Report 2013-124 Recommendation 20 Responses

Report 2013-124: Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence: California Universities Must Better Protect Students by Doing More to Prevent, Respond to, and Resolve Incidents (Release Date: June 2014)

Recommendation #20 To: University of California, Berkeley

All universities should provide their education on sexual harassment and sexual violence to incoming students as close as possible to when they arrive on campus but no later than the first few weeks of their first semester or quarter. Further, universities should provide periodic refresher educational programs, at least annually, to all students on campus to ensure that they are aware of how to handle and report incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018

UC Berkeley requires all students—undergraduate, graduate, and professional—to, on an annual-basis, complete a refresher training. The training covers key concepts including preventing violence and harassment and how to handle and report incidents. Participation and completion of the training is required for all continuing students, and UC Berkeley ensures student complete the training through an integrated compliance system. The interactive training uses a variety of teaching and learning approaches and is customizable, thus, ensuring the content can be updated each year. Additionally, UC Berkeley offers a number of programs, some required, which further address the prevention, intervention, and response to violence and harassment.

UC Berkeley continues to require all new students—both graduate and undergraduate—participate in prevention education early in the students' first term. All new students complete at least three educational points of contact.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2017

UC Berkeley provides education, prevention, and information regarding campus and community resources to all students. All new students (graduate & undergraduate) participate in prevention education early in the students' first term. New students complete at least (3) educational points of contact before instruction begins, including an online training module, in-person session, a letter, and print resources. The content for these educational experiences includes definitions of key concepts & policies; confidential support resources & reporting resources; rights & options; bystander intervention skills; and how to support someone that has experienced violence or harassment. Students must complete all of the education sessions, and non-completion will result in an enrollment block.

We have expanded our Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment prevention efforts, including hiring additional staff and establishing new student-focused and campus-wide prevention efforts. The campus continues to provide periodic refresher educational programs for all students and employees. The Chancellor and Provost provide at least two letters to every member of the campus community outlining prevention resources, where to get support, & information about reporting incidents of sexual harassment and violence. The campus provides several key educational opportunities including a comprehensive, coordinated, and evidence-based prevention activities, key public awareness events; small group prevention sessions, and peer education programs led by several key departments and student-led groups.

UCB submits that the provision of these educational programs and the letters fully implement the CSA's recommendations, which stated that UCB had to provide periodic refresher educational programs but did not state that UCB had to collect reading or engagement metrics. UCB does, however, expect every student to see and read the refresher letters and engage in prevention and education programming.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented

Consistent with our assessment of UC Berkeley's response to this recommendation in 2016, we do not consider this recommendation fully implemented because it does not ensure that all students take a refresher educational program at least annually. In its response this year, UC Berkeley asserts that our recommendation states that UC Berkeley had to provide such programs but did not state that UC Berkeley had to collect reading or engagement metrics. However, we do not agree that periodic refresher educational programs can be considered provided to all students, as we recommended, if participation is not required. Further, as we stated on page 28 of our report, voluntary educational programs can be useful; however, to ensure that every student on campus is consistently and regularly made aware of how to handle and report incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence, universities should require all students to complete mandatory refresher training.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2016

Campus leaders have assessed, and continue to explore, several options to provide effective and meaningful annual refreshers. The campus provides periodic refresher educational programs for all students. Each academic year, the Chancellor and Provost provide two letters to every member of the campus community outlining prevention resources, where to get support, and information about reporting incidents of sexual harassment and violence. Furthermore, the campus provides several key educational opportunities including a comprehensive, coordinated, and evidence-based social norms education; key public awareness events (e.g. Take Back the Night, guest speakers); small group prevention sessions, and peer education programs led by several key campus departments and student-led groups.

All new students—both graduate and undergraduate—participate in prevention education soon after joining the campus community. All new students receive at least three educational points of contact before the start of instruction, including an online training module, in-person session, a letter, and print resources. The content for these educational experiences includes definitions of key concepts and policies (e.g. consent, sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking); confidential support resources and reporting resources; rights and options, bystander intervention skills; and how to support someone that has experienced violence or harassment. Students must complete all of the education sessions (i.e. both the online module and the in-person session); non-completion will result in an enrollment block for the following term.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented

UCB provides letters to students on reporting options and resources available to students who have experienced sexual violence. In addition, UCB provides several key educational opportunities to all students. UCB stated the letters provided to all students each semester serve as the annual refresher about expectations of the UCB community. However, UCB cannot ensure students are reviewing the letters. Further, the educational programs that are offered are optional. Therefore, we have marked this recommendation as not fully implemented.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2015

Nothing new to report from the June submission.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented

1-Year Agency Response

All incoming students will receive prevention education which includes definitions of key concepts and policies (e.g. consent, sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking); confidential support resources and reporting resources; rights and options, bystander intervention techniques; and how to support a friend that has experienced violence. Undergraduate students will receive at least three educational touchpoints prior to the start of instruction, including an online training module, two in-person trainings, and print resources. Every year, the campus will engage all students in several key educational opportunities including a comprehensive, coordinated, and evidence-based social norms education; key public awareness events (e.g. Take Back the Night); and peer education programs led by several key campus departments and student-led groups.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

Although UC Berkeley has marked this recommendation as Fully Implemented, it has yet to determine a mechanism to ensure students are attending the educational opportunities annually. Therefore, we have assessed this recommendation as Partially Implemented.

6-Month Agency Response

Bear Pact,a mandatory in-person education program for all new students, was held on August 26, 2014, during the first week of classes. Bear Pact is a program that incorporates existing and recently enhanced programs related to alcohol abuse, sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention, and mental wellness. Bear Pact supplements and enhances online training offered through AlcoholEdu during the summer months prior to students arrival for the Fall term.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

UC Berkeley did not address the second part of the recommendation regarding refresher training to all students at least annually. When asked about this, UC Berkeley stated it is waiting for President Napolitano's task force to address the refresher training to all students. This recommendation is only partially implemented.

60-Day Agency Response

New this fall, UCB (University of California, Berkeley)is offering a mandatory in-person education program entitled 'Bear Pact' for all new students during the first week of classes and after housing arrival. Bear Pact is a program that incorporates existing and recently enhanced programs related to alcohol abuse, sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention, and mental wellness. Bear Pact supplements and enhances online training offered through AlcoholEdu during the summer months prior to students arrival for the Fall.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

UC Berkeley has implemented the first part of the recommendation by offering a mandatory in-person education program entitled "Bear Pact" for all new students during the first week of classes. UC Berkeley has not yet provided details on steps it plans on taking to provide refresher training at least annually for all students.

All Recommendations in 2013-124

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.