Ensuring a Safe, Respectful Workplace Environment at Rutgers

Members of the Rutgers Community,

Over the past few years, Rutgers has conducted a series of climate surveys to assess the experiences of faculty, staff, and students at Rutgers. These surveys are part of a more significant effort to use research-based methods to gather data that will inform university efforts to make Rutgers a better place to work and learn. More information about these efforts is available at the Your Voice, Our Rutgers website.

Today, I would like to share with you more information about the Academic and Workplace Behaviors and Environment Survey (AWBES), a pivotal initiative supported by Executive Vice President Prabhas Moghe that marks the first universitywide survey of employees related to sexual misconduct. Those who participated in this survey have my thanks, as you were instrumental in helping the university assess, and effectively prevent and respond to, harassment among employees.

AWBES was conducted with more than 4,500 Rutgers employees in Fall 2022 to better understand instances of sexual misconduct and workplace incivility amongst faculty and staff. Workplace harassment is a prevalent issue nationwide, and Rutgers is not immune to it. The survey results make clear that although Rutgers has several resources in place, many employees still experience or witness harassment. These behaviors do not align with our vision of a beloved, welcoming community. The report serves as a call to action to improve our response to and prevention of sexual misconduct.

Based on the AWBES results, several action steps have been taken or are underway, including:

• The convening of a universitywide steering committee during 2023-2024 that developed recommendations for action.
• The establishment of workgroups within each chancellor-led unit to execute these recommendations.
• The creation of a subgroup of my Cabinet to establish guiding principles for this work and to review our infrastructure for preventing and responding to sexual misconduct and other forms of interpersonal violence.
• The appointment of Dr. Sarah McMahon of the School of Social Work, a nationally regarded researcher on interpersonal violence, as Special Advisor on Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response, reporting directly to me, to oversee this initiative and other work in this area.
• The creation of an Associate Vice President position within Ethics and Compliance who will play a key role in fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all members of our community. This position will work closely with my office and Dr. McMahon to ensure consistency and accountability in implementing the recommendations and our related Title IX responsibilities.

I encourage you to visit the survey website for more information, and I invite you to consider how each of you, as integral members of our community, has a crucial role to play in creating safe, respectful, and welcoming environments at Rutgers. Your active involvement is key to our collective success.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Holloway
President and University Professor