March 31, 2022 

Dear UAF community, 
 
UAF is committed to assisting all members of our community in providing for their safety and security. We are writing to share important information on two related topics: the annual security and fire safety report, and the drug-free schools notification.

Annual security and fire safety report
UAF published the 2021 annual security and fire safety report on Sept. 27, 2021 and published revisions to the report on Feb. 28, 2022. The report was revised to include changes to University of Alaska definitions of terms and grievance procedures in board of regents policy and university regulation Chapter 01.04, Sex and Gender-Based Discrimination Under Title IX. The report is available online. 
 
In fall 2021, the U.S. Department of Education released a document called "Questions and Answers on the Title IX Regulations on Sexual Harassment." It provides the Office for Civil Rights’ interpretation of an institution’s responsibilities under Title IX and the 2020 amendments to the federal regulations. Additionally, the Department of Education issued an update that vacated prior guidance that prohibited a decision-maker from relying on statements that are not subject to cross examination during the hearing.
 
Due to these changes and other updated information, adjustments were needed to bring Chapter 01.04 into accordance. The grievance process was updated and clarified for hearings under this regulation, including updated cross-examination requirements. In addition, definitions of the following provisions were updated and/or clarified:

• Retaliation
• Complicity
• Domestic violence
• Sexual assault
• Rape

Changes were approved to the board of regents policy and university regulations on Nov. 9, 2021, and Nov. 12, 2021, respectively. UAF’s annual security and fire safety report was amended on Feb. 25, 2022, to reflect these changes. Our goal in reissuing our annual security and fire safety report is to ensure the university community is aware of the updates, as well as make everyone aware of the protections and resources afforded to them under our sexual harassment policy.
 
The report contains information about campus safety and security, including topics such as:

• Campus law enforcement authority
• Crime reporting policies
• Campus alerts (timely warnings and emergency notifications)
• Fire safety policies and procedures
• Programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking
• Procedures the university will follow when one of these crimes is reported
• Other matters of importance related to security on campus 

The report also contains crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years regarding reported crimes that occurred on campus, in on-campus student housing facilities, in non-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the university or a recognized student organization and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from campus. The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an on-campus student housing facility during the three most recent calendar years.  

If you become aware of an allegation of criminal activity on your campus, we encourage you to report it to local police and then notify the appropriate UAF officials. The report includes contact information for local police and a list of preferred professionals at each UAF campus who you may contact to report a crime.
 
If you would like a printed copy of the report from the Fairbanks campus or have questions about safety on campus, stop by the University Police Department in the Whitaker Building at 1788 Yukon Drive or the Center for Student Right and Responsibilities in Eielson 110. You may also request a copy be mailed to you. To request a copy of the report or to ask campus safety related questions, please contact CSRR at 907-474-7317 or stop by Eielson 110. 
 
Drug-free schools notification
Alcohol and drug policies, as well as behavioral expectations for students and employees, are online on the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities website and in the UAF drug-free schools notification. Also included in this document is information regarding resources available for assistance with alcohol and other drug issues, disciplinary actions for violations of university policies, and criminal penalties associated with alcohol and other drug use. You can find a report of the progress made in the past two years on UAF's Drug Free Schools and Communities Act webpage.
 
If you have any questions about the annual security and fire safety report or drug-free schools notification, contact CSRR at uaf-studentrights@alaska.edu or 907-474-7317. If you have any questions about the revisions to board of regents policy and university regulations Chapter 01.04, contact the UAF Department of Equity and Compliance at uaf-deo@alaska.edu or 907-474-7300.