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An Open Letter to our Graduate Students
December 21, 2017
To our graduate students:
Recent sexual harassment claims made against a researcher at the University of Rochester have spurred us to make our own stance explicit. The faculty in the Department of Linguistics at Simon Fraser University stand with our colleagues at the University of Toronto and other departments across the world in confronting and opposing sexual harassment in academia. We want to be clear that we do not condone sexual harassment or sexual discrimination in any form, just as we do not condone any type of harassment or discrimination. We will believe, support, and advocate for students who feel that they are being harassed or discriminated against. We further acknowledge that (sexual) harassment and discrimination have long been present in the culture of academia, and we commit to bringing the problem into the open and eliminating it. Your graduate supervisors and instructors are meant to be sources of support and guidance, and we affirm our commitment to that role.
Signed,
The faculty members of the Department of Linguistics
John Alderete
Cliff Burgess
Ashley Farris-Trimble
Donna Gerdts
Chung-hye Han
Nancy Hedberg
Trude Heift
Suzanne Hilgendorf
Marianne Ignace
Peter Jacobs
Dean Mellow
Keir Moulton
Murray Munro
Iouri Pankrats
Panayiotis Pappas
Thomas Perry
Maite Taboada
Yue Wang
Henny Yeung
Additional Notes Regarding Safety at SFU
All members of the SFU community have the right to a safe and respectful community. This requires that we all respect each other. Throughout your time at University you will have the opportunity to meet new people and develop relationships. We want you to have healthy relationships free from violence. Below are resources and supports that can help you establish and maintain safety in relationships and to address unsafe relationships.
- On Relationship Safety, SFU Personal Security Guide
If you or someone you know are in a difficult, uncomfortable, or questionable working relationship, it is important to talk to someone neutral who can advise you in a professional and confidential manner on how best to navigate the situation.
In addition to any of the Linguistics faculty members above who have pledged their commitment to your education in a harrassment-free environment, the Linguistics office staff and the SFU resources below can also be contacted for assistance.
For non-emergency support, the SFU Personal Security Advisor at Campus Safety and Risk Services can be contacted by phone at 778.782.8473 or email at safe@sfu.ca.
Professional counselling support for students is available free of charge at SFU Health and Counselling. Emergencies can be seen the same day.
SFU Security is available 24/7 to assist in the event of an emergency, incident, or to refer you to an appropriate resource. Non-emergency enquiries: 778-782-3100. Emergency dispatch: 778-782-4500