The results help to gain a comprehensive understanding of responding students’ experiences related to and awareness of sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and sexual harassment.

“The results of the Sexual and Relationship Violence Survey provide important insights that inform and guide programs, services and awareness efforts in preventing, educating and responding to interpersonal violence. We appreciate the time students took to complete the survey as their feedback is critical to our collective work in continuing to foster a safe and supportive campus climate for all,” says task force co-chairs Sheriah Dixon, dean of students, and Kelly Chandler-Olcott, dean of the School of Education.

The survey administered in spring 2024 garnered a 22.7% response rate from a stratified random sample of nearly 6,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students. While this response rate was lower than the 2022 survey, the number of respondents was nearly the same because of the larger sample size in 2024. Students, faculty and staff can access the full results of the survey by logging into MySlice and selecting the Student Resources or Employee Resources tile, respectively.

Key findings and takeaways from the students who responded to the 2024 survey include the following:

• Nearly 80% said they knew where they could get help if they or a friend were sexually assaulted, harassed, abused or stalked.
• Nearly 80% said they had a general understanding of ���ϲ�����’s procedures for addressing sexual and relationship violence.
• Nearly 70% had a general understanding of the role of the University’s Title IX coordinator.
• Slightly less than 8% reported having experienced some form of non-consensual sexual contact (sexual assault) during their time at ���ϲ�����.
• 6% indicated that they had experienced relationship abuse during their time as a student at ���ϲ�����. These behaviors included physical violence, threats, verbal abuse and coercive behavior.

Support and Resources

Students impacted by sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking and harassment can receive confidential counseling, advocacy and support, as well as discuss reporting options, with a member of the at the Barnes Center at The Arch 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The SRVR Team can be reached by calling 315.443.8000. For 24/7 confidential support and advocacy off campus, students may contact , an independent nonprofit organization, at 315.468.3260.

Reporting options include:

• Title IX: call 315.443.0211; visit 005 Steele Hall; or email titleix@syr.edu.
• Department of Public Safety: call 315.443.2224; call or send a message via the Orange Safe app; 711 from any campus phone; #78 on your cell; or visit 005 Sims Hall.
• ���ϲ����� Police Department: call 315.435.3016.
• New York State Police: call 1.844.845.7269.
• Anonymous ���ϲ����� Reporting: .

Education, Awareness and Prevention Programs

Students, faculty and staff interested in getting involved in sexual and relationship violence prevention efforts on campus or seeking to learn more about sexual and relationship violence, can visit the following resources for additional information:

• Participate in training opportunities offered by University offices and student organizations.
• Participate in .

For more information about resources, support, reporting and involvement opportunities, visit the and the website.

Survey results will inform services, programs and awareness efforts to help prevent and respond to sexual and relationship violence. Students who receive this anonymous survey in their ���ϲ����� emails (@syr.edu) are encouraged to complete it and by doing so, help the University gain a comprehensive understanding of the student experience.

“Regardless of their experience, when students take the 10-15 minutes to answer the survey, it allows the University to better understand the scope and prevalence of sexual and relationship violence at ���ϲ����� and respond with relevant resources,” shares , co-chair of the survey assessment committee, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications professor and Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health senior research associate. “Participating in this survey is one way that ���ϲ����� students can help, and in my experience, this is an issue that students care deeply about addressing and doing what they can to help.”

Supporting the Orange Community

The Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence is comprised of dedicated students, faculty, staff and more, that work to bolster the University’s efforts in sexual violence prevention, education and advocacy services. By allowing students to anonymously share feedback, the Sexual and Relationship Violence Survey further supports these efforts through the representation of student voices.

“It is important for the task force to hear different voices and use the survey findings to make decisions about campus resource allocation and service provision,” shares , Barnes Center at The Arch assistant director of health analytics and survey assessment committee member. “We urge everyone who receives the email to participate and contribute to its lasting positive impacts.”

Results of the survey will continue to be used across the campus community to strengthen student experiences, improve campus climate and enhance programs and services.

For more information on the Sexual and Relationship Violence Survey, contact healthpromotion@syr.edu.

“For a campus as large and dynamic as ���ϲ�����, it is imperative for students to have and access spaces where survivorship is honored and healing in community is fostered,” shares Kayla Turner ’24, a Sexual Assault Awareness Month Committee member.

Building Connected Communities
This year’s national theme of “Building Connected Communities” is highlighted throughout the month’s programs and events, each hosted by a variety of campus departments, committees and registered student organizations (RSOs).

“SAAM has historically strived to break the cycle of silence and stigma surrounding sexual violence and encourage a dialogue about prevention efforts. We felt it was especially important this year to create spaces across campus that cultivate a sense of community for survivors and their allies promoting healing and empowerment among those impacted,” shares , Barnes Center at The Arch assistant director of sexual and relationship violence (SRV) prevention and chair of the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Committee. “Event highlights include yoga within a lens of post-traumatic resiliency, friendship bracelets, art therapy, a trauma-informed self-defense class and more.”

Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2024 Events

Events include:

Visit the for a complete list of events and details.

Take Back The Night 2024
A pillar event of Sexual Assault Awareness Month is Take Back The Night (TBTN), an annual event observed globally that brings community members together to speak out about sexual violence, relationship violence and other forms of interpersonal violence. The event provides an opportunity for community members to proclaim that everyone has the right to live free from violence and for the voices of those who have been affected by violence to be heard.

“At ���ϲ�����, Take Back The Night has always been an event that celebrates the dignity and resilience of survivors while sharing and teaching our community about the impact of sexual and relationship violence,” says , Barnes Center at The Arch Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team coordinator, staff therapist and chair of the Take Back The Night Committee. “This year, we have a fantastic group of students planning the event who have reimagined it to hold space for all stages of recovery from interpersonal trauma, using community and collective action as a source of healing. We’ll have refreshments, resource tables, student performances, collective art projects and a Survivor Speak Out, and we will close out the evening with a collective healing activity.”

Allies seeking to show solidarity and support, alongside survivors, at any stage of their healing journey, are invited to participate in SAAM events and the following:

This story was written by Student Experience Communications Graduate Assistant Kalaya Sibley ’24, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

U Got This! Online Training

Expanding upon the many existing efforts that educate, inform and raise awareness about sexual and relationship violence, ���ϲ����� will launch a new annual required online training for returning students to learn more about preventing sexual and relationship violence and provide a refresher on relevant policies and resources. The , effective this summer, builds upon the existing in their first year at ���ϲ�����.

“Fostering a welcoming and supportive community is a result of continuous dedication, support and education, and with this new training opportunity, we add to the network of educational resources available to students centered on sexual and relationship violence prevention” shares , vice president for the student experience and co-chair of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence. “This training aligns with recommendations made by the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence and Culture of Respect Campus Collaborative to expand ongoing education on these topics.”

Completing the Fall 2023 Continuing Community Wellness Requirement

Delivered by Catharsis Productions, the “U Got This!” online training consists of three 15-20-minute interactive modules focused on bystander intervention, consent, healthy relationships, sexual assault and harassment, interpersonal violence and more.

This annual requirement will launch Monday, July 17, for all returning full-time undergraduate students enrolled each fall semester. Early action is encouraged. Each of the three modules are required to be completed by Monday, Aug. 14.

Students who do not complete the required “U Got This!” training modules by the deadline will receive a Registration Hold on their account, preventing them from completing spring class registration until the training is complete.

For additional information including step-by-step directions, please visit the , email communitywellness@syr.edu or call Barnes Center at The Arch Health Promotion at 315.443.8000.

The University community is invited to attend Take Back The Night (TBTN), Wednesday, March 29, 7 p.m.

“Standing with survivors of interpersonal violence is crucial to working to reduce this violence at every level. Too often silence and stigma are weaponized against those who have suffered interpersonal violence.” Helping to raise awareness and lead 2023 events is Daniela Puente ’23, Take Back The Night Planning Committee Chair.

Annually, the University recognizes and participates in TBTN, a global event dedicated to showing support for survivors and victims of, while also raising awareness of and in the pursuit to end sexual, relationship and other forms of violence. Hosted at Hendricks Chapel, all University community members are invited to attend. Registration is not required. The night will include a rally and a march across campus, followed by a speak-out.

“I joined this committee as a survivor who understands firsthand the impact of support and solidarity to healing. I also joined as a public health professional who has learned about how the negative health outcomes of interpersonal violence affect us all,” Puente says. “I want the campus community to know that their support has profound impact on the individuals who have experienced interpersonal violence, as well as the campus community we are all a part of. Preventing interpersonal violence begins and continues with each of us committing to Taking Back The Night today and for the rest of our lifetime.”

University community members are invited to learn more below, encourage others to join and be involved by supporting not just for a night but for a lifetime.

• : As a visual representation of their support to end interpersonal violence, the campus community as a department, organization or individual, are invited to sign the pledge. Those who sign by the deadline, will be displayed at TBTN 2023 and on the .
• #IWillTBTN Star Campaign, Due Friday, March 24: When completing the TBTN Pledge, for their organization, department or team. Participants are asked to decorate the stars by sharing how they will work to create a safer community. Upon completion, stars will be showcased during Take Back The Night.
• Purchase a Take Back The Night T-shirt, Available March 20-29: For sale in the and the , TBTN T-shirts are $12. Profits will directly support ���ϲ����� students impacted by interpersonal violence and the .
• : All funds support ���ϲ����� students.

Learn more by visiting the . For questions or to request accommodations, please email , or call 315.443.8000.

Story by Student Experience communications intern Wanshi Zhang ’23, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

“The results of the Sexual and Relationship Violence Survey provide important insights that inform and guide programs, services and awareness efforts in preventing, educating and responding to interpersonal violence. We appreciate the time students took to complete the survey as their feedback is critical to our collective work in continuing to foster a safe and supportive campus climate for all,” says Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience, interim Title IX coordinator for students and co-chair of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence.

The survey administered in spring 2022 garnered its highest response rate to date, with 35% of students completing the survey. A stratified random sample of nearly 4,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students received the survey. Students and faculty and staff can access the full results of the survey by logging into MySlice and selecting the Student Resources or Employee Resources tile, respectively.

This year’s survey was designed with feedback from students, resulting in refinement of questions and adjustments to formatting.

Key findings and takeaways from the students who responded to the 2022 survey include the following:

• 70% said they knew where they could get help if they or a friend were sexually assaulted, harassed, abused or stalked.
• 72% said they had a general understanding of ���ϲ�����’s procedures for addressing sexual and relationship violence.
• Nearly 60% had a general understanding of the role of the University’s Title IX coordinator.
• Slightly more than 10% reported having experienced some form of non-consensual sexual contact (sexual assault) during their time at ���ϲ�����.
• Approximately 6% indicated they had experienced relationship abuse during their time as a student at ���ϲ�����. These behaviors included physical violence, threats, verbal abuse and coercive behavior.

The results of the survey help to inform practices, services and resources related to sexual and relationship violence. Prior survey results informed the creation of the centralized , the new structure to Title IX case management�����Ի� . This year’s results will support the task force and units across campus engaged in sexual and relationship violence efforts in continued work surrounding the national and conducting training for new and returning students.

Support and Resources

Students impacted by sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking and harassment can receive confidential counseling, advocacy and support, as well as discuss reporting options, with a member of the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response (SRVR) Team at the Barnes Center at The Arch 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The SRVR Team can be reached by calling 315.443.8000. For 24/7 confidential support and advocacy off campus, students may contact Vera House, an independent nonprofit organization, at 315.468.3260.

Reporting options include:

• Title IX: call 315.443.0211; visit 005 Steele Hall; or email titleix@syr.edu.
• Department of Public Safety: call 315.443.2224; call or send a message via the Orange Safe app; 711 from any campus phone; #78 on your cell; or visit 005 Sims Hall
• ���ϲ����� Police Department: call 315.435.3016
• New York State Police: call 1.844.845.7269
• Anonymous ���ϲ����� Reporting:��

Education, Awareness and Prevention Programs

Students, faculty and staff interested in getting involved in sexual and relationship violence prevention efforts on campus or seeking to learn more about sexual and relationship violence, can visit the following resources for additional information:

• Join the —open to students, faculty and staff—for updates about sexual and relationship prevention programming, initiatives and events on campus.
• Participate in training opportunities offered by the  or attend a Barnes Center at The Arch  session related to bystander intervention, consent or healthy relationships.
• Join the  who host programs and conduct outreach to educate fellow students.
• Connect with  on campus who support, advocate and educate others about issues related to sexual and relationship violence, sexual health and safety.
• Participate in .

For more information about resources, support, reporting and involvement opportunities, visit the .

Officer Jessica Zaccari (left) with Sgt. Welling and Officer Bennett

Officer Jessica Zaccari joined the Department of Public Safety (DPS) as a campus peace officer in 2018. Given Officer Zaccari’s background and with October being Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness Month we thought it would be a perfect time to sit down with her and chat about what she does and the resources that are available to our campus community members who experience dating or domestic violence.

Diane Lyden Murphy

“Diane has been a force of nature at ���ϲ����� since she arrived on campus nearly 60 years ago,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “She’s an innovator who inspires and engages others in transformational initiatives. Through her work in sexual and relationship violence, gender equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, Diane has both enhanced the student experience and helped our Orange community become a more welcoming place for students, staff and faculty.”

“In the year I’ve been at ���ϲ�����, I’ve been incredibly impressed with Diane’s work,” says Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter. “As a fierce advocate for her college and some of the University’s most important initiatives, she has an extraordinary ability to communicate with and engage others in what is truly important to the University experience. She is highly respected and for good reason because she is a person of high integrity.”

Murphy says serving her alma mater all these years, especially in her most recent role as Falk College dean, has been the honor of a lifetime.

“It has been an extraordinary privilege to be able to integrate my life’s work and focus as an activist scholar, social worker and social policy faculty with a career that articulates this effort in many ways over the years,” Murphy says. “I have built a cherished network of friends and colleagues that focus on matters of social justice and progressive peace work for both the community and the university, and together we have moved these communities forward.”

Appointed as dean of the College of Human Services and Health Professions in 2005, Murphy expanded that college with the Department of Sport Management to create the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics in 2011. Murphy led a successful effort to integrate these disparate but complimentary curricula into one college, which moved into the White Hall-McNaughton Hall complex in 2015, physically bringing their departments together for the first time.

In addition to forging and shaping the Falk College, Murphy established a college Research Center and launched new undergraduate majors and minors, and several graduate programs. Her commitment to global education has resulted in study abroad opportunities throughout the Falk College. Her dedication to accessibility and global outreach led to groundbreaking new online programs, including online graduate programs in social work and marriage and family therapy. She helped create the food studies and sport management majors; launched the nation’s first bachelor’s degree in sport analytics; and integrated the Department of Exercise Science into the college. Murphy also led the creation of Falk’s Department of Public Health, and spearheaded collaborations with other colleges, including the School of Education, the College of Law and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

Mission-driven and passionate about issues of equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, Murphy believes that progress results from collective wisdom and collective action.

“We’ve learned a lot from the Haudenosaunee women, the Native women who have always led and been a very important voice, but their men lead with them,” says Murphy. “It’s about empowering people, getting people to the table, because collective voices make the best decisions. You need to have people who have different life experiences because they will think about things you wouldn’t have thought about.”

Murphy applied this passion to several critical leadership roles on campus. In August of 2021, she was one of a three-person interim leadership team appointed by Chancellor Syverud to advance the University’s diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) priorities and strategic planning efforts. Murphy also serves as co-chair of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence, a role she’s held since 2017. And, during former Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw’s tenure, she served as a consultant to him on women’s issues while director of women’s studies. In that role she co-founded the University Senate Committee on Women’s Issues while also co-writing the University’s first Sexual Harassment Policy, Domestic Partnership Policies, Adoption Policies and Gender Equity Studies with the goal of elevating ���ϲ�����’s commitment to a family friendly environment.

Murphy is a four-time Orange alumna. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology, a master of social work degree, a master’s degree in social science and a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary social science, all from ���ϲ�����. She became a member of the University’s social work faculty in 1978 and also served as director of the women’s studies program in the College of Arts and Sciences from 1989-2005, where it became a department with tenured faculty scholars and built the first B.A. and certificate in women’s studies at ���ϲ�����. She has also served as an elected faculty member of the ���ϲ����� Senate since 1980.

Here are ways campus community members can get involved and show support during DVAM.

‘Go Purple’ Office Decorating Contest

Offices and departments across campus are invited to decorate their spaces with information, facts and resources related to violence prevention. Purple decorations are encouraged. To participate, complete the by Friday, Oct. 14. Spaces will be judged beginning Oct. 24-27, with results announced on Friday, Oct. 28.

Clothesline Project

The is a visual display of T-shirts decorated with empowering messages and statistics by individuals impacted by interpersonal violence. The project will be on display in the atrium of the Schine Student Center from Oct. 17-21, serving as a visual exhibition to break the silence on dating and domestic violence and honor the strength of those impacted by interpersonal violence. Sigma Psi Zeta Sorority, Inc. is hosting a in Eggers 010 on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. in support of the project, where Peer Educators Encouraging Healthy Relationships and Sexuality (PEEHRS) peer educators will be providing education on the Clothesline Project and DVAM.

Purple Thursday

Show support by wearing purple on Thursday, Oct. 20, for . Campus community members are encouraged to post photos wearing purple and sharing messages of support on Instagram with #SUGoesPurple.

Education Efforts and Workshops

Health Hubs, a signature program of the health promotion team in the Barnes Center, will pop up around campus to provide quick education and connection to resources regarding healthy relationships and interpersonal violence prevention. The Wellness Leadership Institute also has many opportunities to attend workshops about consent, relationships and other related topics. You can register through the

For more information about resources, education and reporting, visit the .

With questions about any of the events pertaining to Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, please email Shannon Hefti.

Story by Tessa Hodinger G’23, Student Experience communications graduate assistant

Teal Tuesday is held in solidarity with individuals who have been impacted by sexual violence.

