Office of the Provost: Ensuring a Safe and Nurturing Environment for All at UW–Madison
The following message was sent by the UW–Madison Office of the Provost to campus employees on Sept. 4, 2018:
To all employees:
Another academic year is upon us and you can already feel the excitement in the air! I am so happy to have our students back on campus, ready to immerse themselves in learning and all things UW-Madison. As we welcome them back, it is also a good time to remember our responsibility—both as individuals and as an institution—to provide a safe and nurturing environment in which they (and all of us) can thrive. To that end, I would like to call your attention to several important university policies.
Prevention of Hostile and Intimidating Behavior
As an academic institution, we are committed to creating an environment in which all faculty, staff, and students can do their best work—free from hostility, intimidation, and other forms of “bullying.” It is everyone’s responsibility to help create this climate, and to speak up when we see behaviors that run contrary to it. There are several campus policies that aim to prevent hostile and intimidating behavior, as well as a wide range of resources that can help you learn more about it or assist you if you need help. All employees are encouraged to become familiar with this important information, which is available on the Hostile and Intimidating Behavior website.
Creating and Maintaining a Safe Learning and Work Environment
The Office of Compliance has released its 2018-2019 Guide to Creating and Maintaining a Safe Learning and Work Environment at UW-Madison: Responsibilities, Resources and Reporting Requirements. The guide is currently available in English and is being translated into Chinese, Hmong, Spanish, and Tibetan (translated versions will be available soon). It provides information on how to report and respond if you experience, witness, or become aware of criminal behavior such as sexual assault, sexual violence, or child abuse and neglect, or of behavior such as sexual harassment or other forms of discrimination. It also addresses expectations regarding consensual relationships between employees and students or employees with other employees with whom there is or could be an instructional, supervisory, or evaluative relationship.
Questions about the guide can be directed to the Office of Compliance at uwcomplianceoffice@wisc.edu or (608) 265-6018.
Disability Accommodations
All university employees are entitled to equal opportunity and equal access. We work to ensure that employees with disabilities are not discriminated against. The disability accommodation process is designed to explore reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. If you believe a medical condition or disability is affecting your ability to perform your job, contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in your school, college, or division to discuss your needs. Or, you can reach out to Barbara Lanser in Employee Disability Resources, Office for Equity and Diversity, at barbara.lanser@wisc.edu or (608) 263-2407.
The Employee Disability Accommodation web page on the Office for Equity and Diversity website provides additional information and resources.