June 2022
On February 4, AERA Council voted to endorse the principles set forth by the Association of American Universities (AAU) in October 2021 to prevent sexual harassment in academia and to commend the leadership of the AAU for taking this step forward. Under Council’s advisement, AERA’s endorsement became official following legal counsel review of the principles this spring.
In adopting these principles, AAU and its member institutions committed themselves to fighting sexual harassment on their campuses by agreeing to share information about accused harassers and to see all investigations into sexual misconduct through to completion, regardless of whether the accused harasser has moved on to other employment. The principles will guide member universities as they continue their efforts to create campus climates where sexual harassment is understood to be unacceptable and victims are heard and supported.
The principles address sexual misconduct in all forms, including sexual and gender-based harassment and related retaliation.
“It is absolutely critical that sexual harassment in the academic workplace, in all its forms, be eliminated,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “By committing campus leaders to take responsibility for preventing these heinous acts and fostering a more supportive and inclusive culture, the AAU principles serve as an important guidepost for all of academia.”
Council’s action is in line with the association’s strong commitment to fighting sexual harassment in the academic and scientific workplaces. AERA is an inaugural member of the Societies Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM, supported the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act, advocated for changes in federal regulations, has held panels on sexual harassment at multiple AERA meetings, and emphasized harassment policies at AERA Annual Meetings.