To: Faculty, staff and students in Vancouver and the Okanagan
If you are a manager of staff whose work is not computer-based, please print this email and display it in a common work area for them to review.
UBC’s first Sexual Assault Policy was presented to the Board of Governors People, Community & International Committee today. The committee received the proposed policy for information and the full Board of Governors will review the policy at its meeting on June 14. The Board is being asked to refer the policy for consultation with the campus community. The proposed policy is posted on the Board of Governors website in the June agenda packages: http://bog.ubc.ca/?page_id=12064.
The Sexual Assault Policy was developed by a committee of faculty, staff and students from both campuses, co-chaired by Kimberley Beck, Legal Counsel from the Office of the University Counsel, and me.
Faculty, staff and students will be invited to give feedback on the draft policy following the June 14 board meeting and continuing until the end of September. Details about the consultation process will be circulated in the coming weeks.
Once the consultation period concludes University Counsel will review and collate comments and, working with the Sexual Assault Policy Committee, make any necessary changes before submitting the policy to the Board of Governors for approval on December 6. The final policy will include provisions required under the Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy Act, which very recently received Royal Assent and will come into force in May 2017.
For more information and updates on the sexual assault policy development and action plan: http://equity.ubc.ca/sexual-assault-policy-development/.
The collective aim of the new policy and ongoing sexual assault response and education is to foster a safe and respectful environment at UBC and a supportive environment on campus for survivors. As we work to improve our policies and processes I want to remind you about the resources available on campus and in the community should you need assistance for yourself or for someone you know.
For Vancouver students: http://students.ubc.ca/livewell/topics/sexual-assault
Okanagan students: http://students.ok.ubc.ca/sexual-assault.html
Faculty and staff: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/health/safety/sexual-assault-resources/
Sara-Jane Finlay
Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion