Dear Members of the Colgate Community:
I write to update you on progress relating to Colgate’s support for survivors and sexual violence prevention services. There are several new developments to report:
- Sexual violence task force. This spring, Dean Suzy Nelson is leading a task force, composed of students, professors, and staff members, that will be working to update the university’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Survivor Support Action Plan. This group will evaluate the recommendations of the four-person external review team who visited campus in December, as well as input from on-campus groups. They will also consider the latest best practices from the changing national landscape, including information from ATIXA (Association of Title IX Administrators). The task force will host an open forum in April to discuss their work and to ask for additional input from members of the community. They will release their revised action plan to the community by the end of the semester. In the meantime, Dean Nelson and the Dean of the College staff are working on a number of tasks to facilitate transparent reporting procedures, a clear path of action for those who report, and a focus on compassion and support.
- Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE). Representatives from Colgate, Community Memorial Hospital (CMH), Victims of Violence, Cazenovia College, and Morrisville State University are working with the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program in Onondaga County through Vera House, Inc., to help train local nurses and implement CMH coverage within 6-12 months. The SANEs will be available to the local community as well as to Colgate, thereby providing this important service to the entire area.
- Counseling Support. The counseling center, led by Mark Thompson and Dawn LaFrance, will be expanding with additional staff and dedicated space in Curtis Hall which will serve as a “hub” for sexual violence survivor services. A search is underway for a new staff counselor. The sexual assault survivors group continues to be offered at Colgate’s Counseling Center.
Dean Nelson and I, along with many others on campus, stand united on this issue; sexual violence is a scourge on any community and causes harm to all, especially to those who have endured it. We have taken many steps forward, especially in education and awareness, since the November rally and speakout. But there is more to be done. The work will be ongoing and will involve the leadership and efforts of many individuals dedicated to eliminating sexual violence and harassment on campus. Please know that your feedback is welcome on these and other initiatives.
Jill Harsin
Interim President