Campus & Community

Progress Continues on Sexual Violence Prevention, Education, Advocacy

Friday, February 13, 2015, By Shannon Andre

In January, the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Sexual Violence Prevention, Education and Advocacy met with Chancellor Kent Syverud and Senior Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz to share their findings, recommendations and emerging themes as outlined in their final report. Following the release of the report, the University and Division of Student Affairs began initiating the workgroup’s recommendations.

These stickers have been posted in bathrooms across campus.

These stickers have been posted in bathrooms across campus.

In the past month, the Division of Students Affairs has thoroughly reviewed the report and recommendations. Staff members have outlined priorities addressing the specific areas of sexual assault and relationship violence services, prevention, education and communication efforts, training and policy communication.

“Staff within the Division of Student Affairs spent much of the fall semester evaluating and assessing services as well,” says Kantrowitz. “We are pleased to see that many of the recommendations align with improvements the division has already begun implementing for the spring semester. Student Affairs has taken the recommendations one by one and designated staff members to begin the process of exploring and planning their implementation.”

Improvements that staff have already initiated or are planning within the Division of Student Affairs include:

  • creating two new student support groups run by the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team: the Sexual Assault Recovery Group, open to female victims and survivors of sexual assault, and Healthy Relationships 101, open to any student who has experienced relationship violence;
  • increasing visibility of the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team and other student support teams and services;
  • organizing a full calendar of educational programs and events under the “Got Consent? Be S.U.R.E.” campaign, including the #NotAskingForIt video launch, a lecture on sexual consent with Harry Brod, Take Back the Night and a Mentors in Violence Prevention campus-wide dialogue;
  • partnering with Physical Plant to ensure stickers are posted in every bathroom;
  • gathering student input to review the consent materials and sexual assault services information; and
  • distributing materials in residence halls and advising offices.

Chancellor Syverud and Dean Kantrowitz acknowledged the seriousness of the critical gaps and expressed the urgency of addressing these gaps through the outlined recommendations. The recommendations address opportunities to enhance prevention and education efforts, increase communication about services and create space for support, community and advocacy for victims and survivors. Chancellor Syverud also emphasized his commitment to moving the institution forward in being proactive and becoming a leader in the area of sexual assault violence prevention, education, services and advocacy.

For more information on sexual assault and relationship violence services, prevention and education efforts, and additional updates, visit the Sexual Assault Services and Prevention page.