To the Campus Community:
We welcome the completion of the independent investigation, and we very much appreciate the time and diligence invested in this process. We fully embrace the recommendations of the report for reforms in University policies and procedures, and we are anxious to begin working as a community to implement them.
The report reveals that past University policies, although consistent with federal law and comparable to policies in place at other universities, did not provide adequate protections for some members of our community. We vow to work with faculty, students, and staff to remedy these deficiencies. Actions that are disrespectful or demeaning have no place at the University of Rochester. More stringent policies on intimate relationships between faculty and students passed by the Faculty Senate last June are a step in the right direction, and a number of groups are actively focused on developing further improvements to our existing policies.
We recognize that establishing the right policies, while critical, is only the first step. The report also makes recommendations for improvements in climate and the processing and transparency of harassment cases. We will move forward quickly to put measures in place that reflect our values and our aspirations to be one of the best places in the world for all to work and study. The University has an opportunity and an obligation to be a leader in creating a respectful, inclusive and supportive environment and we look forward to working with the University community to make this a reality.
