SUBJECT:

UC San Diego’s Commitment to Creating and Maintaining a Community Free of Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment

As we begin another academic year, we write to reaffirm UC San Diego’s commitment to fostering a truly inclusive climate that is free of intimidation, harassment, racism, and discrimination. Such a campus environment is most supportive of student learning, and the wellbeing and sense of belonging of our students, staff and faculty. We are dedicated to being a campus where the highest standards of decency and civility are practiced by all members of our community.

As community members, we have both rights and responsibilities which are articulated in the codes of conduct that work to reduce the likelihood of harm, enhance our daily interactions, and guide us in acting as stewards of a community in which all can teach, learn and work together. To this end, our Principles of Community, Student Conduct Code, and Faculty Code of Conduct are aimed at fostering a climate of fairness, cooperation, respect, and professionalism.

In this context, we are fully committed to creating and maintaining a campus community free of sexual violence and sexual harassment. UC San Diego does not tolerate sexual misconduct in any form, including sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, or sexual harassment, which violate not only policy and law, but also the standards of our community.

The recent announcement that the U.S. Department of Education has rescinded prior guidance about campus response to sexual assaults is distressing, but UC San Diego stands in solidarity with the statement issued by UC President Janet Napolitano. Further, we reissue our pledge to address allegations of sexual violence and sexual harassment promptly, and ensure that we respond to such incidents in a manner that is compassionate, equitable for all participants, and complies with the applicable policies, laws and regulations.

Important information and reminders:

· All UC employees, including student employees, are required to notify the Office for the Prevention of Harassment & Discrimination (OPHD) when they learn about situations involving possible sexual harassment or sexual violence or if they receive information from a student about any type of alleged sex offense. OPHD is the University’s Title IX office. They can be reached at: (858) 534-8298 or ophd@ucsd.edu.
· Reports of any type of violence, including sexual violence, should be reported to the UC San Diego Police by calling 911 or 858-534-3644.
· All UC San Diego faculty, staff and students are required to complete mandatory training on the prevention of sexual harassment and sexual violence.
· In some situations, consensual relationships between faculty and students may be prohibited. While consensual relationships do not necessarily constitute sexual harassment, the Faculty Code of Conduct prohibits a faculty member from entering into a romantic or sexual relationship with any student for whom that faculty member currently has or prospectively might have academic responsibility. This policy may be found online at
http://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-015.pdf
· UC San Diego's Policy on Conflicts of Interest Arising out of Consensual Relationships addresses consensual relationships involving staff or students, or involving academic employees not covered by the Faculty Code of Conduct. It may also be found online at
http://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/ppm/docs/200-11.html.
· The University of California system-wide Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment is available online at
http://sexualviolence.universityofcalifornia.edu/policies/index.html.

Finally, the University offers many forms of support and resources to all members of our community. We want to highlight a few important confidential resources for you.

· CARE at the Sexual Assault Resource Center (CARE @ SARC) at http://care.ucsd.edu/
· Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at https://caps.ucsd.edu/
· The Office of the Ombuds at https://ombuds.ucsd.edu/
· The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program at http://blink.ucsd.edu/go/fsap (UC San Diego Health faculty and staff should contact Optum/United Behavioral Health)

These offices provide assistance to anyone in our community affected by these issues and are not required to report information to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment & Discrimination.

Creating a community free of sexual violence and sexual harassment requires the ongoing commitment on the part of everyone. Please join us in reaffirming this commitment to fostering a healthy and respectful living, learning and working environment.

Pradeep K. Khosla Chancellor Farrell Ackerman Chair, Academic Senate San Diego Division Elizabeth H. Simmons Executive Vice Chancellor David A. Brenner Vice Chancellor – Health Sciences Dean, School of Medicine Margaret Leinen Vice Chancellor – Marine Sciences Director, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Sandra Brown Vice Chancellor – Research Juan C. Gonzalez Vice Chancellor – Student Affairs Gary C. Matthews Vice Chancellor – Resource Management and Planning Pierre Ouillet Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Becky Petitt Vice Chancellor – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion