Colleges Attempt Improvements: Do Hasty Decisions Result in Quality and Thoughtful Changes?

1407351369001-XXX-CAMPUS-SEXUAL-ASSAULT-875

It’s around that time of year where summer will soon fade and college classes will be back in session. While students are making sure they are registered for all the right courses, some institutions of higher education also want to be as prepared as possible before the school year begins by attempting to quickly establish reformed practices and policies addressing sexual violence.

However, is it really in the best interest of students to make hasty decisions and “improvements”? Understandably, making quick turnaround decisions is better for an institution’s reputation as “leaders” and to ensure federal compliance, but does this also guarantee that quality changes are being implemented?

According to the Boston Globe, Harvard’s undergraduate college has “a revamped policy” on campus sexual assault, created a centralized office to review reports of sexual assault, adopted the DOE’s recommended “preponderance of evidence standard” for adjudication, and replaced academic administrators a part of the adjudication process with staff experienced in investigating sexual assault.

USA Today also reported on Dartmouth’s Summit on Sexual Assault, where more than 60 colleges met to hear from federal officials, consult with national experts, and share strategies on how to improve handling cases of sexual violence.  Furthermore, the article states that Dartmouth in particular has made efforts to address the issue by creating procedures to investigate complaints, opening a sexual assault prevention center, and creating a committee that will provide a list of recommendations on next steps.

At first glance, many would praise colleges and universities like Harvard and Dartmouth for finally taking important measures to address campus sexual violence at an institutional level. Some might say that it is better to quickly take initiative and make instant improvements than none at all (especially if the college is under the microscope of the federal government and the public eye). However, it is significantly important for college administrators to pause and evaluate if they are sacrificing the safety of their campus community by making fast-paced “improvements” that could result in poorly revised changes that cause more harm than good. Instead, the campus community would most likely benefit if administrators are discussing and implementing changes under the guidance of and in collaboration with survivors, students, and survivor-centered community-based organizations. In fact, this should be the leadership style that school administrators practice because I believe people within the community know their needs -and assets- best.

Survivors, students, and the entire campus community deserve high-quality, intentional, and collaborative improvements that have been thoughtfully and strategically planned, organized, and implemented to sincerely promote a violence-free campus. A patient, methodical, and collaborative process is a key leadership approach in addressing campus sexual violence.

Post written by Fátima Avellán, Campus Project Associate at the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA). Photo from USA Today. 

March/April 2014 Campus Technical Assistance and Resource Project Newsletter

Campus Newsletter

A newsletter created by the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women’s Campus Technical Assistance and Resource Project 2nd issue, includes information on the research of security during study abroad, national awareness activities and events, technical assistance (TA) updates, and technical assistance contacts.

Campus Technical Assistance Newsletter

Screen shot 2014-08-11 at 11.10.03 AM

A newsletter created by the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women’s Campus Technical Assistance and Resource Project  2nd issue, includes information on the research of security during study abroad, national awareness activities and events, technical assistance (TA) updates, and TA contacts. Click the link to view the newsletter for April 2014.

Presentation on sexual violence and students with disabilities

This presentation,CALCASA-Campus Crime: Sexual Assault of Students with Disabilities,” was made by Dr. Nora J. Baladerian (from the Disability, Abuse, and Personal Rights Project) and Roberta Gibbons (Associate Director and Project Director of the Program Against Sexual Violence at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities). The presentation helps college administrators understand the scope of the problem and how to address it on their campus.

Guide for developing emergency operations plans for colleges/universities

Screen shot 2014-07-17 at 10.09.03 AM

In 2013, the Department of Education released the Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operation Plans for Institutions of Higher Education. Although the guide is not specific in regards to sexual violence, it highlights a common framework to help develop a plan and identify courses of action in response to campus sexual assault. Click here to view the guide’s Planning Process section for more information on plan development and courses of action.

Toolkit for judicial officer when responding to sexual, dating, and domestic violence

Striving for Justice: a toolkit for judicial resolution officers on college campuses” is a resource provided by the University of Michigan. The toolkit provides information on how to respond to sexual, dating, and domestic violence at colleges/universities, and recommended sanctions for those held responsible.

Campus sexual assault: suggested policies and procedures from the AAUP

Campus Sexual Assault: Suggested Policies and Procedures is a report from the American Association of University Professors outlines: the problem and consequences of campus sexual assault, the laws related to protect students from gender violence, how to develop strong policies and procedures, and the responsibility of faculty members in addressing the issue.  Read about the approaches in ending campus sexual violence and how faculty members can support.

Checklist for Sexual Assault Misconduct Policies

Screen shot 2014-05-01 at 12.05.01 PMPresident Obama assembled the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault and tasked them with the exploration and examination of the problem of sexual assault on college campuses. The White House Task Force released their report, outlining specific recommendations related to addressing and preventing sexual assault on college campuses.  They also put together information for students and universities about resources available on response and prevention of sexual assault on college campuses.

  • To view the Not Alone website click here.
  • To view their checklist for sexual assault misconduct policies click here.

 

Campus Security Guidelines

In 2007, the Major Cities Chiefs (MCC) approached the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) with a new and bold idea to address the rising violence on campus—increase the coordination between local and campus law enforcement to better protect students. With the safety and security of 15 million college and university students in America at stake, the need to act was clear. 

MCC and BJA developed the Campus Security Guidelines in order to make a genuine difference in how law enforcement prevents, prepares, responds to and recovers from critical incidents on campus. The Guidelines are real operational policies, developed by the experts—local and campus law enforcement—that can be implemented across the nation. 

To read the Campus Security Guidelines click here.

Model Campus Stalking Policy

The Stalking Resource Center, a program 威而鋼
of the National Center for Victims of Crime, partnered with the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) to publish this model campus policy on stalking. Numerous colleges and universities across the country contact the Stalking Resource Center each year, requesting assistance on how to address stalking on campuses. Along with requests for technical assistance, schools have asked for examples of stalking policies they could adapt and implement on their campuses. This document is a direct response to those inquiries.