Sexual violence and other forms of harassment may impact a student's ability to attend class, complete assignments, and focus on their academic success. EDI can help students work with their professors to ensure that they can complete essential course requirements.

Common academic accommodations include flexibility with assignment deadlines or course absence policies, rescheduling exams, or having additional time following the end of the semester to complete course requirements. EDI will communicate the need for accommodations with faculty, without disclosing private or sensitive information. Students are expected to follow up with their professors in a timely way in order to coordinate appropriate extensions or other needed measures. 

If a requested accommodation interferes with essential course requirements - for example, attendance is required to meet learning objectives - then EDI will work with the student and professor to explore alternatives.

In some cases, students may not realize the impact that a traumatic event has had on them until it is too late to perform successfully in their classes. In this case, EDI can explore whether an academic withdrawal is appropriate.

Employees who have experienced trauma due to sexual violence or harassment may also explore accommodations when this is impacting their ability to work. This is the case whether the traumatic event occurred at UB or outside of work. We can explore short-term options including the use of leave time, flexibility with scheduling, tenure clock stops, or other workplace accommodations. HR Benefits can assist in coordinating long-term accommodations when the impact of the event results in PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other disabilities.

A person may find contact from another student or employee to be traumatic or upsetting. This is commonly the case with sexual violence and other forms of sexual harassment, but may also result from racial harassment or other types of discriminatory conduct. EDI can impose restrictions on a student or employee to require them to no longer have contact with another person.

For students, a common supportive measure is a No Contact Order, which applies to direct and indirect communications for the entirety of the time the students are at UB. 

When an employee has been accused of unwelcome contact, EDI can work with the employee's supervisor to issue a directive to no longer contact a student or another employee.

In cases where some contact is required between the parties to work, participate in clubs or activities, or complete academic requirements, EDI will discuss alternative arrangements that promote the comfort of the parties.

EDI will assist people with measures that promote their physical and emotional safety. For current students and employees, this may involve restrictions on contacting the other person or entering certain buildings or parts of campus. EDI can also assist with arranging for safety escorts. For people who are planning to leave an unsafe relationship, EDI can help coordinate with University Police and a Crisis Services Advocate to develop a safety plan, and to communicate that plan to people who need to know about it.

Sometimes, threatening behavior comes from people outside of the UB community.  If you are afraid of someone coming to campus to harm you, EDI can explore options to ban or restrict the person from campus or certain parts of campus. 

UB offers medical and counseling services to students to address both the short-term and longer-term impact that sexual violence and other forms of harassment can have. These services are available to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and are covered by student fees. 

For employees, the Employee Assistance Program can provide information and referrals to healthcare and counseling providers that are covered under employee health insurance plans. 

Students and employees can consult confidentially with a Crisis Services Campus-Based Advocate. The Advocate can provide resources, assistance and advice, and help people navigate criminal or other legal processes. 

Links and contact information for these services is available on UB's Sexual Violence Response Policy webpage.