In 2018, we fought for and won one of the most innovative sexual harassment prevention programs in the country — the Empowering Prevention and Inclusive Communities (EPIC) training program. EPIC is an interactive peer-to-peer training, jointly run between our union and the university, and is enshrined in both the Academic Student Employee contract and Postdoc contract. During the 2020-2021 Postdoc and ASE contract campaigns, members won additional funding for the program, and now the University provides funding for three graduate students (commensurate with a regular TA/RA appointment) and up to three Postdocs to develop and implement the program.
About our trainings
We run an innovative evidence-informed curriculum that empowers participants with concrete skills for creating safer workplaces, interrupting harassment, and getting support. Our trainings are highly tailored to each training group. EPIC trainers regularly meet with department members before each training to develop scenarios and training material that is specific to the group’s needs, interests, and context.
EPIC currently offers two core trainings:
- EPIC 1.0 focuses on discussing power, bystander intervention, and community building practices, all aimed at helping individuals develop skills to proactive create more welcoming and inclusive cultures in their departmental and union spaces. Using scenarios tailored to your specific department, the 1.0 training offers practice in skills like micro-affirmations, calling in, and calling out.
- EPIC 2.0 builds on the skills in EPIC 1.0, going beyond the level of individual behavior to focus on changing the environments we exist in at UW. Participants work together to develop deeper power analyses, discuss strategies for addressing harassment as a structural problem, and make concrete plans for building community and action in your department.
EPIC team member presented at the 2019 NASEM Summit on Prevention of Sexual Harassment. Click on the image above to view the full poster!
Reach and Results
In its first two years, EPIC reached more than 1500 ASEs and postdocs in departments and units across all three campuses of University of Washington. After going through the training, 97% of participants consistently report that they are likely or very likely to take action to address harassment if it occurs in their workplace. Additionally, in follow-up surveys three months after participants have completed the training, 80% report having taken at least one bystander behavior in those three months.
Reports and Presentations:
- 2018-19 academic year program report
- 2019-20 academic year program report
- 2020-21 academic year program report
- Annual Equity Surveys
- The poster EPIC presented at the NASEM Summit on Prevention of Sexual Harassment
- 12/16/20 Postdoc bargaining presentation
Schedule a training
For more information or to schedule a training in your department or unit, email epicprogram@uw.edu.