Our students, faculty, and staff have a right to learn and work in an environment that’s free from sexual misconduct. We must do all we can to prevent sexual harassment and sexual violence, and also be ready to respond swiftly and effectively when we receive reports from our community.
The University of California on Friday released a revised interim version of the Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment. The policy is online, and we encourage everyone to take time to read it. Our Title IX Office has also provided a summary of the changes that took effect on Aug. 14.
These changes were necessary to comply with new Title IX rules issued in May by the U.S. Department of Education that guide how universities respond to allegations of sexual harassment and sexual violence. We argued against many of the revisions when they were proposed by the U.S. Department of Education and decried the changes when they were finalized. It is important to note that the new interim policy makes no change to responsible employee duties. All employees, who are not designated a confidential resource, are required to report possible prohibited conduct to the Title IX Office.
A systemwide workgroup of students, staff, faculty and professionals from Title IX, student conduct, Campus Advocacy Resource and Education (CARE) and other offices has helped the University of California revise its policy focusing on complying with the new regulations without compromising our values or our commitment to our community
Input and concerns collected from the Title IX office’s campus information sessions were shared with the workgroup. We appreciate our community members who made their voices heard and believe the workgroup benefited from those perspectives. Creating a campus free from sexual misconduct requires us all to do our part.
Sexual violence and sexual harassment has no place at UC Santa Cruz. We seek to hold people accountable for their actions, actions that can have long lasting impacts on those who have endured the misconduct.
We encourage anyone in our community who has faced sexual harassment or sexual misconduct to reach out to the CARE office, which provides confidential support for students, faculty, and staff.
To report allegations of sexual misconduct or learn more about what support and safety resources are available, please reach out to our Title IX Office.