Barnes Center at The Arch Health Promotion encourages members of the campus community to wear teal on Tuesday, April 5—Teal Tuesday—in solidarity with individuals who have been impacted by sexual violence. April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

To show support, campus community members can help raise awareness in the following ways:

• Share that you are wearing teal with the hashtag #SUGoesTeal (and tag @BeWellSU on Instagram or Facebook).
• Take a picture in front of the Hall of Languages, Hendricks Chapel or the stadium. All will be lit in teal for the month of April.
• Visit the Clothesline Project set up in the Barnes Recreation lobby from April 4-10. The Clothesline Project is a visual display of shirts created by individuals impacted by sexual violence, relationship violence, stalking or other forms of interpersonal violence—allowing them to share their experiences with others in our campus community.
• Sign up for the to receive email announcements and updates about sexual and relationship violence initiatives on campus.

For University information about support services, reporting options, educational opportunities and policies, visit the University’s .

Over her 31-year career and in her current role as co-executive director of Vera House, Bregman has been and is a fierce advocate for victims of sexual and relationship violence, on and off campus. ���ϲ����� recently chatted with Bregman to learn more about the partnership between Vera House and the University and how students can connect with Vera House’s services.

Wade Davis

Davis, a former professional football player and current vice president at Netflix, works to engage, educate and empower men to better understand the attitudes and actions that are most associated with aspirational masculinity. In partnership with the White Ribbon Campaign of Vera House, this program seeks to unlock the potential of men and boys by seeking a world that is free of violence and abuse.

Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, is co-chair of this year’s White Ribbon Campaign. “The White Ribbon Campaign of Vera House is both an invitation and a promise. By inviting participants to imagine a far better world, we can promise each other opportunities to make it all so,” Konkol says. “I look forward to welcoming Wade Davis to ���ϲ����� as we nourish the spirit and soul of our beloved community.”

The White Ribbon Campaign of Vera House invites, equips and empowers men and boys as leaders in creating and sustaining healthy relationships in households and communities. Through education, advocacy, and philanthropy, White Ribbon Campaign participants are invited to actively promise each other a world that is free of violence and abuse.

Any questions about Thursday’s event can be directed to Hendricks Chapel at 315.443.2901 or chapel@syr.edu.

Gina Kelepurovski

In her role with the University’s (EOIRS), Gina Kelepurovski is often the first person to reach out to students who have been impacted by sexual misconduct or relationship violence once a report is received by her office.

Kelepurovski, Equal Employment Opportunity and Title IX case coordinator, listens to students and provides them with information on resources, supportive measures and reporting options to let them decide whatever path is right for them.

“Our process is very student driven, so if a student doesn’t want to take any action, that’s fine too,” Kelepurovski L’01 says. “I’m here to listen; I tell them, ‘Let me connect you to resources. Let me tell you about the people on campus who are here to help.’”

EOIRS and other such campus as the Barnes Center at The Arch, Department of Public Safety (DPS) and case managers in Student Outreach and Retention, and off-campus resource Vera House, are all available to students seeking help.

In her conversations with students, one of the most important messages Kelepurovski hopes to convey to a student is that the University cares for them.

“We work in this office because we care about students,” says Kelepurovski, who graduated from the College of Law and is a labor and employment attorney.

In this Q&A, Kelepurovski discusses what students who have been impacted by sexual misconduct or relationship violence can expect if they’d like to share their situation with the University.

Q: How do students contact your office if they have been impacted by sexual misconduct or relationship violence?

A: There’s a through our website that they can fill out and it goes automatically to our office. They can also contact us by phone at 315.443.4018 or through the Title IX email.

There are also a couple of different forms, on the DPS and Stop Bias websites, where information can be filled out, and the information is forwarded to us. Other offices also refer students to us. There is also contact information available on the .

Sometimes a student may tell a professor or a staff member and, with the University’s “responsible employee” policy, any employee that becomes aware of an incident having to do with Title IX has to tell our office, unless the employee is a confidential resource, such as with the counselors or medical staff at the Barnes Center or a Hendricks Chapel chaplain.

Q: What are the first steps once a student reaches out to your office?

A: Once I learn of the student’s name, I reach out to the student by email letting them know that I’d like to speak with them, and I include information about their rights and the resources available to them. We can talk by phone or meet by Zoom or in person at the EOIRS offices in Steele Hall.

I ask them if they can share what has happened to them, and I tell them all of the that are available to them on campus, such as referring them to the case managers in Student Outreach and Retention, who can help with academic accommodations if the student is struggling academically or has missed classes due to their situation. I also tell them about the resources available to them through our office, such as a no-contact order, their protection under the University’s no-retaliation policy and the complaint process available to them if they want to pursue a formal complaint.

Q: Can a reporting student come in with a friend?

A: Students can absolutely have someone with them in all our meetings. It could be a friend, a case manager from Student Outreach and Retention, a parent or whomever they choose.

Q: Can a student contact your office anonymously?

A: Yes, students can contact our office anonymously and we can help connect them to resources. However, anonymous reporting can make it more difficult for the University to address the reported behavior if that’s a path a student wants.

Sometimes students don’t give their name and that’s OK, but they might want to know about resources. I can talk to a student by phone to make sure they at least know the support resources available to them on campus. I try my best to be as empathetic and supportive as I can.

I do take the information from a student’s situation, and it goes into our case management system, so that we have the information documented and can track it.

Although the University will always attempt to honor the wishes of a reporting student in terms of what process occurs, there are certain reports that might require the University to move forward with a formal complaint even if a student does not file a formal complaint. The Title IX coordinator weighs multiple factors listed in the policy to determine whether the institution must proceed even without the participation of the reporting or impacted student. This is rare, but does occur, for example, where the facts suggest there is an ongoing threat to the campus community.

Q: If a student doesn’t share anything in your initial meeting, can they come back to discuss what happened and move forward?

A: Absolutely, I always tell students “If you have questions, if you have more to talk about or if you think that I didn’t hear everything, contact me and I will be happy to meet with you as many times as you need to talk about process.”

We want to give students agency to move forward at their own pace when they are ready.

