Willamette University personnel that are involved in the University’s response to incidents involving potential allegations of sexual harassment undergo annual training consistent with federal regulations and state law. For information regarding other employee training at Willamette University, please see the Human Resources website.
Materials used to train Title IX Coordinators:
Materials used to train Investigators:
Materials used to train Decision-makers:
Materials used to train APPEAL OFFICERS:
Materials used to train any person who Facilitates an informal resolution process:
Collaborative Definitions Regarding Discrimination and harassment
The following terms were drafted by a working group of students, staff, and faculty representatives who serve on the University Title IX Advisory Committee, and in collaboration with the Associated Students of Willamette University.
These terms are meant to be used in training curriculum for all individuals involved in Willamette University’s Sexual Misconduct and Title IX adjudication processes as well as violence prevention efforts related to the WU C.A.R.E.S. prevention initiative. Standards related to the specific terms, their usage, and their creation are drawn from ORS 350.253.
Anti-Oppression: Anti-oppression consists of strategies, actions, policies, and practices that actively challenge and dismantle systems of oppression meant to keep certain groups in an inferior position, reinforcing existing inequalities in society. These systems of oppression include, but are not limited to: racism, sexism, heterosexism or homophobia and trans-misogyny, ableism, and more. Oppression includes personal bias, bigotry, white supremacy, and social prejudice that function in all aspects of life and societal structures. Anti-oppression work acknowledges that all forms of oppression are linked and operate across society at the individual, institutional, and cultural levels. Anti-oppression work is an ongoing process.
Oppression: Fusion of institutional, systemic, and systematic discrimination, personal bias, bigotry, and social prejudice in a complex web of relationships and structures that shape most aspects of life and society.
Culturally-responsive: The awareness of one’s own cultural identity and the capacity to learn and build on one’s understanding on race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic class, religious identity, and differences in ability or disability. Cultural-responsiveness is the ability to shift and utilize new understandings when working with various intersecting identities. All identities are impacted by white supremacy, supported by capitalism, and underscored by heteropatriarchy and other forms of structural power dynamics.
Gender-Responsive: The awareness of one’s own gender identity and expression, as well as the ability to consider how gender constructs affect one’s lived experiences and intersects with other identities. Gender-responsiveness is the ability to understand how gender norms create inequities and integrate this understanding to create an equitable environment and participation. Gender responsiveness acknowledge that one’s gender identity can affect the way they represent and cope with trauma. We recognize gender responsive care cannot operate under the assumptions of a gender binary and we recognize and support trans-gender, gender fluid, and non-gendered identities.
Trauma-Informed: A trauma-informed approach applies the knowledge that students must feel safe and connected to their community in order to learn, function, and thrive. The creation of a trauma-informed community is a continual process and requires frequent maintenance, reflection, and revision; the community must also be aware of and implement specific proactive strategies to avoid conduct that retraumatizes. This approach uses academic and peer support, collaboration, mutuality, specificity, accountability and voice. Trauma informed care acknowledges that trauma is specific to the context of each person’s unique personal experiences and intersects with larger systems of oppression.
Questions about the materials and trainings can be emailed to the Title IX Coordinator at TitleIX-info@willamette.edu.