Posted on 12/08/2014 5:43:39 PM PST by mbarker12474
[this letter was sent via email to UVA parents. the uva facebook does not carry this message when i posted this. --mb]
Dear Parents:
Today is the first day of final exams, and in a few weeks we will end a tumultuous fall semester. Three members of the Class of 2017 have died this semester, and the sense of grief and loss is palpable. In addition, many members of our community are grieving over the deaths of young black men in Staten Island and Ferguson.
All of you are aware of the most recent incidents affecting the University and students as a result of the article in Rolling Stone and its subsequent retraction. I am writing today to provide some context for our response, and the changes you can expect when classes resume in January.
Since the article was published, Greek activities have been suspended until Jan. 9. My decision to suspend fraternity and sorority social activity for the remainder of the year came after UVa’s Inter-Fraternity Council suspended its activities for the weekend of Nov. 21 and after the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity chapter at UVa voluntarily surrendered its own Fraternal Organization Agreement with the University. I remain sensitive to concerns about broadly indicting the entire Greek system. As I said in an address earlier this month, in any crisis it can be far too easy to paint with a broad brush, and to blindly attack entire groups of individuals. This is not a responsible reaction. Our fraternities were terribly distressed by the allegations in the article, and they are working with us toward solutions.
Until Jan. 9, chapter meetings and philanthropic activities are permitted, but I have encouraged all of the Greek-letter organizations, including the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the Multicultural Greek Council, and the Inter-Sorority Council to use this time to strengthen the student safety provisions of their agreements with the University. I met with the leaders of each of these groups, and in typical UVa fashion, our students have already come up with a number of sound ideas for improvement. Student Council will work with us and all of the CIOs (student organizations) to do the same thing. The reinstatement of Greek activities on Jan. 9 will be in conjunction with a new Fraternal Organization Agreement that will enhance the safety of members and their guests.
Even though the facts in the Rolling Stone story are in dispute, sexual misconduct does occur and it has no place at our University. We will continue our efforts to improve our policies and practices, to support survivors with counseling and in other ways, and to rigorously examine our culture and climate. Survivors will continue to have support through our student life and counseling professionals. I have named an Ad Hoc Group on Campus Climate and Culture; this group consists of two Board of Visitors members, one dean, four students, two faculty members, two alumni, and two parents. We will be working with our Board to examine what changes might be beneficial.
The Rolling Stone article, in my opinion, unfairly maligned a number of dedicated professionals who work for the University. I have noted in particular that our students immediately reached out to our Student Affairs staff with expressions of support. I can vouch for the fact that this staff has worked tirelessly to provide for the welfare of all of our students.
Some changes you can expect in the next semester include a police substation on the Corner and more frequent joint patrols by the University and Charlottesville police. We plan to introduce a new group of unarmed security personnel, called “Ambassadors,” who will wear distinctive uniforms. On weekend evenings, they will be prominently deployed near the libraries and the Corner to assist students, provide escorts as needed, and provide additional eyes and ears for the police patrols. We have recently completed nighttime tours of the Grounds that have led to tree-trimming and light replacement, and we will be upgrading the lighting, especially around laboratory buildings and other buildings where people may work late at night.
We have a new proposed policy on sexual misconduct that takes into account new federal mandates. It is posted here for public comment until December 20. We will be promulgating the revised new policy in the spring, and we will also be providing training in the new policy for everyone at the University.
I have also committed myself to visiting with faculty and student groups to encourage the conversation about how we foster healthy relationships, discourage sexual misconduct, and make the University community safer for all of us.
As we pause at the end of the year to reflect on our values and traditions, I reflect on how fortunate I am to interact with your students and with our caring faculty and staff. We all agree that we want a safe University where all students can develop their potential to its fullest. That is our top priority.
With best wishes for your students and for our new year,
Teresa A. Sullivan President
FIRE her.
Rush to judgment. No independent anything before shutting down ALL Greek activities. Pathetic.
FIRE her.
Sexual misconduct does occur, she says.
PROVE IT!
But our admin was improperly accused.
Oh, you mean, without proof?
How about, “Administration misconduct does occur”?
ALL Greek members should sue the University and her personally for the thousands of dollars, lost of reputation, etc. caused by this rush to judgment with no proof.
“Even though the allegations are fabricated, I can still use this as an excuse to screw over the Greek system. “
What a piece of work.
Only in liberal looney land can you lie about a crime and still be called a victim
So many Witches to Burn, so little time...
Terminate the PC pandering beyotch
And GET OVER Ferguson and I can’t breathe
Good grief where do they find these idiots?
Facts don’t matter to the Left. Anything that promotes the narrative is justifiable.
Hands down. Pants up. Work.
Then if you have a problem with thugcops, us “racists” Constitutionalsts will have your back.
And while it is not completely apparent yet, we are a force with which not to be triffled.
So, it was false, but our reaction to it stands. Makes sense.
How about filing the largest defamation of character lawsuit in history against RS and the lying co-ed.
Saying her charges were not accurate, but represent true campus life is nothing but academia’s and women’s war against male students. She needs to be fired .
Fire the b.
Besides her idiocy on the rape thing, there was no reason to mention Ferguson.
The ignorant s*** obviously doesn’t give a smelly Obama about something as silly as academics.
*trifeld (aka messed with).
Here is the reason more of these fictitious stories will be written. They got an outcome they wanted. Maybe the president was looking for an excuse. So fake it if you can’t make it.
What is an “Ambassador “?
If unarmed sounds like just another victim.
No way that a crackpot administration would ever abuse that program.
Here’s a rape story where the perps were arrested.
At a frat.
But ZERO national news stories.
Hmm. I wonder why...
What about the students the article accused of a Class 1 Felony that could cost them decades in prison?
I guess protecting the unionized administration is more important to her than protecting the students who pay the freight for those 'dedicated professionals.'
Nothing but Weasel Words from a Dedicated Professional Weasel.
If I were a Greek alum of UVA I would write the following:
Dear President Witch Hunt,
Sexual misconduct does indeed happen and that is why we have a justice system that accords all involved their due process. You denied all involved that and, at this point, it can only be concluded that you conducted no investigation into this matter and, instead, took the word of a reporter with an agenda. You did so because you likely agree with that agenda.
Since you have adopted a stance that the seriousness of the charge outweighs the facts supporting it, let us then deal with a very serious charge. According to a person named Dr. Jane you watch child porn in your University Office and force others to as well. You may, possibly even run a porn shop.
Now, I realize that there are NO facts to back these charges but the seriousness of them demand you resign. In the meantime I will be running an active campaign to encourage all alums, especially Greek affiliated alums, to discontinue donating to UVA and to dissuade students from continuing applying to the University.
Best regards and enjoy the sauce for the goose.
Alum.
What about the academic misconduct of Michael Mann?>
What’s the frequency, Teresa?
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