Q: Can supportive measures, such as a no-contact order, only happen if students go through the complaint process?

A: The supportive measures are available to students whether or not they engage in any complaint process at all. Sometimes they may just want personal or academic support working with case managers in Student Outreach and Retention, or safety planning through DPS.

There are things that we can do, but we can’t help them if we don’t know that something has happened.

Q: What sort of legal aid do students have access to?

A: If a student is going through the formal process with our office and they don’t have legal support for a scheduled hearing, a legal advisor is provided to them by the University at no cost to the student.��Vera House can also provide students with information about options for legal support.

Q: What are some misconceptions that students might have about your office and the process?

A: The first is that I think a lot of students don’t know what our office is and that it’s here for them. A lot of them tell me, “I’m so glad you reached out. I didn’t know about the office.”

Also, they may not know there are options for taking action, including whether or not to file a complaint.

And many students think, “Well, if I report it, nothing is going to happen.” If a student does want to file a formal complaint through our office, there is an investigation. The investigator talks to everyone involved and gathers all the evidence, and then we bring it to Community Standards. Community Standards determines whether disciplinary action is appropriate.

Q: What is the most important thing that you want students to take away from your first outreach?

A: I want them to know that we want their experience at ���ϲ����� to be the very best experience that they have in their life. We want them to feel like it’s home, and when these things happen and they don’t feel safe on campus, we want them to know there are resources and people on campus who are there for them and can help them feel safe.

Q: Is there anything else you might want to share about your meetings that students might find helpful?

A: I want students to know there’s nothing to be nervous about coming here to meet with me. There is nothing that a student can tell me that’s going to upset me or shock me. Just come in. We’ll have a conversation, and I’ll help you in any way I can.

For , students can contact the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team at the Barnes Center, available 24/7 by calling 315.443.8000, or Vera House at 315.468.3260.

All students who receive the survey are encouraged to complete it to help the University gain a comprehensive understanding of the student experience. Survey results will inform services, programs and awareness efforts to help prevent and respond to sexual and relationship violence.

“It is really important for all students on campus who receive the survey to provide their own experiences on SU’s campus, whether you think the topic applies to you or not. Your contribution will help provide an accurate understanding of the data to provide a safer and more equitable campus community,” says Clare Peppler, a senior in Falk College and Barnes Center peer educator.

Students helped with refining and finalizing questions and format for this year’s survey. This included student representatives from Stand with Survivors SU and Peer Educators Encouraging Healthy Relationships (PEEHRS). In addition, students in Newhouse School Professor Rebecca Ortiz’s advertising classes spent their fall semester conducting research to develop recommendations on how to communicate the importance of survey completion to students.

“My students found that SU students are motivated to complete surveys when they know the information will be used to improve the student experience and address such an important issue as sexual and relationship violence. It just takes a few minutes to complete and will have a major positive impact,” says Ortiz, who is also a member of the Chancellor’s Task Force.

Results of the survey will be used across the campus community to strengthen student experiences, improve campus climate and enhance programs and services. The previous survey results led to the creation of a comprehensive, centralized and materials that help describe the reporting process in a variety of mediums.

For more information on the Sexual and Relationship Violence Survey, contact healthpromotion@syr.edu.

Vera House is an off-campus confidential resource that provides support and advocacy services to those impacted by sexual and relationship violence. For more information, call Vera House at 315.425.0818.

Vera House partners with the University in the University’s work to prevent sexual and relationship violence and provide resources to those impacted. Vera House staff members are also members of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence and task force work groups.

To learn more about on-campus resources regarding sexual and relationship violence-related services, response, educational opportunities, policies and reporting options, visit the . The website highlights the network of units working to prevent and respond to sexual and relationship violence, including the Barnes Center at The Arch; Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services (including Title IX); Department of Public Safety; Community Standards; and Dean of Students, among many others.

The Intercultural Collective took part in an office decorating contest to raise awareness of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

University units and departments showed their support in purple in honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.

The Barnes Center at The Arch sponsored the “SU Goes Purple” decorating contest, in which offices were invited to decorate their workspaces purple to help raise awareness and show support for survivors and those impacted by interpersonal violence.

The winners of the contest were the following:

• Best Decorated: Fraternity and Sorority Affairs
• Most Creative Decorations: Hendricks Chapel
• Most Purple Space: Student Centers and Programming Services
• Most Interactive Space: Intercultural Collective
• Most Eye Catching: Student Living on South Campus

The Clothesline Project provides the campus with an opportunity to explore displays of T-shirts decorated by those impacted by interpersonal violence.

Another effort during the awareness month was The Clothesline Project, which provides the campus with an opportunity to explore displays of T-shirts decorated by those impacted by interpersonal violence.

The annual project is held to increase awareness of the impact of violence and abuse, to honor a survivor’s strength to continue and to provide another avenue for them to courageously break the silence that often surrounds their experience.

The University also announced in October the creation of the as part of continual efforts to increase education and to provide prevention, reporting and services information in a centralized place. It represents the vast network of teams across campus working to prevent and respond to sexual and relationship violence, including the Barnes Center at The Arch; Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services (including Title IX); Department of Public Safety; Community Standards; and Dean of Students, among many others, as well as off-campus resources such as Vera House.

Campus community members are encouraged to visit the for more information, to about sexual and relationship violence, and for additional opportunities to support interpersonal violence prevention and education.

Below are some of the photos of the offices and departments that took part in the awareness effort.

Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

Student Centers and Programming Services

Student Living

Community Standards

Department of Public Safety

Hendricks Chapel

Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

Barnes Counseling

Dean of Students

Intercultural Collective

Dean of Students

Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

As we enter National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I want to take this opportunity to remind our returning students about and introduce our new students to the resources and support services available to assist individuals impacted by sexual and relationship violence.

In the (Equal Opportunity and Title IX), we work with students, faculty and staff to cultivate a culture of respect, safety and equity. Please understand that you are not alone if you or someone you know is ever impacted by sexual or relationship violence. University and local resources are available to assist you with seeking immediate self-care, connecting to support resources and understanding the reporting process and options:

Seeking Immediate Self-Care

Support is always available—day and night.

