February 12, 2018
Dear Campus Community,
The University of California, Merced is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of discrimination and harassment. Discrimination and harassment interfere with the rights of students and employees to work and learn in a safe environment and are prohibited under the law.
Incidents of sexual harassment or sexual violence are prohibited by Title IX of the Education Act and should be reported to the campus’s Title IX office to ensure that those affected by these incidents learn about their rights and resources, and can make informed choices about how to proceed. If you have any questions or concerns regarding policies and procedures, please contact Title IX Officer Michael Salvador at 209-285-9510 or msalvador2@ucmerced.edu .
Behavior that does not meet legal or university policy criteria for discrimination or harassment based on a protected category can nonetheless be a cause for concern and response. For example, we prohibit abusive conduct by employees at UC Merced by policy, and recently established a Bias Incident Response Team . Please reach out to Director of Campus Climate De Acker at 209-228-2598 or dacker@ucmerced.edu for more information.
There are also confidential resources available on the campus. The CARE Office provides confidential support to UC Merced students, faculty and staff affected by sexual harassment or sexual violence. Other confidential resources are listed on the Discrimination and Violence Prevention website , including the Office of the Ombuds . Anyone seeking help can also contact the UC Merced Police Department or call 209-228-2677.
No member of our campus community should ever feel they are being ignored, or that they are alone in their struggles. For those who feel their concerns cannot be adequately addressed by campus resources, the UC system has its own systems and processes, such as the UC Whistleblower hotline . There are additional avenues at the local and state level for those who feel that they cannot get the help they need through UC Merced or the UC system.
I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the resources available at the campus and system levels, and to never hesitate to escalate any matter if you feel that might be warranted. Creating a community free of sexual violence and sexual harassment requires an ongoing commitment from everyone.
Sincerely,
Luanna Putney
Associate Chancellor and Senior Advisor to the Chancellor
