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From: Division of Student Affairs

Interpersonal and gender-based violence prevention, response and support

Dear Students,

We are writing today with an overview of Oregon State University’s comprehensive approach to interpersonal and gender-based violence prevention, response and support. We also would like to share several important updates. As students, you are in a particularly important position to respond to a disclosure of interpersonal violence or to disrupt violence. All members of Oregon State have a role to play in building a trauma-informed university, and as students, your efforts to prevent and respond to violence will be key to transforming OSU’s culture. Prevention is possible, and your feedback will be integral to our community’s success in eliminating violence.

Resources to Support You
Discussing emotionally difficult content may raise complex feelings and responses. We value your willingness to work in partnership with us and encourage you to care for your safety and well-being throughout this process. If you are experiencing a need for urgent support, we are here for you. Please reach out to the Survivor Advocacy & Resource Center (541-737-2020, studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/sarc) or Counseling & Psychological Services (541-737-2131, counseling.oregonstate.edu) to connect with supportive care.

Guide to OSU's Comprehensive Approach

OSU’s approach is highly collaborative and evolving. It includes many programs and services already in place, as well as newer areas of focus and growth. To help communicate Oregon State's collective efforts, we have launched a new website to serve as a reference hub regarding our approach to prevention, response and support. The site brings together information on contributing programs, resources and offices, and shares how you can support efforts to end all forms of interpersonal and gender-based violence at OSU.

Subject-matter Experts Provide Broad Services at OSU

Oregon State is fortunate to have many subject-matter experts who provide prevention and educationresponse and supportinvestigation and compliance, as well as advocacy and referral services. Services include confidential survivor advocacy services provided by the Survivor Advocacy & Resource Center (SARC), plus primary prevention of interpersonal and gender-based violence, education, outreach and medical care through Student Health Services (SHS); counseling and specialized trauma support provided by Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS); as well as many university resources provided by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA), Diversity & Cultural Engagement (DCE), OSU’s Care Team, the Office of Advocacy within ASOSU, and the Department of Public Safety and the Corvallis campus Police Department, to name a few. Further, the newly forming OSU Assist program will provide mental health crisis response. Progress toward our shared vision also involves advanced learning and research from university academic partners, who are positioned to increase knowledge and understanding of trauma, oppression and marginalization and the impacts on our community.

How to Get Involved

We are continuing to identify ways for students to engage in interpersonal and gender-based violence prevention, response and support. Prevention is possible when it’s rooted in community engagement and we want your participation and input to help direct our efforts on campus. See below for ways to get involved.

  • Feedback form: Please access the feedback form to provide your thoughts and suggestions on ending interpersonal violence at OSU. On this form you can also sign up for updates and future engagement opportunities.
  • Listening and feedback sessions: Starting in February, Assistant Director of Interpersonal Violence and Gender-based Prevention Elizabeth Kennedy will hold office hours twice a month. Students will have the opportunity to engage in conversation and provide direct feedback. Please note that these conversations will not be a confidential space to disclose. Also beginning in February, the Interim Director of Survivor Advocacy and Interpersonal Violence Allison Wilson Riser will be coordinating monthly listening sessions for students and a designated confidential space for student survivors to provide ongoing feedback related to interpersonal violence at OSU. More information on these opportunities will be posted on the interpersonal and gender-based violence prevention, response and support website.
  • Prevention workshops: If you are interested in your student group or club learning together about consent, how to support survivors and build active bystander skills, sign up for one of our workshops.

Working together we can build a trauma-informed university that centers the needs of survivors as we aspire to eliminate interpersonal and gender-based violence at OSU. We invite you to engage in the opportunities outlined above. Please find additional information about the university’s efforts and opportunities to get involved on the interpersonal and gender-based violence prevention, response and support website.

Dan Larson, Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Jenny Haubenreiser, Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Executive Director for Student Health Services

Send Date: 
Wednesday, January 19, 2022