August 26, 2021
To our students, faculty and staff:
Sexual assault is heinous and should never happen. I wish we lived in a world where it didn’t.
We have taken a number of steps on our campus to prevent sexual assault, to help ensure victims feel comfortable coming forward, to support survivors and to investigate and address allegations of sexual misconduct.
This week, sexual assaults were reported to our UNL Police Department. And they immediately began investigating each of them. My heart breaks at the thought of any young person facing that trauma at the beginning of their collegiate experience, or at any time they are a member of our UNL family.
I know that our UNL Police Chief, Hassan Ramzah, also takes this very seriously and uses a trauma-informed approach in working with the victims and thoroughly investigating each case as he’s doing right now.
We all wish that resolution of these cases could come swiftly. But often, it’s not as simple as “locking them up.” The guarantee of due process is part of our Constitution and core to who we are as Americans.
Our law enforcement officials, our Title IX officials, are bound by clear legal guidance and process. As a university, we have a responsibility to follow that defined process and protect the rights of all involved — even while we move as quickly as we can.
And I know that the end of that legal process sometimes just doesn’t feel like justice. I get that. I understand many of you are angry. I’m angry too.
We will always work harder and to do better to help prevent sexual assault. And I hope all of you will as well. If you see something, say something. Stick together. Be safe. Take care of one another.
And if you’re a young man who somehow thinks this is cool — think again. It is unacceptable. No means no. And if you violate that, and we can prove it — you have no place on our campus.
This message includes safety and victim resources available to our UNL community. Please make sure you are aware of all of the safety measures available to you. And if you are a victim of sexual assault or harassment, there are people here to help you.
- Resources for anyone who has been a victim of sexual misconduct: https://www.unl.edu/equity/getting-help
- UNL Center for Advocacy, Response and Education: https://care.unl.edu/
- Counseling and Psychological Services: https://caps.unl.edu/
- Employee Assistance Program: https://hr.unl.edu/eap/
- Use Your Voice: https://studentaffairs.unl.edu/use-your-voice
- University Police: https://police.unl.edu/
- UNL Report: https://unlreport.unl.edu/
Ronnie D. Green, Ph.D.
Chancellor