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Office for Civil Rights to visit campus, meet with students

March 18, 2016

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is reviewing UW–Madison’s compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex discrimination by educational institutions that receive federal financial assistance.

As part of the review, OCR representatives will visit campus April 12-14 to conduct focus groups and host office hours. These opportunities are for OCR to learn more about students’ knowledge of and experience with the university’s policies, procedures and resources related to sexual violence and harassment, and to understand the campus climate regarding these issues.

Students are encouraged to attend one or more focus groups at the following times and locations: 

Date Location Time Student Populations Address
4/12 Health Sciences Learning Center
(HSLC) Room 1268
12-1 p.m. – Focus Group
1-2 p.m. – Office Hour
Medical Professional Students/Eagle Heights Residents Health Sciences Learning Center
750 Highland Ave.
Madison, WI 53705
View a Map
4/12 Union South (Check TITU) 3-4 p.m. – Focus Group Undergraduate Students Union South
1308 W. Dayton St.
Madison, WI 53715
4/12 Pyle Center
Room 305
5:30-6:30 p.m. – Focus Group Greek Org Students Pyle Center
702 Langdon St.
Madison, WI 53706
4/12 Pyle Center***
Room 305
7-8 p.m. – Focus Group Sexual Violence Survivors ONLY Pyle Center
702 Langdon St.
Madison, WI 53706
4/13 Humanities Building Classroom 2221 12:15-1:15 p.m. – Focus Group Grad & Professional Students Humanities Building
455 N. Park St.
Madison, WI 53706
4/13 Red Gym – (Check TITU) 5-6 p.m. – Focus Group LGBTQ+ students Armory & Gymnasium (Red Gym)
716 Langdon St.
Madison, WI 53706
4/13 Red Gym – (Check TITU) 6-7 p.m. – Office Hour
7:30-8:30 p.m. – Focus Group
ISS/Multicultural Students Armory & Gymnasium (Red Gym)
716 Langdon St.
Madison, WI 53706
4/14 Graaskamp Conference Room (in McBurney DRC) 12-1 p.m. – Focus Group
1-2 p.m. – Office Hour
Undergraduate students Graaskamp Conference Room
McBurney Disability Resource Center
702 W. Johnson St. #2104
Madison, WI 53706
4/14 Bennet Hall AB (Camp Randall) 7:30-8:30 p.m. Focus Group Varsity Athletes Enter through door closest to lot 17:
McClain Athletic Facility
1436 Monroe St.
Madison, WI 53711

*** This session is restricted to Sexual Assault Survivors ONLY

OCR and UW–Madison want students to feel comfortable and to speak freely during the focus groups. University administrators will not attend and the door to the room will be closed. OCR representatives will take notes to capture the discussion, but will not identify students by name in their notes. At the beginning of each focus group, OCR representatives will discuss confidentiality issues in greater detail.

The focus groups will discuss sensitive issues, and we urge attendees to respect the privacy of others. However, neither OCR nor UW–Madison can preclude attendees from speaking about the focus groups or what they heard from others.

Students may also speak privately with an OCR representative during the “office hour” times listed above. Confidentiality will be assured to the greatest extent possible. Please note, however, that OCR may share general insights with UW–Madison based upon student input, but will not disclose any student’s identity without that student’s consent. Individuals who speak with OCR staff are not required to share their name with OCR if they do not wish to do so.

If you would like to speak with OCR outside of the times listed above, please contact:

Denise Diaz, attorney, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, at (312) 7310-1573. If you would like to request disability-related accommodations for the focus groups or office hours (e.g., ASL interpretation, real-time captioning, Braille material, etc.), please contact Valyncia Raphael at vraphael@studentlife.wisc.edu.

For more information about how to report a sexual assault to UW–Madison or resources available to survivors, please review UW-Madison’s Sexual Misconduct Information website or the UHS confidential resources website.

Tags: student life