About Us
In April 2015 approximately 50 faculty and staff were brought together for a “Bystander” training by the Greendot organization. Green Dot trains colleges/universities, civic and government groups, and other organizations about violence and how to reduce and prevent it. The individuals who went through the training represented departments as diverse as University Police, Athletics, Residence Life, New Student Orientation, College of Engineering and College of Education.
The training was held over four days from 8:00am – 5:00pm….long, intense, informative and fun. The UTEP participants learned the basics of what violence on campuses is all about and its many forms: relationship violence, rape, stalking, bullying and others. The group learned the Greendot educational program and are certified instructors tasked with teaching the campus community on how to recognize violence and how we, as Bystanders, can intervene and help stop violent acts from happening at UTEP.
The group has chosen D.O.T (Do One Thing) as the name for the UTEP program, emphasizing that it only takes one person, doing one intervention to help prevent a violent act and that the cumulative effect of all those individual interventions will help reduce campus violence. Beginning in the summer of 2015, the DOT group began the process of educating the campus on the idea of Bystander Intervention and enlisting other campus members to join in this cause.
Moving On….Year One.
Since starting in April 2015, the DOT group has brought the message of Bystander Intervention to the UTEP community. Our largest event to date was the DOT Carnival in August 2015 held on the biggest green dot on campus, Centennial Plaza. It was a day designed to introduce concepts of intervention in a fun, festive atmosphere, with games, prizes and food available to the 300+ participants.
Overviews of DOT have been presented at New Student Orientation and to a wide variety of campus groups in the past year. Overviews introduce the concept of Bystander Intervention, typically in 30 or 60 minute formats, and describe how anyone can be a bystander no matter what their personal barriers may be to getting involved. We have also done longer 7 hour trainings for approximately 50 students which is more intensive and comprehensive in its scope. As the DOT movement gains traction, it is our goal to provide more exposure for this initiative so our community feels empowered to intervene if faced with a potential situation.