The university currently employs seven confidential counselors: five internal and two external. They help employees and students who are dealing with an issue in the area of ​​integrity or social safety. Five of them are affiliated with the I&SS desk. One of these confidential counselors – Henny van Alphen – is also the case manager of the Integrity & Social Safety desk. This desk receives all reports from employees and students about integrity and social safety, and then supports a reporter in finding possible solutions.

Over time, the community has used different titles for Henny van Alphen's role, which has caused confusion about her role: confidential counselor, coordinator (as stated on the website about the desk), case manager and complaints officer. The latter term – complaints officer – was used by council member Martijn Klabbers in the University Council of February this year: "The roles of those involved must be very clear in order to avoid incorrect expectations of the I&SS desk", Klabbers stated.

"Complaints handling and a confidential role are difficult to combine. The complaints committee must hear all parties involved, while a confidential counselor must act strictly confidentially and may only approach others with the permission of the reporter. These conflicting responsibilities can lead to confusion and insufficient protection of the interests of reporters."

No complaints officer

I&SS Ambassador Ingrid Heynderickx states that Van Alphen is not a complaints officer and never has been and that this term is a misunderstanding. The exact function and associated title are still under construction, but are currently called ‘case manager’, as that best describes the role.

Secretary of the TU/e ​​Eric van der Geer-Rutten-Rijswijk says that the university is currently busy improving the processes after a report. “The first step for people who want to report an issue is the Integrity and Social Safety desk and the associated confidential counselors. Confidential counselors listen and give advice, but leave the initiative to the reporter.”

According to Naomi Ellemers, social and organizational psychologist and university professor at Utrecht University, “the role of the confidential counselor is to support the reporter, listen to their story without judgment, offer emotional support, advise on possible next steps, and possibly represent the interests of the reporter in consultation with other confidential counselors.”

Ongoing complaint

According to several sources within TU/e, there is currently a complaint pending with the National Association of Confidential Advisors (LVV) against a number of the university's confidential advisors due to the possible handling of a complaint in the role of confidential advisor.

Gerda Arends, acting chair of the National Association of Confidential Advisors (LVV), states "that the confidential advisor should not seek the truth and should not conduct an investigation" and refers to the code of conduct for the LVV registered confidential advisor, in which this is explicitly stated. "Complaints are handled by an independent external complaints committee at the LVV. After handling, they issue advice to the board of the LVV and the decision with advice is published anonymously on our website," says Arends.

It is also stated how the board dealt with the advice of the complaints committee. Because this complaint about the TU/e ​​confidential advisors is still pending, no statements are shared about it. Both case manager and confidant Henny van Alphen and ambassador of the I&SS desk Ingrid Heynderickx were also asked to comment on the complaint, but referred to Eric van der Geer-Rutten-Rijswijk. He points out the confidentiality in such procedures and does not want to comment in order to protect the privacy of those involved.

The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) has published a report (2022) on social safety in science. Professor Naomi Ellemers chaired the committee that prepared this report. One of the recommendations is to ensure that all parties involved receive assistance and guidance, so both the reporter and the accused, as well as the bystanders. Coordination between various officials involved within a network, which together form a safety net for all parties involved, is important.

TU/e secretary Eric van der Geer-Rutten-Rijswijk indicates that process improvements are imminent. “Reporters will soon be able to have their report followed up by a case manager as a next step. This person will check whether the complaint is admissible and sufficiently substantiated, discuss possible follow-up steps with a team of experts, provide follow-up advice to the competent authority and coordinate the implementation of a decision taken.”

Now that it is clear what the tasks of the case manager will be, it is also clear that these tasks are best suited to Henny van Alphen, the secretary knows. “However, the tasks of a case manager cannot be combined with a role as a confidential counselor. That is why Henny has stopped accepting new reports as a confidential counselor; she has never had an undesirable dual role in any case,” he states.

New confidential counselors

With this change of position, two internal and two external confidential counselors will continue to work within the I&SS desk. That is why the university is going to train seven new confidential counselors.

People who come to the desk with a problem will first have a conversation with a confidential counselor and if they then decide that they want to make an official report, they will be referred to a case manager. He or she will then see whether, for example, an investigation or mediation is necessary, or something else. If a reporter wants to file an official complaint, one of the three complaints committees that TU/e ​​has must look into it. These are the committees for undesirable behavior, irregularities and scientific integrity.

This article has been adjusted and updated on May 24 at 11:49 due to factual inaccuracies.