The following message was sent to the campus community on Nov. 29, 2016:
Dear campus community,
We are pleased to announce that the campus is launching a search for a new permanent campus lead on sexual violence and sexual harassment.
This individual will succeed Professor Carla Hesse, who has served in this role in an interim capacity since April, 2016. The scope of the role has been expanded and further defined as we continue to strengthen our efforts to prevent sexual violence and sexual harassment (SVSH) and gender discrimination on our campus.
The permanent campus SVSH lead will report to the Chancellor and will hold the new title of Special Faculty Advisor to the Chancellor on Sexual Harassment/Sexual Violence and Campus Title IX Coordinator. The Special Faculty Advisor will provide broad oversight of the campus’ SVSH prevention and response efforts, as well as SVSH education and awareness activities and Title IX intercollegiate athletics compliance. The Special Faculty Advisor will serve as the campus advocate for addressing these issues and will champion them at the highest levels of our campus.
Since last spring, a group of campus leaders, faculty members, Chancellor's SVSH committee members and others, have taken a close look at how the campus handles issues of sexual harassment and sexual violence. Many of them came to the conclusion that the campus would benefit by having a single individual, reporting directly to the Chancellor, providing comprehensive oversight and coordination of all SVSH and Title IX efforts.
The Special Faculty Advisor’s responsibilities will include reviewing and addressing patterns or practices of gender-based discrimination as well as SVSH concerns in all educational programs and campus activities; supporting the various campus units and programs that work in these areas; and working closely with campus departments, key committees, community partners and others.
Campus units and programs such as the Office for the Prevention of Harassment & Discrimination and Path to Care center will continue to manage and carry out the day-to-day operational aspects of sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention and response efforts. The Special Faculty Advisor position is designed to provide their units, and other units that perform the important front-line work on these difficult issues, with additional high-level support as they carry out their work. The Special Faculty Advisor will serve as co-convener of the Coordinated Community Review Team for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Misconduct (CCRT) and the newly constituted Campus Sexual Violence & Sexual Harassment Peer Review Panel.
A Call for Nominations will be sent to the campus community in the coming weeks. Applicants for this three-year, 50 percent appointment must be members of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate. They should have experience supporting campus goals of equity and diversity, possess strong communication skills, and have a strong sense of personal and professional ethics.
We believe that this newly-defined position will greatly assist us in our efforts to provide a safe and welcoming working, learning and living environment for our campus community.
Nicholas B. Dirks
Chancellor