As the University of Connecticut responds to a federal discrimination complaint, President Susan Herbst sent a letter to the school community about sexual assault and harassment on campus.
In a letter circulated Friday afternoon, Herbst reminded students of the school's Sexual Violence Awareness website, and pointed to the establishment of a Task Force on Civility and Campus Culture "to explore all matters related to civil behavior and speech" at UConn.
"The university needs to hear from our students about your persepctives and experiences," Herbst wrote, adding that an invitation is expected to be sent out early next week, asking for feedback "on our campus culture and safety when it comes to issues of sexual harassment and violence."
Read the entire letter below.
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To the University Community,
This week there was much discussion about sexual harassment and assault on our campus. Sexual violence is a national issue that affects every college and university campus, and it is one of grave concern. Protecting students from any act of sexual violence is vitally important to our entire community. We are fortunate that UConn has so many dedicated and talented students, staff, and faculty who are working together to prevent sexual harassment and violence in all its forms. We also know that we must routinely assess and reassess all our efforts to prevent sexual assault, to provide services to victims, and to hold perpetrators accountable.
The university needs to hear from our students about your perspectives and experiences. On Monday, you will receive an invitation from the President’s Task Force on Civility and Campus Culture asking for your feedback on our campus culture and safety when it comes to issues of sexual harassment and violence. The task force has been working aggressively throughout the fall semester to explore and prepare recommendations regarding all matters related to civil behavior and speech at UConn, including all forms of sexual harassment and violence. Student input is an essential part of that process.
I also want to take this moment to again remind all of our students, faculty, and staff that there are numerous on- and off-campus resources available to anyone at UConn who has been impacted by sexual violence. Those university-supported resources are contained on our University Sexual Violence website.
We are listening. And together, we will continue to work to ensure the respect, security, and dignity of all members of our community.
Susan Herbst
