide you with options for people to contact within the department and campus resources to connect with for additional support. If issues cannot be resolved locally and/or issues require confidentiality, a Reporting Form is available for trainees to report on a variety of incidents including (but not limited to) intimidation, bullying, harassment, and discrimination of all kinds.

This is not an exhaustive list of resources, and if you are a student, we also recommend that you reach out to a staff advisor for more information on available options.

Department Resources

The following faculty and staff contacts listed serve in key roles that oversee diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives, undergraduate and graduate student services programs, and the overall administration of the department.

The people listed below are Responsible Employees required required to report sexual violence, sexual harassment or other conduct prohibited by UC policy to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment & Discrimination (OPHD). Responsible Employees are any University employee who is not a Confidential Resource. For a Confidential Resource, please see the Path to Care Center.

Professor Ellen Lumpkin - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Chair
Professor Diana Bautista - Head Graduate Advisor, Graduate Affairs Committee Chair
Professor Andreas Martin - Head Undergraduate Advisor, Undergraduate Affairs Committee Chair
Mark Jenkinson - Director of Administration
Carina Galicia - Director of Student Services (Graduate Affairs)
Zachary Chestnut - Assistant Director of Undergraduate Advising

Department Chairs and Division Heads represent faculty leadership within the department and they may also be contacted with concerns within a division or the department.

Department Chairs

Professor Rebecca Heald, Co-Chair
Professor Iswar Hariharan, Co-Chair

Division Heads

Professor Kathleen Collins - Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology
Professor Matthew Welch - Cell & Developmental Biology
Professor Craig Miller - Genetics, Genomics, and Development
Professor Greg Barton - Immunology and Pathogenesis
Professor Daniel Feldman - Neurobiology

Campus Resources

The following is a list of resources focused on wellness, advocacy, conflict resolution, and other support services. If a certain population is not specified in the name or description, it is a resource open to all members of the campus community.

Basic Needs Center

The Basic Needs Center is a space for students to create community and access basic needs services. We define basic needs as an ecosystem that includes: financial stability; nutritious and sufficient food; safe, secure and adequate housing (to sleep, study, cook and shower); accessible and equitable health/medical care; sustaining emotional/mental well-being; affordable transportation; resources for personal hygiene; and, emergency needs for students with dependents.

The Basic Needs Center team is committed to fostering belonging and justice on the UC Berkeley campus through a robust model of prevention, intervention and emergency relief efforts addressing students' food, housing and financial needs. Some services are also available to staff and faculty.

Be Well at Cal

Be Well at Cal is a University Health Services effort to encourage students to take care of themselves in all aspects of their lives. The goal is not just to address illness but to support students in living balanced and fulfilled lives.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

CAPS offers short term counseling for undergraduate and graduate students on academic, career, and personal issues, and also offers psychiatry services for circumstances when medication can help with counseling. CAPS remains fully operational by phone or Zoom during the shelter in place.

CAPS is open Monday - Friday 10am-4pm (PST). Call (510) 642-9494 to schedule a phone appointment. 24/7 after-hours support is available through UHS by calling (855) 817-5667.

Employee Assistance for Faculty and Staff

Employee Assistance is the campus faculty and staff employee assistance program providing no cost confidential counseling and referral for UC Berkeley faculty, staff, visiting scholars, and postdocs. It is also the Employee Assistance program for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Getting Help for Students of Concern

Whether you are student, faculty, staff or just a concerned friend or loved one, you have many options for helping a student you are concerned about.The Gold Folder and Mental Health Handbook for faculty, staff, and GSIs are linked here for easy reference.

Graduate Wellness Center

The Wellness Center provides graduate student-focused wellness and mental health services. Services offered include individual counseling, couples counseling, group counseling, and DSP accommodations and services for graduate students.

Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD)

The OPHD is responsible for ensuring the University provides an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment on the basis of categories including race, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Ombuds Office for Students and Postdoctoral Appointees

Provides an informal dispute resolution process in which the Ombudsperson advocates for fairness, justice, respect for differences, and reasonable solutions to student and postdoctoral issues and concerns.

PATH to Care Center

The PATH to Care Center provides affirming, empowering, and confidential support for survivors and those who have experienced gendered violence, including: sexual harassment, dating and intimate partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sexual exploitation. The 24/7 Care Line is (510) 643-2005.

The PATH to Care Center confidential advocates bring a holistic approach to supporting survivors. Advocates provide affirming, empowering, free, confidential support and bring a non-judgmental, caring approach to exploring all options, rights, and resources.

