President Eighmy declares zero tolerance on sexual misconduct

Editor's Note: UTSA President Taylor Eighmy sent this email to UTSA students, faculty and staff today.

(Nov. 20, 2018) -- Dear UTSA Community,

Yesterday, members of the Campus Climate Team became aware of flyers that were left in a campus restroom by a group of UTSA women taking a stand against “rampant sexual assault, and abuse on campus and in the world.”

I applaud these women for their desire to raise awareness of an important issue. Sexual misconduct of any kind is unacceptable, and UTSA must be an institution of zero tolerance. My position on this issue is straightforward and unyielding.

If you have been a victim of sexual assault or misconduct or know someone who has, you should never hesitate to report it. Among the UTSA reporting resources are:

• The anonymous UTSA Compliance Hotline. Reports can be made via telephone or online. Callers are not required to provide a name, and calls are not recorded. All submissions are assigned a reference number that can be used to follow-up on concerns even if submitting anonymously.
• The Title IX Coordinator and/or staff in the Office of Equal Opportunity Services (EOS). The EOS Office handles all discrimination complaints including complaints alleging sexual harassment. This office advocates for victims while ensuring a fair process for respondents. EOS is federally obligated to investigate all cases received.
• The Student Ombudsperson and University Ombudsperson provide assistance to all students, faculty and staff in welcoming and safe environments and communicate with various representatives and offices at the university to respond to and help resolve concerns in a timely manner.
• The UTSA Police Department is an important resource, especially when there are imminent safety concerns. Emergencies should be reported to the Police Department at 210-458-4911. Non-emergencies may be reported at 210-458-4242.

At the same time, students have access to a variety of resources that can help them navigate through the immediate and long-term impacts of sexual assault or misconduct:

• UTSA Counseling Services provides free, confidential services to students in a variety of situations and has counselors on staff who are specially trained in trauma and trauma recovery.
• The Office of Student Advocacy, Violence Prevention and Empowerment provides information, resources, training and advocacy for members of the UTSA community who have been impacted by sexual assault and misconduct.
• The San Antonio Rape Crisis Center is a local resource that supports those impacted by sexual violence.

These reporting avenues, and other information about UTSA’s efforts around sexual assault and sexual misconduct, are available on our Safe Campus website. This site includes resources, an overview of campus initiatives, sexual assault/misconduct data and reports, prevention partners, trainings, and awareness campaigns.

We must prioritize culture change to achieve a zero-tolerance environment. Doing so is an urgent matter to ensure the health and well-being of our campus community.

In the days ahead, we will begin a campus-wide dialogue on how we advance efforts at every level of our university to eliminate sexual assault and sexual misconduct. 

I need you to be an active participant and a strong advocate in this process.

With appreciation,

Taylor Eighmy

More Information about Ice Miller Investigation
UTSA has hired law firm Ice Miller to investigate sexual assault/misconduct allegations referred to on flyers recently posted on campus. The sole purpose Ice Miller’s work is to independently, fairly and neutrally gather facts and conduct an investigation into the basis of the reports. They are not providing legal advice to any of the involved parties. You can report or provide information to Ice Miller directly by emailing UTSA_reports@icemiller.com or leaving a voice message at (317) 221-2810.  Reports may be made anonymously.   

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