Dear Students,

Thank you for the ways in which you supported the UVM community this year, not only through your continued care and compliance during the pandemic, but also in your engaged attention to sexual violence awareness and prevention. As the semester comes to a close and you are preparing for your final exams, I hope you will take some time to reflect on the value of your academic experience and the importance of your engagement throughout the semester.

We continue to transform our response to the concerns raised by survivors. The College of Nursing and Health Sciences created a new faculty position, lecturer in Sexual Violence Prevention, and a search to fill the role is underway. This faculty member will lead a new Peer Educator Program for sexual violence prevention, meeting an important need students voiced last spring.

Athletics continues their commitment to training for all coaches, staff, and athletes as part of the Men Can Stop Rape program. This is in addition to the training they receive from HOPE Works and online educational programs.

The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (AAEO) is examining current resources and services to identify ongoing improvements to investigation processes, student support, and communication. AAEO has taken steps to update their website and FAQs, flow charts, and other relevant materials through collaboration with student interns and community members, continue ongoing trauma-informed training for staff and process advisors involved in the resolution process, develop and deliver presentations for student groups, and ensure ongoing collaboration with HOPE Works and other partners. The office is also exploring adjustments to the Alternative Resolution process, which is a resolution option grounded in restorative practices, and is seeking community input on this important topic.

The Center for Health and Wellbeing, through Living Well, is continuing its successful partnership with HOPE Works to provide robust on-campus offerings for survivor support, including ongoing opportunities for sharing stories and community.

Elliot Ruggles, Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator, is conducting an inventory of current prevention and assessment efforts throughout the university and forming relationships with community members invested in this work, informing the next steps to be adopted.

My colleagues and I will continue to listen to you in our efforts to address the needs of our community and are reviewing additional recent requests we received from students. Erica Caloiero, Vice Provost for Student Affairs, and Elliot Ruggles are here to meet with students to more fully understand the underlying issues, with the goal of better informing our work with campus partners.

I hope each of you will take some quality time for a break, get some rest, and enjoy your families and friends this summer. I look forward to our continued work together in the fall.

Warmly,

Patty Prelock
Provost and Senior Vice President