UVM contracted with Grand River Solutions to conduct an independent, external review of our Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (“AAEO”), which is responsible for conducting investigations under the Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct policy. Grand River Solutions delivered their findings on October 25, 2021. President Suresh Garimella directed the AAEO office to implement all recommendations.
In Spring 2021, students presented 17 requests to the administration in the interest of keeping UVM’s campus safe for everyone. Following constructive conversations with student government and other representative bodies, the administration committed to meeting the requests.
University Progress Updates Spring-Fall 2021
Fall 2021 AAEO Changes
| Request | Status | Summary of Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Attempt to engage with non-responsive reporting parties at least three times and by using a variety of contact methods. | Implemented✓ | Recommendation implemented immediately upon receipt of report, on October 25, 2021; AAEO staff have met several times since to review progress and mechanisms for outreach. |
| Ensure campus stakeholders have a consistent understanding of supportive measures that are available, and AAEO processes overall. | Ongoing → | AAEO will continue to expand collaboration with campus stakeholders, including HOPE Works, the Vice Provost and Dean of Students offices, the Center for Student Conduct, UVM Athletics, Residential Life, Identity Centers, CAPS, Student Health Services, UVM Police Services, student services staff, faculty, and other partners. Based on the unique role of each stakeholder group, AAEO will continue to provide in-person and online training, provide updates on policy and practice, and partner on programming relating to sexual violence. AAEO staff staff and Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator continue to meet regularly to discuss these ongoing efforts. |
| Maintain all information related to each given report in a single centralized location. | Implemented ✓ | AAEO now maintains all information related to each given report in a single centralized location. |
| Develop thorough and easily-understood brochures, flowcharts, or similar materials that can be provided to the parties. | Ongoing → | The AAEO team understands the importance of clear communication with students on these sensitive topics and recognizes the need for improved clarity. We will expand on explanatory communications in various formats, including a process flow chart, clear descriptions of policy and procedures, an online FAQ section, and revised outreach language. The process flow chart and updated FAQs are available here. |
| Develop scripted checklists for investigators. | Implemented✓ | Recognizing that every report of sexual misconduct is unique and requires its own set of inquiry questions, AAEO investigators necessarily develop interview checklists relevant to each case. However, based on this recommendation, the AAEO team immediately wrote a scripted checklist covering elements that are necessary in every case, including making sure involved parties are informed of next steps, that they're in a safe place, and what to do if retaliation occurs. |
| Provide regular, more specifically titled, status updates to parties. | Ongoing → | Recommendation implemented immediately upon receipt of report, on October 25, 2021; the AAEO team modified its case-management tool to allow for customized subject lines when sending updates to parties, and modified practices to ask involved parties for their communication and frequency preferences in receiving status updates. |
| Extension notices should include a new due date and should not be sent the week a report is due. | Implemented ✓ | The AAEO team is sensitive about the timing of final reports and understands the importance of timely resolution. Practices have been updated to prevent extension notice being issued the same week a report is expected to be issued. |
| Investigators should schedule follow-up interviews with parties rather than cold-call parties with follow-up questions. | Implemented ✓ | Recommendation implemented October 25, 2021; the AAEO team will make preliminary contact with parties before seeking in-depth follow up. |
| Ensure timing of report delivery takes into account the availability of support resources for processing of information. | Implemented ✓ | Recommendation implemented October 25, 2021; AAEO investigators will continue to work closely with staff who provide support resources to ensure student needs are met, including CAPS, HopeWorks, Student Health Services, and AAEO process advisors. |
| Include a robust evidence log in each report. | Implemented ✓ | Recommendation implemented October 25, 2021; final reports will now include a log of evidence gathered, including notation of whether it was considered (per standard practice) or not considered. |
| Write reports in a way that students understand the rationale and conclusion, including clear and concise analysis of credibility. | Implemented ✓ | Recommendation implemented October 25, 2021; AAEO investigators will endeavor to write reports in a way that translates legal terminology into clear, explantory conclusions and will continue to develop this skill through training and professional development. |
| Include greater detail in reports to help explain findings regarding consent. | Implemented ✓ | Recommendation implemented October 25, 2021; AAEO investigators will work to communicate findings regarding consent in a simplified way that is clear and concise and connect students with support services to help them understand and process findings, including CAPS, HopeWorks, Student Health Services, and AAEO process advisors. |
| Include additional explanation regarding the distinctions between drunk, intoxicated, incapacitated, etc. | Implemented✓ | Recommendation implemented October 25, 2021; when applicable, AAEO staff will endeavor to explain in a detailed manner the distinctions between states of drunkenness, intoxication, and incapacitation. |
| Articulate incapacitation analysis separate from the analysis of whether respondent knew or should have known of complainant’s incapacitation. | Implemented ✓ | Recommendation implemented October 25, 2021; when applicable, AAEO investigators will include a clear articulation of whether the respondent knew or should have known of complainant's incapactiation separate from the incapacitation analysis. |
Spring 2021 Student Request Progress Updates
Request | Status | Summary of Actions |
|---|---|---|
| UVM conduct an independent investigation into the UVM’s Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Title IX Office, including the Title IX Coordinator, Deputy IX Coordinator, Title IX Intake and Outreach Coordinator, and all investigators to restore the UVM student body’s trust. | Implemented✓ | Commissioned independent, external review of intake and investigatory processes in Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity for complaints of sexual misconduct; began implementation of all recommendations. Read the Report. |
