Yesterday I held a diversity forum at the GSA lounge where a group of students gathered to speak about the upcoming Campus Climate Survey with Ricardo Alcaino, Director for the Office of Equal Opportunity and Sexual Harassment/Title IX Compliance. Ricardo shared that the survey was created as a response to several incidents that occurred across the UC system, not just as UC Santa Barbara. In recent years UC students have been the victims of several acts of discrimination. Some of these acts include, but were not limited to, racial slurs written in graffiti, physical violence against students of color, women and the LGBTQI community, racialized theme parties, as well as a noose hanging from a library. As a result, the University of California, Office of the President (UCOP) decided to compile data on individual campus living, learning, and working atmospheres.
Ricardo Alcaino, Director for the Office of Equal Opportunity and Sexual Harassment/Title IX ComplianceThe students at yesterday's diversity forum were able to express some personal concerns or experiences to Ricardo as well as to each other. The good thing about the diversity forum was that students were able to interact with each other and share their experiences as well as their knowledge on campus policies and procedures. It was of great benefit that Ricardo was there because as the campus director and coordinator for Title IX he is very well informed on how to handle situations of sensitive nature. Additionally, as a member of the survey's Local Work Team, Ricardo has provided invaluable information towards the campus climate survey's creation, implementation, and analysis. As such, he was able to address many of the questions surrounding the survey layout and other specific areas of interest.
Below is a message from the local work team for UC Santa Barbara.
Answer the CALL!
UC Santa Barbara is participating in the University of California’s system-wide Campus Climate Survey from January 3 to 25, 2013. This survey collects important data on the institutional climate and general attitudes about the living, learning and working environments on our campus. Make your voice heard to improve the campus climate at UC Santa Barbara specifically, and throughout the entire University of California system.
