We hope you’ll take the opportunity to express your views on Proposed Amendments to Policy SC17 Sexual Misconduct Policy (formerly Policy 131).
The Policy was initially approved by the Board of Governors in May 2017. The Policy states UBC’s commitment to review the Policy at least once every three years, in consultation with students and other members of the UBC community. The Office of the University Counsel convened a Policy Review Committee, which has prepared a draft proposal.
The Policy articulates the commitments and principles to which UBC will adhere to support members of the UBC community who are impacted by sexual misconduct, to provide a central site for information regarding the resources and options available to those affected by sexual misconduct, and to provide a process to respond to and investigate allegations of sexual misconduct.
The proposed amendments are intended to address areas identified during the initial implementation of the Policy, to provide additional guidance and information to the UBC community, and to make various drafting improvements. Among the proposed amendments are:
- creation of an “immunity” provision to encourage good faith disclosure or reporting of alleged sexual misconduct where the incident may involve the consumption and misuse of drugs or alcohol;
- creation of a category of “Prohibited Relationships” that prohibits sexual or romantic relationships between certain members of the UBC community with students, in particular, where the member of the UBC community has a supervisory role over the student or otherwise has influence over the student’s current or future academic, working or career advancement; and
- clarifications and further guidance as to what constitutes consent, the impartial role of the Independent Investigations Office under the direction of the Director of Investigations, alternative resolution processes, and the appropriate use of anonymous and 3rd party reporting by members of the UBC community whom have received a disclosure (i.e., the member is to honour the wishes and autonomy of the disclosing individual).
For further information about this policy proposal, please see the information package on the Board of Governors website. It is anticipated that there will also be information sessions on both campuses to provide an overview of the proposed revisions and answer related questions, with further details of those sessions forthcoming from the University.
Please review the Proposed Amendments to Policy SC17 and if you have any questions or concerns, let us know by responding to this email or sending an email to the Faculty Association. We would appreciate your comments to the Association be submitted by January 13, 2020 so that we may have time to formulate our response.
You also have the option of forwarding your questions or concerns regarding this policy directly to the Office of the University Counsel or through the University’s confidential feedback survey. If you submit to the University directly, please copy us ([email protected]) or advise us of your participation in the survey and any comments you may have. The University submission deadline is January 31, 2020.
Thank you.