• Seek medical attention.
  • 911 (emergency medical attention)
  • Barnes Center Health Care, 315.443.8000 (non-emergency medical attention)
• Talk to someone confidentially.
  • 24/7 at the Barnes Center at The Arch, 315.443.8000
  • Hendricks Chapel chaplains, 315.443.2901
  • Vera House, 315.468.3260

Connecting to Support Resources to Help You Feel Safe

The Equal Opportunity and Title IX team, which can be reached at 315.443.4018, can connect you with free support and resources and take supportive steps, while you decide what pathway is right for you. These include the following:

• safety planning
• student support through Dean of Students office
• modification to work or class schedules
• work or housing relocations
• counseling ()
• University Orders (no-contact order/no-trespass order) to restrict or minimize interactions between individuals

Understanding the Reporting Options Available to You

Everyone impacted by sexual and relationship violence has complete control when determining what reporting avenue is right for them. The two most common reporting options are:

• Filing a complaint with ���ϲ�����,
  • contact the Title IX coordinator at 315.443.0211 or titleix@syr.edu, or
  • contact the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224.
• Filing a police report,
  • call 911 or call ���ϲ����� Police at 315.435.3016, or
  • call state police at 1.844.845.7269.

The Equal Opportunity and Title IX team is available to provide guidance and direct you to resources—we will not pressure any survivor to follow a certain path.

As a caring community, we thrive together when we support each other and show our concern. I encourage any individual who witnesses an incident of sexual or relationship violence to report it. We are all responsible for creating a safe, respectful community free of interpersonal violence.

For further information, visit the recently launched , which brings together the University’s combined efforts in prevention, support and educational resources.

In addition to resources for those impacted by sexual and relationship violence, I also want to remind you that there are many ways to educate yourself, show support to victims and survivors of interpersonal violence, and get involved in combating sexual and interpersonal violence on our campus:

• Participate in the Barnes Center’s , which offers workshops centered on different aspects of health and wellness. Topics covered include bystander intervention, consent and healthy relationships.
• Join groups such as the (PEERHS) with the Barnes Center to support outreach initiatives that promote a healthy community.
• Take part in the offered by Equal Opportunity and Title IX to educate our community on topics related to Title IX, harassment and discrimination.

Sincerely,

Sheila Johnson-Willis
Chief Equal Opportunity and Title IX Officer

The Hall of Languages is illuminated in purple to recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“With our ongoing work and outreach to educate our campus community about all forms of interpersonal violence, the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence is eager to share this new centralized resource with our campus community,” says Vice President for the Student Experience and Dean of Students Rob Hradsky, who co-chairs the Chancellor’s Task Force with Dean of Falk College Diane Lyden Murphy. “The website reflects the collaboration, coordination and commitment of many partners who do this important work every day to support those impacted by violence and promote a welcoming and safe campus environment.”

The website serves as a hub for sexual and relationship violence-related services, response, educational opportunities, policies and reporting options. It also demonstrates the vast network of teams across campus working to prevent and respond to sexual and relationship violence, including the Barnes Center at The Arch; Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services (including Title IX); Department of Public Safety; Community Standards (formerly the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities); and Dean of Students, among many others, as well as off-campus resources such as Vera House. Critical to its development was feedback from students. Student peer educators from the Barnes Center at The Arch, along with student representatives from the Chancellor’s Task Force, provided input that helped shape the website.

“The launching of this website is a huge step in the right direction for survivors and allies on our campus. When it comes to delivering education, resources and reporting options, it is crucial material is as accessible as possible,” says Kinley Gaudette ’23, a peer educator at the Barnes Center. “Having key information, contacts and policies all in one place helps us ensure that if a student or someone they know is impacted by sexual and relationship violence, they are confident in their ability to access the information they need to make an informed decision as to how to proceed. The more students become well-versed in prevention, support and reporting options, the safer our campus will be.”

Campus community members are encouraged to visit the for more information, to about sexual and relationship violence, and for additional opportunities to support interpersonal violence prevention and education. Upcoming opportunities for Domestic Violence Awareness Month include:

National Wear Purple Day on Thursday, Oct. 21

The community is encouraged to “Wear Purple” on Thursday, Oct. 21, as part of the National Wear Purple Day to show solidarity with those impacted by interpersonal violence. Community members can post photos on social media, tagging @BeWellSU and using #SUGoesPurple, sharing why they wear purple to end interpersonal violence.

Office Decorating Contest

The Barnes Center invites campus offices to decorate their spaces purple for the month to raise awareness. Additional details will be posted to the University Events Calendar.

Workshops

During the month of October, the Barnes Center at The Arch will host two workshops in its series focused on violence prevention and supporting those impacted by violence:

• Oct. 19 –
• Oct. 26 –

Authored by assistant professor �����Ի� PhD student Andrea Smith, the article “,” was published in June 2021 in the peer-reviewed journal .

Ortiz and Smith found that the stronger the partisan identity of Republicans and Democrats, the more likely they were to engage in victim blaming attitudes, which was then related to a lesser likelihood to perceive the #MeToo movement as having a positive impact in the United States, possibly as a way of defending their political identities in a time when many political leaders have been accused of sexual assault.

In this cross-sectional study, the researchers sent a survey to Democrats, Republicans and independents and asked them a series of questions related to how strongly they identify with their political party affiliation.

The next series of questions looked at their attitudes about sexual assault and violence against women. These questions explored how likely they were to agree with myths about sexual assault, such as believing that female victims are at least somewhat responsible. The researchers then broke down responses by political identity and gender.

“What we found is that the more Republicans and Democrats strongly identified with their party, the more likely they were to agree, or at least not strongly disagree, with these sexual assault myths and then the less likely they were to perceive the #MeToo movement as having a positive impact,” said Ortiz. “As predicted, these sexual assault myth attitudes were significantly higher among Republicans than Democrats and among men than women. We also found that our participants aligned more closely by party than gender, such that Republican women more closely aligned with Republican men and Democratic men with Democratic women.”

