Ducks promote a culture of respect

April 7, 2022

Dear colleagues,

As we begin spring term, we want to take a moment to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Chief Civil Rights Officer Nicole Commissiong and I joined several student leaders who support prevention and education efforts on campus to again reaffirm the University of Oregon’s commitment to creating a community free of sexual assault and violence of any kind. I encourage you to watch the video, read the message sent to students below, and help us to reinforce this commitment.

In addition, we want to remind you of the resources for employees and of your reporting responsibilities as a university employee. Information about these obligations is available on the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance website.

If you are contacted by a student who has experienced sexual harassment or misconduct (in any form), please call the Office of the Dean of Students at 541-346-3216 and they will provide appropriate support and referral to resources.

If you or a colleague need support for an incident and it is an emergency, please contact 9‑1‑1. If there is no immediate danger to you or others, please contact the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance at 541‑346‑3123. You can also access confidential counseling services and other resources through the university’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider, Canopy.

We would also like to thank the prevention and response staff as well as the faculty they work with for their continued collaboration to help educate, safeguard, and support our students. This work remains an important part of helping our students succeed and thrive at the University of Oregon.

Sincerely,

Michael H. Schill
President and Professor of Law

Nicole Commissiong
Associate Vice President, Chief Civil Rights Officer, and Title IX Coordinator


Dear students,

As we begin spring term, we want to take a moment to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Chief Civil Rights Officer Nicole Commissiong and I join several student leaders who support prevention and education efforts on campus to again reaffirm the University of Oregon's commitment to creating a community free of sexual assault and violence of any kind.

Everyone at the university has the right to be free from sexual assault and violence. Individuals who have violated these rights must be held accountable for their actions. Each of us and our campus community also has a responsibility to intervene and create a culture where sexual violence is not tolerated; to do something, to say something, and to act in accordance with the law.

We also want to be clear to all survivors: the harm you endured was not your fault. We believe you, we support you, and we will continue to advocate for you. The UO has a number of resources available, including confidential support that can be found at safe.uoregon.edu or by calling 541-346-SAFE (7233). You do not need to file a report to access these services.

This year, many SAAM events will return to in person. We want to highlight a couple:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our nation witnessed an increase in domestic violence and horrific acts of violence and discrimination. We want to again condemn these acts and call on our entire University of Oregon community to proactively end all forms of hate, bias, discrimination, and violence.

If you experience or become aware of a threat or incident of bias, discrimination, or violence, including sex- or gender-based harassment, stalking, and bullying, the university has resources and services available for you. More information, including how to report an incident, is available at safe.uoregon.edu and on the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance website.

As a community, it is on each of us to say something and do something to prevent sexual assault, discrimination, and harassment in all their forms. Sexual assault and sexual violence have no place in our community. 

Sincerely,

Michael H. Schill
President and Professor of Law

Nicole Commissiong
Associate Vice President, Chief Civil Rights Officer, and Title IX Coordinator