Dear students,
I hope this finds you and the people you love well. I am writing to share our 2019 annual report, but I want to first say that the Office of Title IX remains available to help. We are here to support and connect with you. Whether you need resources for yourself or for a friend, please take the proactive step of reaching out. We can help you find the resources—at the university, across the state, or even nationally—that are right for you. You are worth it, and you are not alone.
As I look back on the year, I am grateful for the work of our students, faculty, and staff to create a campus where Vols truly help Vols. From office assistants in residence halls to orientation leaders welcoming new students, our community is trained and showing others what it means to be an active bystander.
Our campus partners, including the UT Police Department, the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, UT Athletics, and the Center for Health Education and Wellness, work collaboratively on prevention and response efforts related to Title IX issues. For the second year in a row, our faculty and staff completed trainings in record numbers to ensure that everyone, inside and outside the classroom, is prepared to connect to support resources and reporting options.
Each of these positive steps is a direct result of your willingness to support one another and define for all Vols that sexual violence, relationship violence, and stalking have no place on our campus.
The Office of Title IX is not just about compliance. Our purpose is to provide the best possible care to our shared campus community, and part of that care is to give you data about the place where you live and learn. We track reports to better understand how we can support you and how to create a safe and inclusive campus.
Our annual report gives a snapshot of the past academic year, providing an overview of prevention efforts, information about reports made to our office, and interim support measures we offer to students at any time when they are in need. We believe the best way to make change is to be transparent. This data is specific to UT and informs the way we work to meet the needs of our campus community.
This work takes all of us, and the annual report shows that collective effort. Through partnerships across campus, we are creating a system of consistent and holistic support in which every student has a vital role to play. Asking for consent, respecting boundaries, and serving as an active bystander are steps we can take together to build the community we envision.
Our reflection on the past year guides us as we move ahead, and we want to hear from you. You can email me directly at ashleyblamey@utk.edu.
We look forward to working with you.
With gratitude,
Ashley Blamey
Title IX Coordinator