Friday Focus: Combining efforts

July 28, 2023

Kaydee Van Flein
Kaydee Van Flein

— By Kaydee Van Flein, Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities director and chief student conduct officer, and Department of Equity and Compliance interim director and Title IX coordinator

For the past six months, both the Department of Equity and Compliance and the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities have been working in the same space and under a shared director. This combination was a temporary measure to maintain campus commitment to safety, compliance, and care while recruiting for a new Equity and Compliance director. However, working together has allowed our offices to find efficiencies as well as opportunities to enhance services provided to the university community. It quickly became clear there would be a benefit to permanently integrating our efforts and expertise. 

I’m very excited to present our new Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability. As the name implies, our focus will be preserving individual rights, ensuring compliance with policy and law, and fostering accountability. Our overall goal is to provide a respectful, diverse and inclusive university environment. ORCA will serve as a single point of contact for matters involving Title IX, discrimination, student behavioral intervention, crisis management and our Student CARE Team.

ORCA is dedicated and committed to providing quality service and care to the university community. The following are teams within ORCA that will provide specialized assistance to our stakeholders. 

  • Our Student CARE Team will respond to reports of students' well-being concerns (e.g., students facing health issues, unexpected emergencies, or life changes) – providing support and intervention to ensure students continue to feel safe, productive, and valued. This team regularly collaborates with staff, faculty, and is responsible for the UAF CARE Team.

  • Our Student Conduct Team will respond to reports of student misconduct (behavioral and academic) in a manner consistent with the Student Code of Conduct – ensuring accountability while maintaining necessary due process.  This team will assist faculty and staff in navigating student misconduct responses. When appropriate, this team will conduct administrative reviews to resolve allegations equitably and efficiently.

  • Our Compliance Team will ensure university efforts are in line with the Board of Regents’ policy, state law, and federal law.  Areas of compliance efforts will include Title IX, Title VII, the Clery Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. This team will provide regular training for students, staff, and faculty so they feel adequately prepared to respond to compliance challenges.

  • Finally, our Investigation Team will respond to reports of potential violations of Board of Regents’ Policy Chapters 01.02 (Discrimination) and 01.04 (Sexual Harassment Under Title IX). This team will assess reports and ensure the appropriate offices and individuals are included in response efforts. When appropriate, this team will conduct administrative investigations, as detailed in policy and university regulation, to equitably resolve allegations in a timely manner.

We look forward to serving our university community and continuing to grow to support a thriving Nanook Nation.

Friday Focus is a column written by a different member of UAF's leadership team every week. On occasion, a guest writer is invited to contribute a column.