Policies

Everyone at UC — students, faculty, staff, post docs, researchers and administrators — has the right to a safe learning and working environment. Each of us plays a critical role in ensuring the university is a safe place and should know the rules of being part of the UC community.

  1. UC is committed to fostering a community where everyone works and learns together in a place free of harassment, exploitation and intimidation.
  2. UC will respond promptly to reports of sexual violence and take appropriate action to prevent it and, when necessary, take disciplinary action.
  3. UC expects everyone to take university education and training courses on sexual violence prevention. Faculty, other academic appointees and staff are required to take sexual harassment prevention training.

Message from UCSF Chancellor Hawgood about sexual assault and sexual harassment at UCSF

UC Policies and Procedures

UC's policies and codes of conduct spell out the rights and responsibilities of students and employees in ensuring that UC is a safe environment, and how the university addresses reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment.

State and Federal Laws

UC complies with state and federal laws related to non-discrimination, including:

  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religious sex, and national origin.
  • California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) provides protection from harassment or discrimination in employment because of: age (40 and over), ancestry, color, creed, denial of family and medical care leave, disability (mental and physical) including HIV and AIDS, marital status, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.
  • Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex under any federally funded education program (P.L. 92-318). Under Title IX, sexual harassment, which includes sexual violence, is a form of unlawful sex discrimination. Schools that receive federal financial assistance must take steps to prevent sexual violence and sexual harassment and promptly and effectively respond to reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment.
  • The Clery Act requires colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to report annual crime statistics on or near their campuses and to provide other safety and crime information to the campus community (P.L. 101-542). The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-4) requires campuses include sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in these reports.
  • SB 967 (De León, Chapter 748, Statutes of 2014), the "Yes Means Yes" state bill, requires California colleges and universities to adopt certain policies on sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking, such as an affirmative definition of consent and a preponderance of evidence standard.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a federal law that provides relief for survivors of violent crimes against women. The Act established the Office on Violence Against Women within the Department of Justice. VAWA was reauthorized, most recently, in 2022

VAWA Reauthorization of 2022