Prevention and Outreach
Middlebury’s educational programs consist of awareness programs, bystander intervention programs, information on risk reduction, ongoing prevention and awareness campaigns, and primary prevention programs. These programs include the following:
Mandatory Education for New Students
All students (undergraduate and graduate) receive online programming through SafeColleges. Content includes sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention, alcohol and other drugs, Title IX information, and other health and wellness topics. Student feedback on course satisfaction, quiz results, and questions/concerns is collected within the program and is reviewed annually to evaluate effectiveness and cultural appropriateness.
All incoming undergraduate students participate in the following Green Dot Violence Prevention Strategy trainings upon arrival:
- Green Dot Violence Prevention Strategy Overview: Mandatory orientation for all new undergraduate students. Building on content from Living Well at Middlebury, specific content is presented on bystander intervention as primary prevention including, but not limited to, identifying reasons why some people intervene and barriers for intervention; strategies for intervention and the language of intervention; connections to community standards and the institution’s mission; bystander testimonies from faculty, staff, and students; bystander pledge; review of emergency resources; and distribution of materials containing relevant phone numbers. Student feedback on session satisfaction, learning objectives, and questions/concerns are reviewed annually through the orientation survey to evaluate effectiveness and cultural appropriateness.
Ongoing Education and Prevention Programs (Undergraduate Program)
- Green Dot Violence Prevention Strategy overviews outside of new student orientation are available for groups, teams, clubs, and departments by request and/or invitation. Open sessions are scheduled throughout the year as well. Green Dot six-hour bystander trainings include deeper content on recognizing situations of potential harm; understanding institutional structures and cultural conditions that facilitate violence; overcoming barriers to intervening; identifying safe and effective intervention options; and taking actions to intervene. The trainings are offered five to six times during the academic year for cohorts of 20–45 students at a time. Cohorts are compiled with attention to representation from diverse social identities and campus-based affiliations. Referrals and nominations for future trainees are solicited from training participants, faculty, and staff. Green Dot overview sessions are also tailored to the needs of student leaders on campus including, but not limited to, residential life staff, orientation trip leaders, social houses, and athletes. More information about Green Dot at Middlebury’s undergraduate campus and its ongoing prevention and educational efforts related to awareness events, bystander intervention, and primary prevention can be found at go.middlebury.edu/greendot. Process evaluations are used to evaluate facilitator efficacy, content retention, and participant intention for future bystander action at the conclusion of overviews and bystander trainings. This data is utilized in real time to make presentation-based changes as needed.
- For students and employees in its Vermont-based programs, Middlebury also displays and distributes materials that contain information about campus and community-based emergency safety and support, medical care, advocacy and resource referrals, counseling, spiritual and pastoral care, housing, academic and other accommodations, reporting, (confidential and nonconfidential), and relevant contact information. Such materials include emails to students, faculty, and staff; posters in residence hall bathrooms and other campus buildings; and resource guides distributed to students and published on the Middlebury website.
Programs for Middlebury Faculty and Staff
Middlebury provides online training to all faculty and staff through SafeColleges. This online training includes such topics as Title IX; identifying who is at risk; prevalence; understanding sexual assault; relationship violence; stalking and cyberstalking; criminal law and policy definitions; being a bystander; barriers to intervention; safe and positive options; roles and responsibilities of faculty and staff; reporting; confidentiality; how to talk to survivors; a survivor’s reactions; preserving evidence; institutional response; conduct proceedings; protection from retaliation; a culture of respect; Middlebury’s policy and procedures for addressing sexual misconduct (including sexual assault), domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, which includes a statement that Middlebury prohibits these behaviors as defined in its policy in accordance with the Clery Act, as amended in 2014.
Live trainings regarding sexual violence prevention and response are provided to certain incoming and current undergraduate faculty, summer program faculty (e.g., the Language Schools), faculty chairs, and selected staff, including residential life staff (e.g., CRDs, RAs, CAs, FYCs), deans, Athletics Department coaches and staff, and other dean of the College staff. These sessions include information about Middlebury’s policies and procedures, reporting, Middlebury’s Title IX coordinator and designees, resources, confidentiality, and bystander intervention.
Faculty, staff, and students in the undergraduate program, Language Schools, School of the Environment, MiddCORE, Bread Loaf, and other programs also receive written information (with links to policies, resources, and information) regarding Middlebury’s Non-Discrimination Policy; Middlebury’s Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy; reporting and contact information; links to campus and local resources; and information about the Civil Rights and Title IX coordinator and Title IX designees. Medical and counseling staff at Middlebury’s Center for Health and Wellness received training on trauma, working with survivors, and developing best practices and protocols for caring for individuals who may have experienced sexual and/or dating violence.