February 3 Update Regarding Campus Climate

Dear All,

Before the break, we wrote to introduce the campus climate group, Vassar’s new Title VI coordinator, and upcoming programming for the Spring Semester. The campus climate group, which came into existence in late Fall of 2024, continues to meet to address reported concerns as well as review national trends, research and current incidents, and responses at other similar institutions. We recently launched a new web site, “Belonging and Thriving at Vassar,” where we will post ongoing updates about this work.

Since we last wrote, there have been some changes in the Title IX policy following the recent federal court ruling on January 9th 2025, which vacated the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX 2024 Regulations. The Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action / Title IX (EOAA/TIX) Office will write soon with more information about how this impacts Vassar Policy. As we continue to respond to the external environment, Vassar remains unequivocally committed to upholding and enforcing Vassar’s nondiscrimination policy. Gender identity and expression and sexual orientation remain covered by College’s Interim Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct. This policy provides protections for all individuals against discrimination or harassment based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, domestic status, and familial status, among others. 

Meanwhile, Campus Safety continues to investigate the December 13th vandalism. Once the investigation is complete, any relevant information will be referred to the Office of Community Expectations to begin its process. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) prohibits the public release of student conduct information without consent, except in emergencies or court orders. While we cannot share information about individual student cases, we will update the community at the conclusion of this process.

As part of the College’s proactive efforts to maintain a healthy campus climate, the Engaged Pluralism team recently announced their Spring 2025 Event Series, including a special Q&A today at 5:30 p.m. with Ian Rosenberg, author of The Fight for Free Speech: Ten Cases That Define Our First Amendment Freedoms. Rosenberg will address questions about freedom of speech on campuses, and the talk will be moderated by Professor Kimberly Williams, Associate Professor of Education and Director of Engaged Pluralism. The Engaged Pluralism team is also inviting the campus community to a further series of events exploring what makes conversations that engage our identities difficult by hosting a semester-long series called “Exploring Difficult Dialogues.” Through diverse formats—lectures, intergroup dialogues, workshops, and reflection spaces—each of the events in this series provides an opportunity to explore expression and censorship: freedoms to, freedoms from, rights, responsibilities, and approaches to engaging in caring and reparative speech. More about this series can be found in their February newsletter, sent to campus on January 31, or at the Engaged Pluralism website.

Thank you to everyone for your efforts in taking care of each other and working toward ensuring Vassar is a wonderful place to live, work, study, and learn. Wishing you all a pleasant and successful Spring semester.

—Carlos Garcia