Staff Ombuds Office

The Staff Ombuds Office provides the same services as the Ombuds Office for Students and Postdoctoral Appointees but they serve staff, non-Senate academics, and faculty who perform management functions.

Student Legal Services

The Attorney for Students advises currently registered Cal students regarding their legal questions, rights, and obligations.

UAW 2865 for Academic Student Employees

UAW 2865 is the union that represents all 19,000+ Teaching Assistants, Graduate Student Instructors, Tutors, and Readers—across the University of California system. Together, we collectively bargain for better working conditions and work together for a workplace free from racism, sexism, and all forms of oppression

UAW 5810 - The Union of Postdocs and Academic Researchers

UAW Local 5810 is the union of more than 11,000 Postdoctoral Scholars and Academic Researchers (ARs; Project Scientists, Specialists, Professional Researchers, and Coordinators of Public Programs) at all 10 campuses of the University of California and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

Through the union, Postdocs and ARs negotiate collective bargaining agreements that set minimum standards for pay, benefits, rights, and protections. The union also works to ensure that the contract and benefits are enforced, and provide help to Postdocs and ARs individually and as a whole to access and maintain the benefits won through collective bargaining.

Reporting Form

Submit a Report

The Reporting Form was created to provide trainees and staff who work in MCB labs with options on how to report a variety of incidents including (but not limited to) intimidation, bullying, harassment, and discrimination of all kinds. Please review the information on using the Reporting Form below.

I am not a student or a postdoc, can I still submit a report?

Yes, anyone working in an MCB lab can submit a report.

Who will review the report submissions?

Reports will only be reviewed and followed up on by Carina Galicia (Director of Student Services) and Mark Jenkinson (Director of Administration) unless others are identified for inclusion by the person submitting the report. As Responsible Employees, any Title IX offenses will be reported to the Office for Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD).

What happens after I submit a report?

The report reviewers will conduct an initial evaluation of how to respond and who to involve, taking into consideration the preferences shared by the person who submitted the report. The information reported will be shared as necessary in order to follow up while retaining confidentiality.

The reporting form is not intended to circumvent established campus processes and departments that work to address issues and situations that may be reported and they may be engaged if needed to assist in the process. The form may also be used to share information with the department that may not require follow-up actions.

What information do I need to provide? Can I submit an anonymous report?

There are no required fields on the form and we welcome as much information as you are comfortable sharing. You have the option to submit an anonymous report, but doing so may prevent the department from being able to provide you with interim measures (resources, support, advising) since we will not be able to follow up. Reporting anonymously may also impact the ability to investigate and/or take disciplinary action.

If you are reporting a Title IX incident and you are not sure what steps to take and you prefer to explore this confidentially before reporting, please contact a Confidential Care Advocate at the PATH to Care Center for support.

What if I have a Title IX violation to report?

The information that follows is not meant to discourage you from reporting a Title IX violation, but rather to help you be informed of what happens when these incidents are reported so that you can make the best possible decision for yourself on how to proceed.

Title IX regulations detail how schools must respond to complaints of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking. The reviewers of the reporting form are Responsible Employees required to report Title IX violations to the Office for Prevention of Harassment & Discrimination (OPHD).

Reporting to the OPHD does not automatically initiate an investigation, and if a report is made, the OPHD will reach out to you (if identifying information is provided), and you will have the option to decline further action being taken, participate in an alternative resolution process, or request a formal investigation.

If you need to report a Title IX incident and you are not sure what steps to take and you prefer to explore this confidentially, please contact a Confidential Care Advocate at the PATH to Care Center for support.

Will the department share information on reported incidents?

With the exception of Title IX violations, the department will not share any confidential information reported. If any personnel actions are taken as a result of the information reported, please know that we cannot share this information with the community as personnel actions are confidential. Personnel action refers to any action taken with reference to appointment, compensation, promotion, transfer, layoff, dismissal, discipline, commendations or any other action affecting the status of employment. Given these considerations, our plan is to share data in aggregate form on a semesterly basis (or more frequently if best) to keep the community informed on the types and number of reports submitted and, if possible, information about outcomes.

How can I share feedback that I have regarding the reporting form?

The reporting form was created in consultation with members of the Department from all levels (students, staff, faculty, postdocs), and the feedback provided was instrumental in the development process. We welcome additional feedback on how to improve our approach through this form.