The Office for Advocacy and Opportunity

The Office for Advocacy and Opportunity, within the Division of Student Affairs, assists all units of the College in providing affirmative and encouraging environments for work and life at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. The Office aspires to help create and sustain an institutional-wide culture that champions and empowers a diverse community through access to programming, services, and activities that create a sense of belonging.

Advocacy and Opportunity provides leadership, information, consultation, coordination, assistance, and implementation of compliance needs to various units and constituencies within the College regarding:

The effort to embrace the pillars of Inclusive Excellence;
The fair and objective response/referrals to concerns around sexual/gender violence, biases, and disrespect;
Cultivate inclusiveness and mutual respect throughout the community;
Prevention and education include but are not limited to VAWA, Clery, Safety, IE, protected statuses and overall community standards;
Strive to serve authentically a community of life-long learners on their path to self-discovery.

Inclusive Excellence

We have captured community-informed goals in the College’s first-ever Inclusive Excellence Plan. A cross-campus task force laid out the plan, which identifies the actions necessary for and the outcomes of several 2030 goals including: prioritizing affordable access to an excellent, inclusive, and comprehensive college experience; valuing the unique contributions of all members of the UVA Wise community as representatives of diverse populations and rich cultural heritages; encouraging all members of the college community to seek understanding beyond the boundaries of their current knowledge; committing to intentional listening that opens minds to new perspectives; and endeavoring, through teaching and scholarship, to deepen community members’ understanding of the unique characteristics of our region to apply and share that knowledge broadly.

Learn About Inclusive Excellence Coursework

Counseling Center

The Counseling Center provides treatment to help students work through a variety of issues that may interfere with learning and personal development. While there is no cap on the number of sessions students may receive, services are primarily short-term. All services provided through the counseling center are offered at no out-of-pocket expense to students.

Learn More About the Counseling Center

Title IX

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on the gender of students and employees of educational institutions.

Discrimination on the basis of sex can include sexual harassment or sexual violence.

Learn More About Title IX at UVA Wise

Clery Act

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (20 USC § 1092(f)) is the landmark federal law that requires colleges and universities across the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses.

The College’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report

Clery Compliance Policy

Campus Resources

Counseling Services
Campus Police
Clery Act Student Travel Form: Required for any College-related overnight travel involving students after the trip.

Additional Information

Summary of the Clery Act
Office on Violence Against Women, Department of Justice
College and Campus Safety Guide

Belonging

UVA Wise is a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment for students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds and walks of life.

Learn More About Belonging at UVA Wise

Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act

The Drug-Free Schools and Community Act (DFSCA) of 1989 (Public Law 101-226, 20 U.S.C. § 1011) requires institutions of higher education receiving Federal funding to certify to the Secretary of Education they have developed and implemented a drug and alcohol abuse education and prevention program (DAAPP) to prevent the unlawful possession, use, sale, or distribution of illegal drugs and alcohol by all employees and students as part of any of its activities or on school properties.

To learn more about how we comply with DFSCA, contact our office at 276-376-3451.

Additional Resources

Youth Protection

The College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for minors participating in College-sponsored programs and activities on College property and in College facilities or under the authority of the College at other locations. To safeguard these individuals and provide for their well-being and comply with applicable laws, the College has established minimum requirements for those who work with or interact with individuals under the age of 18.

Covered Program Staff are required to complete training, though anyone with the College affiliation may request access to the training by emailing youthprotection@virginia.edu and tabitha.smith@uvawise.edu.

Youth Protection Policy

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