| We encourage UVM to research, review, and create an internship or volunteer program for undergraduate students in the College of Education and Social Services who are interested in gaining experience in the field of sexual violence advocacy and hope to support student survivors. We encourage UVM administrators to refer to Boston University Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center which provides undergraduate students with these opportunities. | Ongoing → | Reviewed programs at Boston University and other institutions; formal internship planning is on track for Fall 2022 launch; volunteer opportunities are in planning stages for Spring 2022. |
| The Vice Provost for Student Affairs and UVM Title IX Director review every survey response given by UVM Students in the survey created by Explain The Asterisk founder and Title IX Student Advisory Committee member, in order to effectively understand the University’s systemic failure to support survivors of sexual violence on our campus thus far. | Implemented ✓ | Reviewed every survey response provided on July 1, 2021. |
| The UVM Title IX Advisory Committee continue to meet throughout the Summer and Fall of 2021 with the Title IX Intake and Outreach Coordinator and Vice Provost for Student Affairs to assess current sexual violence prevention and healthy relationship education efforts and recommend enhancements, including enhancements that extend beyond students’ first year. | Ongoing → | Met with student leaders during summer and early Fall 2021; created role of Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator; established a Student Sexual Violence Prevention Council to advise new Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator. |
| Every counselor employed through UVM Counseling and Psychiatric Service (CAPS) undergo annual training on how to support survivors of sexual abuse, violence, and harassment. | Implemented ✓ | Enhanced training on sexual violence and trauma-informed support for staff in Center for Health and Well Being, including counselors in UVM Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS). |
| All those employed by UVM Police are required to undergo annual training on sexual violence, domestic violence, gender-based violence, sexual harassment, and stalking in order to better support all student survivors at UVM, annual training should result in all members of the UVM Police to be able to effectively communicate on-campus and off-campus resources available to students at the University. | Implemented ✓ | Enhanced training on sexual violence and trauma-informed support for staff in UVM Police Services. |
| UVM’s Department of Residential Life requires all Residential Advisors to undergo sexual violence and harassment training each semester to understand how to effectively support students and to be able to effectively communicate on-campus resources available to students at the University. | Implemented ✓ | Enhanced training on sexual violence and trauma-informed support for staff Residential Life and student Residential Advisors. |
| The Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life enforce every recognized UVM Fraternity to attend sexual violence, harassment, or healthy relationship training once each semester, and report their chapter attendance rates on the UVM lynx. Should Fraternity attendance rates fall below 70% for 2 consecutive semesters, we demand that the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life place said Fraternity on probation effective immediately. | Implemented ✓ | Implemented Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Education Training required for all students, every year (includes fraternities and sororities). Updated Fraternity and Sorority Life Standards of Recognition to reflect participation requirements and consequences for failing to meet requirements. |
| Director of Athletics, Jeff Schulman, require all UVM sports teams to attend sexual violence, harassment, or healthy relationship training at least once each semester. | Implemented ✓ | Implemented Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Education Training required for all students, every year (includes athletic teams). UVM Athletics committed to additional on-going training and education about sexual misconduct for student-athletes and staff. |
| Student Government Association, henceforth referred to as SGA, attend sexual violence, harassment, and/or healthy relationship training at least once each semester. | Implemented ✓ | Implemented Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Education Training required for all students, every year (includes SGA). |
| UVM SGA requires all SGA clubs and organizations to complete sexual violence, harassment, and/or healthy relationship training annually to retain SGA recognition. | Implemented ✓ | Implemented Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Education Training required for all students, every year (includes SGA and SGA-approved student organizations). |
| UVM GSS requires all senators, the executive council, GSS clubs, and GTAs/GRAs/GAs to complete sexual violence, harassment, and/or healthy relationship training annually. | Implemented ✓ | Implemented Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Education Training required for all students, every year (includes GSS, GTAs, GRAs, GAs). |
| The Title IX Office seeks to better and more effectively advertise to UVM students that the Title IX Office can help students outside of a formal reporting process. | Ongoing → | Updated Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (AAEO, the administrative home of UVM's Title IX Coordinator) communications and procedures to reflect support services available to students outside the administrative reporting and resolution process; enhancing web pages and campus awareness through a coordinated campaign in Spring 2021. |
| The UVM administration hires between three-four more Campus Victims’ Advocates to serve as confidential counselors to all undergraduate student survivors of sexual misconduct effective Fall 2021. UVM create a 24/7, 365 day-a-year hotline specifically for student survivors of sexual violence and harassment. | Implemented ✓ | Contracted with HOPE Works for 24/7 survivor and ally support, including availability of appointments on campus. |
| UVM administration seeks to review a diverse pool of Campus Victims’ Advocates, as sexual violence affects all UVM students including BIPOC, AAPI, LGBTQ+, and male-identifying individuals on our campus. | Implemented ✓ | HOPE Works provides 24/7 access to crisis counselors with diverse identities. |
| UVM establish a Sexual Violence Response Team as a part of the University’s Student Health Services Department. The Sexual Violence Response Team must include 5 employees including a Director, an Assistant Director, and three to four Campus Victims’ Advocates effective fall 2021. | Implemented ✓ | Formalized Sexual Misconduct Response Team with representation from key university offices to ensure coordinated and multi-disciplinary response to reported incidents. |
| UVM continues to fund, support, and advertise the UVM LiveSafe App throughout Academic Year 2022 as the App allows students to report sexual violence or harassment privately from their phone with the option to attach videos, audio files, and pictures if they choose. | Implemented ✓ | Committed to ongoing support and promotion of LiveSafe app. Additionally, renewed effort to maintain Blue Light security system across campus. |