UConn Women’s Center Offers Support for Those in Dangerous Relationships

 

 

An updated Regional Campus Sexual Assault, Intimate Partner Violence and Stalking Reporting and Resources Brochure has been released and is being distributed at the regional campuses.

UConn Today Story: UConn Releases Results of Annual Safety Reports

Official Announcement from the President on September 25, 2017

To the UConn Community,

I write with two updates.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Education rescinded prior guidance and published new guidance regarding how universities should address sexual violence under Title IX.

After reviewing these guidance documents closely, I want students, faculty, and staff to know that UConn remains steadfastly committed to both preventing sexual violence and responding with compassion to victim-survivors when incidents do occur. Nothing in Friday’s action alters or diminishes those efforts. Our Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence remains in full effect. We will continue to do the important work of ensuring that our university community is free from all forms of sex-based discrimination and violence, just as we were before. This commitment is unwavering.

Also, yesterday the White House issued a new order related to entry into the U.S. This new presidential proclamation follows the prior Executive Order 13780 that limited entry to the United States by nationals of six designated countries and ordered a thorough review of visa screening capabilities for all countries. We know that the Department of Homeland Security has identified eight countries, five of which were included in the last 90-day restriction, whose vetting standards are not considered acceptable for broad visa issuance and should be subject to certain restrictions individualized by country. New countries identified through the review process include Chad, North Korea and Venezuela, while restrictions have been lifted for Sudan.

We will conduct outreach to the university community and those potentially affected once all the implications of the document are more clearly understood.

Just as we work to protect our community from sexual violence and gender discrimination, we are committed to maintaining our status as a global university of great diversity, in every sense of the word. From our renowned Human Rights Institute to our medical outreach to countries in need and countless other efforts, our international leadership is precious to this university.

Sincerely,

Susan Herbst

A statement from Elizabeth Conklin, Title IX Coordinator  was issued regarding the U.S. Department of Education announcement on September 7 that it will be holding a public comment period before issuing new regulations and/or guidance concerning how colleges and universities should address sexual harassment and sexual violence under Title IX.

Protections and Resources for Transgender Students and Employees at UConn

As many of you are aware, on Wednesday, the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice rescinded guidance documents that provided certain protections for transgender students, including the right to use restrooms that match the gender with which they identify.

We want the university community to know that this action does not change UConn’s longstanding commitment to ensure a safe and nondiscriminatory learning and working environment for all members of our community, including those who are transgender.

UConn’s Policy against Discrimination, Harassment and Related Interpersonal Violence protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation. In addition, the University’s Transgender Guidelines assist the UConn community in supporting individuals undergoing a gender transition.

UConn students and employees have the right to safely express their gender identity, to be judged based on merit and ability, and to be free from discrimination and harassment. This includes using restrooms and locker rooms that match the gender with which they identify.

Nothing in the federal action requires us to alter or diminish these UConn protections.

In 2011, Connecticut state law established comprehensive transgender protections, and we at UConn remain committed to enforcing these protections on our campus. In addition, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed an executive order Thursday reemphasizing the state’s commitment to protecting transgender students in all public schools and universities.

For more information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact UConn’s Rainbow Center, Office for Diversity and Inclusion and/or Office of Institutional Equity.

Sincerely,

Joelle Murchison, Associate Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer – Office for Diversity and Inclusion

Elizabeth Conklin, Associate Vice President, Title IX Coordinator & ADA Coordinator – Office of Institutional Equity

For more information, contact: Elizabeth Conklin at 860-486-2943

The University recently adopted a Lactation Policy made effective on 12/20/2016. This new policy reinforces the University’s commitment to providing a supportive environment for employees and students who are breastfeeding. The policy enables employees and students to express milk in a private place, have reasonable break time and a location within five minutes of their work and study areas.

Please review the full policy at http://policy.uconn.edu/?p=7009. Procedures, which include specific guidance for students, employees, graduate assistants and supervisors, are available at the end of the policy.

We ask that managers who supervise employees with limited computer access to please post the policy in a common area.

For more information, contact: The Department of Human Resources at (860) 486-3034.

Lower number of sexual assaults does not always translate to less sexual assault