Dear Students,
At your UVM Twilight Induction Ceremony, which may have been last Sunday or several years ago, you pledged to uphold the university’s Our Common Ground values of respect, integrity, innovation, openness, justice, and responsibility.
To me, this means that our words and actions contribute to an environment in which:
- everyone can do their best work,
- we engage in the critical thinking and civil discourse essential to solving complex problems, and
- every member of our community feels safe, valued, and able to be their best, authentic self
I believe that our students can and will contribute positively to our community. But there is one matter of utmost importance on which I want to be clear – acts of sexual misconduct and harassment, bias, and discrimination related to religion, race, culture, gender, or sexual orientation are not tolerated on our campus.
As a UVM student, you can contribute to a safe and inclusive environment by living Our Common Ground values, and by reporting concerns. Over the last several months, we have worked to clarify, simplify, and centralize our reporting resources on a new UVM.EDU/Report website. Here, you will find:
UVM Care Report
Please submit this form if you are concerned about a fellow student or an incident. Overseen by the Dean of Students Office, these forms are routed to staff with mental health, academic, safety, and wellness expertise.
Sexual Misconduct, Bias, Discrimination, and Harassment Report
If you experience or witness an incident of sexual misconduct, bias, discrimination, or harassment involving a UVM affiliate in any way, please submit a report. The university’s Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity will receive the report. A trained staff member will reach out to the impacted individuals to provide resources and support, share information on further reporting options, and offer a time to meet. Support measures for all survivors of sexual misconduct are available regardless of whether they choose to file a formal report or participate in an investigation.
Academic Integrity Referral
If you have a concern about academic integrity, staff of the Center for Student Conduct provides resources. This form will document potential violations and may be completed anonymously.
General Incident Report
This form is for general concerns and incidents that are not described above but that you wish to report to the Center for Student Conduct. The report can be submitted anonymously.
The website also includes report forms for other matters, including crimes, ethics and compliance issues, and links to disability accommodation and accessibility resources. If you are unsure or have questions about reporting and would like to speak to someone, there is a link to confidential support and health care services at UVM.EDU/Report.
Additionally, I encourage you to download the safety app LiveSafe. LiveSafe provides Catamounts with accessible reporting options for safety and security concerns from your smart device. It offers opportunities to share information about emerging safety and security risks and includes features like virtual blue light and SafeWalk.
We will continue to articulate our expectations, address concerns, and support members of our community who are impacted by bias, discrimination, or harassment. As the promise of this new academic year unfolds, I am confident that we can maintain a culture that supports the wellbeing and success of all our students.
Thank you for partnering with me in this important effort.
Sincerely,
Patricia A. Prelock
Provost and Senior Vice President