UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

BERKELEY

DAVIS

IRVINE

LOS ANGELES

MERCED

RIVERSIDE

SAN DIEGO

SAN FRANCISCO

SANTA BARBARA

SANTA CRUZ

1111 Franklin Street

Oakland, California 94607-5200
Phone: (510) 987-9074
Fax:(510) 987-9086
http://www.ucop.edu

March 11, 2016

CHANCELLORS
Dear Colleagues:
The recent focus on several cases has brought to the forefront the importance of
preventing and responding to sexual violence, assault, and harassment. This issue
is critically important to the University of California, and to me personally. As
you know, in the past two years I have instituted the Presidents Task Force on
Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence and Sexual Assault, which has
instituted improvements in communication, education and training, confidential
support, and, for cases involving students, improved investigations, adjudication,
and sanctioning.
To address sexual misconduct cases involving faculty, I appointed a Joint
Committee of the University of California Administration and Academic Senate to
develop recommendations for my consideration. This committees charge is to
examine the entire process in the investigation, adjudication and sanctions in cases
involving faculty. The final report and recommendations will be provided to me by
April 4, 2016. While I will not prejudge the recommendations, my criteria for
evaluation will be whether they would result in a process that effectively investi
gates and adjudicates sexual misconduct cases involving faculty, impose
appropriate sanctions, and ensure we have an environment at all of our locations
where UC community members are free from sexual harassment and safe from
threats of sexual violence.
Even while waiting for the committee to complete its work involving faculty, I have
concluded that we need to take immediate action to fortify our efforts with respect
to senior University leaders. Accordingly, I am directing the following steps:
First, every Chancellor will ensure that all senior University leaders
including but not limited to Chancellors, Provosts, Vice Chancellors, Vice
Provosts, and Deanshave taken the required Sexual Assault Sexual
Harassment Training. Certification by your office that all senior University
leaders have completed this important training must be reported to
Sheryl Vacca, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance and Audit
Officer, by March 25, 2016.

Chancellors
March 10, 2016
Page 2

Second, I am creating a new Systemwide Peer Review Committee to review

and approve all proposed sanctions of substantiated violations of the
Universitys Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Policy by any senior
University leader. The Committee will have representatives from all ten
campuses, and will be co-chaired by Sheryl Vacca, the Chair of the
Presidents Task Force on Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence
and Sexual Assault, and Allison Woodall, UC Deputy General Counsel. I
will appoint the other members of the committee within the week.
As I told the Sacramento Bee, at a minimum, our employees are entitled to come to
work without fear of sexual harassment or sexual violence. Moreover, and I cannot
emphasize this enough, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that substantiated
claims of sexual harassment and sexual assault are dealt with firmly, fairly and
expeditiously and that appropriate sanctions are imposed that recognize the serious
nature of these claims.
Yours very truly,

JJiet Napolitano
President