Empowering academic workers since 2018
EPIC is a unique harassment prevention training program. It was created by and for UW academic student employees and postdoctoral scholars—including graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants, research assistants, staff assistants, graders, and tutors. Drawing on our lived experience and interviews with our colleagues, we tailor our trainings to the unique needs and interests of specific departments and communities.
Our mission is to help bring systematic change to structures that enable harassment in academia by:
- promoting more inclusive community norms;
- empowering our colleagues with tools to prevent and respond to sexual harassment; and
- supporting our colleagues in identifying power structures and organizing for collective action.
EPIC operates under the guidance of SafeCampus and in close coordination with key stakeholders, including UW academic departments, the School of Medicine, Title IX, Student Life, Student Affairs, Student Services, the Graduate School and UAW Local 4121.
Note that while the union requires UW to make the training available to ASEs and Postdocs — that is, departments/programs can’t refuse/disallow participation — the union does not require each student to be trained. Having said that, when departments offer these trainings, this demonstrates to students that leadership is invested in addressing issues of harassment and building healthier communities.