Dear UIS Family,
Welcome to the beginning of a new semester at UIS!
It has been a pleasure meeting so many of our new UIS community members and seeing some familiar faces as we begin our Fall 2024 semester. I am reaching out today to share important reminders about your rights, updates to the Access and Equity Office, and information about required and optional trainings.
Each semester, the Access and Equity Office connects with you to support your well-being, safety, and success at UIS as it relates to your civil and human rights, as well as our institutional commitment to equity and inclusion. As we begin a new semester, we want you to know we care and we are here for you! Please remember that all members of the campus community have rights, support resources, and a responsibility to help prevent identity-based harm within our campus community, including sexual misconduct and all forms of harassment and discrimination.
Informing yourself of your responsibilities, available support resources, and reporting options is an important step in demonstrating your commitment to being a part of an inclusive campus community.
Please visit our Access & Equity website, which contains information and links to policies related to:
- Title IX and your Rights and Reporting Options
- Protected Characteristic Discrimination and procedures to address related concerns
- NEW policy effective August 1, 2024: UIS Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and Sex-Based Misconduct
AEO Organizational Update
As of August 30, the organizational placement of the Access & Equity Office has changed. Access & Equity now falls directly under the Finance & Administration Division, reporting to Ken Kriz, Interim Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration instead of to the Director of Human Resources. This change will have no impact on the support and services provided by AEO.
We encourage you all to keep an eye out for emails to your UIS email address inviting you to take online trainings related to your rights, responsibilities, support resources, and reporting options.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to us to discuss your rights, options, and support resources in relation to your human and civil rights. The Access & Equity Office is here for you.
Have a great semester!
Shelby Bedford (she/her/hers)
University of Illinois Springfield
Senior Director for Access & Equity
Equal Employment Opportunity Officer
Phone: 217.206.6222
Email: sbedf2@uis.edu