However, while the Democratic Party has championed the #MeToo movement and women’s rights, the researchers’ findings indicate that even strongly partisan Democrats may still be willing to, at least somewhat, question a victim’s story or believe in sexual assault myths, perhaps especially when a Democratic politician is accused of harassment or assault.

This narrative has played out on both sides of the political spectrum. In 2016, former President Donald Trump was accused by several women of sexual misconduct and harassment. During the campaign, an infamous tape resurfaced of Trump making lewd remarks about women and bragging about sexually harassing women. He still won the election and enjoyed popular support from Republicans. Likewise, while many Democrats called out former President Trump for the numerous sexual assault allegations against him, some Democrats were far less willing to criticize President Biden when a similar accusation was made by a former staffer during the 2020 elections.

“It appears that both Democrats and Republicans have the potential to engage in victim blaming and acceptance of these harmful cultural myths about sexual assault survivors as a means of preserving and defending their political identities, perhaps especially when powerful members and leaders of their political group are accused of these crimes,” said Ortiz.

Ortiz currently has another manuscript under peer review where she experimentally tested how partisanship can lead Democrats and Republicans to perceive sexual assault allegations and the news sources reporting on these allegations in politically biased ways.

Ortiz conducts research at ���ϲ�����’s Newhouse School with a focus in health communication, social marketing and entertainment and news media effects. She has managed and consulted on several health communication campaigns and research projects focused primarily on sexual health issues, such as sexual violence prevention.

To arrange an interview with Prof. Ortiz, please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, director of media relations at ���ϲ�����, at ejmbuqe@syr.edu or 412-496-0551.

What:  Students, faculty, staff, parents, administrators, and other members of the public are encouraged to share their perspectives on steps that can be taken to ensure:

• students who experience sexual harassment, including sexual assault, stalking and relationship violence, receive appropriate supports;
• schools provide fair processes for resolving complaints of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, stalking and relationship violence; and
• students who have experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity have their legal rights fully met.

The input from the hearing will also support the department’s commitment to ensuring equal and nondiscriminatory access to education for all students.

When:��

• Monday, June 7  from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, June 8 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET
• Wednesday, June 9 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET
• Thursday, June 10 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET
• Friday, June 11 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET

How: �վ��������� to register to make a live comment during the hearing.

Send written comments to T9PublicHearing@ed.gov, following the guidelines in the .

If you have questions about the public hearings, please connect with the ���ϲ����� Title IX team (Equal Opportunity, Inclusion, and Resolution Services) at titleix@syr.edu.

To receive updates about sexual and relationship violence prevention efforts on campus join the .�� is used to share education and interpersonal violence prevention efforts with the campus community.

“Help is always available, and it’s not a situation you have to navigate by yourself,” Johnson-Willis says.

Sheila Johnson-Willis

Many support options and resources are available on campus for students, to ensure that they are able to take care of their immediate well-being, as well as provide them with reporting options.

Johnson-Willis’ office, the (EOIRS), offers students a way to report an incident, and its staff members also help guide students to other resources and assist with measures to ensure students’ well-being as they continue their academics. EOIRS also works with faculty and staff impacted by incidents of discrimination and harassment.

“Students often think if they report, all these things have to happen or they have to report in order to get support—but this is not the case,” Johnson-Willis says. “Regardless of whether students want to proceed criminally or through an administrative process, there are support options available.”

In this Q&A, Johnson-Willis explains more about her role and the work of her office, how it assists students and how students can seek help.

Q: What is your role as Title IX officer?

A: As Title IX officer [also referred to as Title IX coordinator], my primary role is ensuring that we’re creating a safe and welcoming space for all of our community members—students, faculty and staff, as well as guests. In that role, I respond to complaints of discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual assault and relationship violence, and I oversee the processes we have to address inappropriate conduct.

The Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services ensures that those who are impacted receive desired and available supports on or off campus, and that the University provides a prompt response. We create a pathway to deter future behavior of a similar nature.

As an impartial unit, our team is tasked with fact gathering to try to understand what occurred so the University can take appropriate next steps to address conduct or issues.

We investigate complaints of discrimination (including sexual and relationship violence) with compassion, issue investigative reports and provide that information to appropriate decisionmakers. With students, those decisionmakers would be the hearing officers in the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. For faculty, it would be the associate provost’s office, and, for staff members, it’s the business partners within the Office of Human Resources.

We also make community members aware of the policies and procedures that we have in place to address these kinds of incidents.

Q: How does EOIRS assist students who have been impacted by sexual or relationship violence?

A: Our office is primarily responsible for helping students understand their rights and options through the University’s Title IX processes, and we investigate all formal complaints lodged by the parties or the University on a student’s behalf. We also assist students affected by sexual and relationship violence by connecting them with the appropriate resources on or off campus. In doing this, we work very closely with the and the at the Barnes Center at The Arch.

We also assist students by taking measures to further assist or protect them. As the Title IX Coordinator, I can request on their behalf that certain actions be taken by the institution, such as assisting with a housing relocation or a no contact order, which will prevent the other party from having any intentional direct or indirect contact with them. I also connect them with the Dean of Students Office if there is some sort of academic accommodation that needs to take place.

We allow the student to drive the process, that means making sure they are connected with other campus offices and ensuring that their academic experience isn’t more greatly impacted by the incident. We provide them the support and whatever is necessary to assist them in remaining on campus and feeling safe. Our office is also responsible for conducting training and awareness opportunities, in concert with other offices, to reduce, limit and prevent incidents from occurring on our campus.

Q: How is your office different from other resources on campus?

A: Our office differs from other offices on campus because of our responsibility to assist in ensuring that the environment is a safe and welcoming place, while also determining if there is additional action that the institution needs to take. That differs from such resources as the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team and health care providers at the Barnes Center at The Arch that are confidential and privileged support options.

Other offices deal with students (and all members of our community) on more of an individual level. In my role as the Title IX officer, it’s more of a balancing act because there is an overarching responsibility for our community holistically, along with the individual, with any decision or action we take.

Q: What would you say to a student who has experienced sexual violence but is uncertain what to do or confused by the options?

