Working in partnership this fall, the Senate and University administration have been planning a Beyond Compliance event for the 2016–17 academic year, building on the important work begun by EVC Galloway with last year’s town hall. Beyond Compliance is an ongoing effort to help shift the campus culture around sexual violence and sexual harassment from one focused on meeting legal requirements to one that, ideally, eliminates sexual harassment and violence altogether.
In light of the important conversations about sexual violence now taking place on campus, we have decided to hold two separate Beyond Compliance events, one this quarter to provide an opportunity for campus healing and community building and one in early Spring quarter to offer updates about campus and university policy and Beyond Compliance initiatives, and give people an opportunity to ask general questions about Title IX processes. Our Winter quarter event is a Restorative Justice Community Building Circle, which will take place on Wednesday, March 15th, from 7:00 - 9:00 pm at the Namaste Lounge (C9/10).
Students, staff and faculty are invited to participate in our Community Building Circle to open the potential for dialogue and healing regarding the impact of incidents of sexual violence and sexual harassment on campus. The gathering aims to provide an opportunity for everyone to have a voice in sharing their experience, open lines of communication, engender feelings of support, re-build trust, strengthen the campus community, provide a forum for collaborative decision-making, and begin the journey of individual and collective healing.
Due to the modest size of the room, we can accommodate a limited number of people, so it is recommended that you arrive early to secure a space. Also, due to the nature of the circle, we encourage you to arrive before or by 7:00 pm, after which time we will close the doors to preserve the space. This circle will be facilitated by Gabriela Arredondo (Professor and Chair of Latin American and Latino Studies), Bettina Aptheker (Distinguished Professor of Feminist Studies and Critical Race & Ethnic Studies and UC Presidential Co-Chair), and Vicki Duval (UCSC Restorative Justice Program Coordinator).
The event is co-sponsored by the Beyond Compliance Group, the ten colleges, GSA, SUA, Academic Senate, and Academic Affairs Office.
