A newly formed task force began work in February to review and make recommendations
on the UI's existing sexual harassment policies, procedures and educational
efforts.
"The campus has a significant number of policies that are directed
at reducing the incidence of sexual harassment and dealing with identified
cases. However, it has been some years since any substantive review or revision
of these policies has taken place," Chancellor Michael Aiken said.
Jill Doner Kagle, dean of the School of Social Work, is the chair of the
16-member task force.
"What we've done is identify the issues as a group and formed three
subcommittees," Kagle said. One committee will examine the policies
and standards, another will examine procedures and resources, and the third
will look at prevention and education.
Members of the task include academic professionals, students, and faculty
and staff members.
Members of the subcommittees are collecting information from both the UI
and other universities as they examine existing policies and how they work
for the UI. The task force will meet occasionally until the subcommittee
work is done. "One of the issues we will be looking at is that of consensual
sexual relations between members of the university community where there
is a power differential or status differential," Kagle said.
"As a campus, we are committed to providing our faculty, staff and
students with an optimal environment in which to work and study," Aiken
said. "Such an environment must be safe and inclusive; we must not
permit harassment to intrude upon the lives of members of the community."
The task force members plan to provide a status report at the end of the
spring semester and to complete their work by the end of the year. Their
recommendations will go to the chancellor, but other people in the university
will make decisions about implementing policy and policy changes.
Anyone in the university community who would like to communicate with the
task force is encouraged to e-mail Kagle at j-kagle@illinois.edu,
or to send a letter addressed to the task force in care of the chancellor's
office.
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