The University of Arizona's Commitment to support the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education
April 20, 2019
The National Academies report on Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture, and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2018) found that between 20 and 50 percent of women students and more than 50 percent of women faculty and staff experienced sexually harassing behavior while in academia. Research demonstrates that sexual harassment undermines the professional and educational attainment and mental and physical health and well-being of people of all genders. It also shows that these consequences are not limited to those experiencing it directly, but that bystanders – people of all genders - who experience ambient harassment in their work or education environment are also affected and this in turn affects organizations as employees disengage, withdraw, and leave their work so as not to become the next target. The Sexual Harassment of Women report concludes that system-wide changes to the culture and climate in higher education are needed and provides a road map for higher education to make these changes.
The University of Arizona has established itself as a preeminent research institution and economic engine for our state, with a strong commitment to the intellectual and personal growth of our students. At the University of Arizona, students develop skills that are crucial to succeed in today's global marketplace. We provide accessible, engaging environments that expand human potential, explore new horizons and enrich life for all. As a result, we approach some of society's most complex problems without hesitation, enriched by many perspectives, and challenge the status quo to achieve excellence in our teaching, research, and service. To further these efforts, the University of Arizona is committed to actively create and foster a diverse, inclusive, and respectful environment in which all forms of discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, are prohibited.
The University of Arizona has long demonstrated its commitment to building a safe and inclusive culture and is pleased to advance our ongoing efforts to prevent and effectively respond to sexual harassment by joining other institutions and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to form an Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education. This Action Collaborative will facilitate partnerships and joint action on addressing and preventing sexual harassment. Together, with the other institutional members of the Action Collaborative, we aim to achieve targeted, collective action toward evidence-based policies and practices at the individual and systems levels for addressing and preventing all forms of sexual harassment and promoting a culture of civility and respect. The four goals of the Action Collaborative are to:
- Raise awareness about sexual harassment and how it occurs, the consequences of sexual harassment, and the organizational characteristics and recommended approaches that can prevent it.
- Share and elevate evidence-based institutional policies and strategies to reduce and prevent sexual harassment.
- Contribute to setting the research agenda, and gather and apply research results across institutions.
- Develop a standard for measuring progress toward reducing and preventing sexual harassment in higher education.
The University of Arizona hereby commits to support the goals of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education.