WGSAPers next to a referendum banner in 2010. The referendum. 72% of students answered “NO” when asked “Should faculty from a student’s own unit sit on the disciplinary hearing board of a sexual assault case involving that student (as is currently the policy)?”
The University of Chicago student government and several pro-women groups on campus are hosting Sexual Assault Awareness Week next week, with a variety of activities and panels intended to raise awareness about assault on campus and provide resources for students and alumni. You can check out a full schedule here.
In case you haven’t heard, the University is currently being federally investigated for potential (!) breaches of Title IX in regards to its sexual assault disciplinary procedures. It is one of many campuses being investigated after the president established a special task force earlier this year to investigate campus sexual assault and rape. I applaud the fact that this is finally being formally investigated, although it’s disappointing that it’s taken so long given the University’s known and repeated mishandling of sexual assault cases since the 1990s.
If you stick around Wednesday, I’ll be partaking in an alumni discussion Wednesday at 8 PM on the efforts that the Working Group on the Sexual Assault Policy (WGSAP) did from 2007-2010 to change the university’s damaging and illegal sexual assault disciplinary procedures. I’m really looking forward to comparing efforts now and then, and hearing what current U of C students are doing to move forward. If you happen to be in Hyde Park, check it out in Harper 102.
For more (excellent) background, Check out the Chicago Maroon’s 4-part investigative series that came out fall of 2012.
Hope to see everyone Wednesday!