Update on campus initiative for sexual violence/misconduct prevention and response

The UMBC community has opened a vital conversation about sexual violence/misconduct prevention and response on our campus. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni are speaking out and offering recommendations and partnership on these issues.The discussion has expanded to include healthy relationships and community safety and support more broadly. We are listening, and this input is guiding us as we move forward. 

In September, President Hrabowski appointed a team to address some immediate needs in response to student concerns, while laying the groundwork to create a process for long-term change. This process has included ongoing meetings with shared governance groups, the We Believe You sexual violence survivors advocacy group, and other groups across the university. 

We share below a new structure that is the outcome of this collective discussion as we move into the next phase of our work as a community. This initiative—based on input from shared governance groups and members across the UMBC community—is named Retriever Courage, reflecting our commitment as a campus to make a lasting impact on sexual violence/misconduct prevention and response at UMBC and beyond. Change requires the courage to speak out, to listen, to learn, and to take action. We must fully live our campus values—inclusive excellence, collaboration, innovation, and impact—to make UMBC a safer, more caring living, learning, and working environment for all. A new Retriever Courage website will document our community’s progress in this work and serve as a platform for ongoing communication, and we look forward to sharing it with you tomorrow.

In order to live out our campus values and do this work effectively, it is essential that we carry out this initiative with members of our community whose lives have been impacted by sexual violence, professionals who have dedicated their careers to understanding the nuances of these complex issues, and all interested individuals who are motivated to help work toward a better understanding of these issues on our campus.

Please contact your senate president (see below) to share feedback on the structure and to volunteer. If you are not represented through shared governance, please contact retrievercourage@umbc.edu. As the structure and membership of each group is finalized, it will be updated on the Retriever Courage website.

We encourage those who have observed or experienced sexual violence/misconduct to seek support as needed at any time. There are many resources available on campus and in the community that offer confidential medical support, confidential psychological/emotional support, and interim protective measures (e.g., no-contact orders, housing adjustments, academic concerns). For emergency situations, contact campus police via 410-455-5555 or local police via 911.

Through continued work together, UMBC will become a stronger community, and we know this work will have a lasting impact on campus and beyond. We look forward to hearing your feedback. Thank you for your continued partnership.

Freeman Hrabowski, President
Philip Rous, Provost
University Steering Committee (USC)

Retriever Courage Initiative Structure 

University Steering Committee (members listed above): This committee will serve as the advisory team for the implementation team and the training implementation team.

Student Advisory Committee: This group aims to convene members with relevant interests/expertise to provide a voice for and share feedback from their constituents; from this committee, members will also be asked to participate in the procurement advisory group.

Faculty/Staff Advisory Committee: This group aims to convene members with relevant interests/expertise to provide a voice for and share feedback from their constituents; from this committee, members will also be asked to participate in the procurement advisory group.

Evaluation Committee: This committee will select the external consultant/firm.

Training Implementation Team: This team will roll out and manage mandatory training. 

Implementation Team: An accountability team was put in place to address some immediate, short-term campus needs. This group now becomes the Implementation Team. The team will continue to work on campus lighting, campus signage, the new campus ID card, as well as other recommendations from students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Faculty/Staff and Student Advisory Committees will take recommendations to the University Steering Committee (USC). The USC will work with the Implementation Team to finalize recommendations for submission to the Vice Presidents and Deans, who will review and sign off on proposed actions, policies, budget allocations, etc., which will then be submitted to the President for final approval.