Dear Members of the Campus Community,

As part of the university’s comprehensive approach to eliminating sexual violence, every year at this time, I reach out to the campus community with an important reminder about resources available to assist in the prevention, reporting, and investigation of reports of sexual misconduct.

I urge all community members to familiarize themselves with these important policies and procedures designed to protect everyone who lives, works, and learns on our campus. We all must be vigilant in changing a culture in which such acts occur, whether on our campus or in our communities.

Campus Policy Prohibiting Sexual Misconduct. Under Title IX, all students, faculty, and staff, regardless of gender, are protected from any sex-based discrimination, which includes sexual harassment or violence that is “so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively bars the victim’s access to an educational opportunity or benefit.” This policy addresses sexual misconduct prohibited by Title IX and is binding upon all campus community members. Please take the time now to review this policy and be aware of your responsibilities.

Sexual Misconduct Resource Center. This website provides important information about sexual misconduct prevention and response, including what to do if you have been assaulted and how to seek and support others. Note that sexual misconduct can be reported online at pugetsound.edu/report.

Student Support Organizations. Consider joining the work being done by Peer Allies and It’s On Us. Celebrate the birthday of It’s On Us by visiting the It’s On Us table in the Wheelock Student Center next Wednesday, September 19. Get a free cupcake and take the pledge to end sexual violence. More information about these organizations is available by inquiry to peerallies@pugetsound.edu or itsonus@pugetsound.edu.

Bystander Workshops. Sign up for a Green Dot Bystander intervention workshop for yourself or your club, group, department, team, or others at pugetsound.edu/greendot. The first training of this academic year is in October.

Take Back the Night. This year’s event is scheduled for November 7, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Tahoma Room. For more information, contact Cat Wright, the BRAVe Student Coordinator, at BRAVe@pugetsound.edu.

Sexual Violence Prevention Tutorial and Assessment. In addition to the sexual violence prevention tutorial that all faculty and staff members are required to take every two years, all students, faculty, and staff members are encouraged to take an online assessment to further educate themselves about ways to identify, prevent, and interrupt sexual violence.

Resources for Support

  • Title IX Reporting and Investigation. Chief Diversity Officer and Dean of Diversity and Inclusion Michael Benitez serves as the university’s Title IX coordinator, supported by Tiffany Davis, associate director of Diversity and Inclusion, and Deputy Title IX coordinator. Tiffany can be reached at titleIX@pugetsound.edu.
  • Sexual Assault Advocate. Associate Dean of Students Marta Cady serves as a privileged sexual assault advocate for the campus and can be reached at martacady@pugetsound.edu.
  • Faculty Ombudsperson. Professor Grace Kirchner serves as a faculty ombudsperson to address faculty questions that may arise about reporting; she can be reached at kirchner@pugetsound.edu.

Additional information and resources will be provided throughout the year. Thank you for everything you do to help make the University of Puget Sound, a place where every community member is valued, safe from harm, and treated with the utmost respect.

Sincerely,

Isiaah
Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President