Target: University of California President Janet Napolitano
Goal: Applaud the efforts to crack down on campus sexual misconduct.
It has been announced that University of California President Janet Napolitano will be investigating how UC Berkeley handles sexual misconduct cases. This is in response to the complaints of the superficial treatments the administrators gave these cases, failing to appropriately punish the harassers because they were powerful staff members. But thanks to protests and activism, including petitions on ForceChange, UC Berkeley will now be monitored to make sure that sexual misconduct cases are handled thoroughly and efficiently.
Campus sexual misconduct is an issue nationwide, but it has especially been a problem at UC Berkeley. In 2014, 31 women reported that the campus administrators had allegedly been inadequately handling these cases for decades. Last year, law school Dean Sujit Choudhry was allowed to remain in his position with only a 10% pay cut, counseling and apology to the victim, despite allegedly giving her unwanted kisses, hugs, and touches daily for over six months.
Now, beginning April 1, UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks will be meeting Napolitano monthly and sending reports on their progress in fighting campus sexual misconduct. Jody Shipper, the systemwide director for sexual misconduct issues, was also assigned to the campus to ensure that there will be no slacking in these investigations.
Finally, campus sexual harassers will be held responsible for their crimes, no matter what position they hold. Sign this petition and thank Janet Napolitano for working to make UC campuses safer.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear President Napolitano,
Thank you for leading an investigation on the mishandling of sexual misconduct cases at UC Berkeley. These are serious cases and should not be swept under the rug because the accused is a powerful staff member. The trauma that many students and staff members went through deserves to be recognized through appropriate punishments for the harassers. Now with your investigation, students and staff can feel safer, having faith in their campus administrators to take action against sexual harassment.
Your plan is sure to be very effective. By having Chancellor Dirks file reports and have monthly meetings with you, while also having Jody Shipper directly monitor the handling of these cases, justice will certainly be served. And when people see that harassers won’t get away with their crimes, the number of sexual misconduct cases will drop, making campuses safer for everyone.
We applaud your efforts in holding administrators responsible for sexual misconduct cases, and we are glad that campuses will be safer because of people like you.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Elissa Jun
336 Signatures