The University Senate heard the final report of a senate task force on addressing sexual misconduct and violence at its meeting on Nov. 5. The report and recommendations will now go to interim President Coltrane who will consider the suggestions, along with recommendations from other reports he will receive next month, as he creates a comprehensive plan to improve campus safety and respect.
The Senate Task Force to Address Sexual Violence and Survivor Support is calling for a range of actions, from establishing a consolidated office to coordinate sexual and gender-based violence to requiring more Title IX training. Other recommendations included sexual assault prevention classes, expanded women’s self-defense training, a review of mandatory reporting rules and changes to fraternity and sorority oversight.
At the senate meeting, Senate President Robert Kyr said the senate won’t vote on the task force report but will present it to the president. The senate will consider and vote on each recommendation, based on a timeline that starts Nov. 19 and runs through April.
The senate task force initially submitted a set of draft recommendations in October and received feedback from campus at a public forum and via a web form. The public forum drew more than 100 students affiliated with Fraternity and Sorority Life organizations on campus who expressed concern about the recommendation to halt the expansion plans for additional Greek chapters at the UO.
Task force co-chair Carole Stabile said she was pleased to receive so much feedback and glad to start the dialogue, but the task force was not swayed to change their recommendations about fraternity and sororities. Stabile says she believes that writing and revising the report is part of the process of improving efforts.
“We’ve taken the first step towards changing our culture,” Stabile said.
When asked about the resources it will take to initiate some of the recommendations, Stabile and others said the expense of not taking action is far greater than the cost to invest in prevention efforts.
At the beginning of the meeting, Coltrane addressed the senate, thanking the task force members for their work and reiterating the university’s commitment to creating a safe and respectful campus free of sexual misconduct and sexual violence.
“The plan going forward must be a comprehensive, sustained and long-term commitment that dedicates focused attention, research and resources to addressing sexual misconduct and violence,” Coltrane said. “This will depend on building productive coalitions, not on pitting different parts of the campus against each other. We must work together as a campus community to integrate efforts and build relationships.”
The president is expected to receive the external President’s Review Panel’s recommendations in December. The Division of Student Life is also conducting a university-wide analysis of prevention effort that is expected to be complete this term. Coltrane said he will then determine how the university can “best focus our energy and invest resources to make the greatest impact on the campus climate and to improve student safety.”
The senate also approved two changes to the Student Code of Conduct. One change clarified some language about sanctions. The other change established that complainants will have the same accommodations, rights and opportunities under the code of conduct process as the accused.