A: I would encourage a student in that situation to seek support through the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team. By connecting with those individuals, students can ask questions, become familiar with the role of the Title IX officer and their rights, and understand the various options they can elect to pursue.

By first connecting with those resources, there is a level of education and support that’s offered. Students need to know that they do not have to navigate this complicated and traumatic experience alone. There are a number of people who can help.

Even through my office, we are trying to answer those questions so students can make the most informed decision about what would be best for them right now or after some time has passed as they go through the healing process.

Q: What is the most important thing you want students to know when they reach out for support from your office?

A: The most important thing for students to know is that their health and well-being is a priority for us. We want to support them and their academic endeavors and to make sure their environment is safe and harassment free. By reaching out to us, our goal is to provide the necessary information so that they can make an informed decision and identify what will work best for them, in that moment, and be a liaison between any University resources and supports that they may need.

There are many things we can do even if a student decides they don’t want to do a formal process. We want people to seek out the help.

By educating our entire community, we hope to inform those who are impacted, as well as those who are supporting those who have been impacted, so they will share the information with their friend.

If you have been impacted by sexual or relationship violence, find the full range of resources and supports listed on the .

Students can find out more information about the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services on and .

“The information provided from students who completed the survey in 2018 and 2020, as well as from other data and feedback surrounding programs, services and resources, provides important insight to guide and direct our continuing work to prevent and address sexual and relationship violence,” says Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience and co-chair of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence.

This year’s survey garnered a 29 percent response rate from the stratified random sample of nearly 4,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students. The responses offer themes and key learnings that can inform the ways in which the University addresses sexual and relationship violence on campus. The full results of the survey can be accessed by students, faculty and staff by logging into MySlice.

Key findings from the students who responded to the 2020 survey include the following:

• Nearly 70 percent of respondents said they knew where they could get help if they or a friend were sexually assaulted.
• About 65 percent said they had a general understanding of ���ϲ�����’s procedures for addressing sexual and relationship violence.
• About 19 percent of respondents reported having experienced sexual contact without their consent since coming to ���ϲ�����.
• About 24 percent of respondents indicated that they had been affected by dating violence since coming to ���ϲ�����.

Support and Resources

Students impacted by sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking and harassment can receive confidential counseling, advocacy and support, as well as discuss reporting options, with a member of the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response (SRVR) Team at the Barnes Center at The Arch 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The SRVR Team can be reached by calling 315.443.8000. For 24/7 confidential support and advocacy off campus, contact Vera House at 315.468.3260.

Reporting options include:

• ���ϲ����� Title IX Coordinator (in the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services): call 315.443.0211; visit 005 Steele Hall; or email titleix@syr.edu
• Department of Public Safety: call 315.443.2224; call or send a message via the LiveSafe app; 711 from any campus phone; #78 on your cell; or visit 005 Sims Hall
• ���ϲ����� Police Department: call 315.435.3016
• New York State Police: call 1.844.845.7269
• Anonymous ���ϲ����� Reporting:

Opportunities for Involvement

Students, faculty and staff interested in getting involved in sexual and relationship violence prevention efforts on campus are encouraged to learn more about the following options:

• Join the —open to students, faculty and staff—for updates about sexual and relationship prevention programming, initiatives and events on campus.
• Participate in training opportunities offered by the or attend a session related to bystander intervention, consent or healthy relationships.
• Join the who host programs and conduct outreach to educate fellow students.
• Connect with on campus who support, advocate and educate others about issues related to sexual and relationship violence, sexual health and safety.

For more information on resources and support, visit the . For more information on the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence, including membership and information on the group’s charge, go to the .

Peer educator Elizabeth Gostev

An interactive outreach program designed to promote wellness and encourage a healthy campus community, the Health Hub is staffed with Barnes Center at The Arch peer educators, as well as other health and wellness teams around campus.

The Health Hub used to pop up in surprise locations across campus to help engage students in learning about health issues. Virtually, the Health Hub operates through the Barnes Center Instagram page, . Every Wednesday, a new Health Hub topic is posted to the Instagram page’s story.

In April, the Health Hub educated students on raising awareness about sexual, relationship and domestic violence, as well as other forms of interpersonal violence as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. They also promoted this year’s virtual Take Back the Night event.

The Health Hub also focused on alcohol and drug education, as well as ways to destress for success.

“Especially with what we’re going through now with isolation and students not being able to see other people as often, it’s important to talk about these issues—Sexual Assault Awareness Month, alcohol and drug education and destressing,” says Ella Perkins, a first-year graduate student in the higher education administration program in the School of Education and a health promotion outreach intern at the Barnes Center at The Arch.

Two peer educators create video content for the Instagram story, as well as trivia questions students can answer. The stories are saved on the page so students can view them until the next Health Hub—an advantage with the virtual space that was previously unavailable.

“We tried to recreate the energy of a real Health Hub online, so rather than having a long video and a long explanation we choose to do very quick types of things,” says peer educator Elizabeth Gostev ’20. “We’re able to recreate this pretty easily through Instagram.”

Senior peer educator Richelle Calderon ’20 says, “We’re also trying to incorporate peer educators describing how they do self-care to give students ideas.” Calderon stays mentally healthy by going on walks and making sure she gets outside.

Peer educator Raylyn Cabrera Gomez

Students can follow the Barnes Center Instagram page, , to keep up with the Health Hub in addition to other services offered by . On Wednesday, May 6, the Peer Educators Encouraging Healthy Relationships and Sexuality will talk about setting healthy boundaries.

Over the summer, students can continue to access resources, including the and the .

Students can also visit the and the to see what opportunities are available in the summer.

Starting this Thursday, May 7, until Monday, Aug. 24, students are encouraged to explore the . Workshop topics highlight a variety of health and wellness topics.

“We were thrilled to have seven departments from across campus participate in this year’s contest, helping ���ϲ����� go purple to show our support for victims of domestic and dating violence,” says Michelle Goode, a health promotion specialist focused on sexual and relationship violence prevention in the Barnes Center at The Arch. “In addition to the visual impact of ‘going purple,’ we encouraged the campus community to participate in National Wear Purple Day on Oct. 24 and held a candlelight vigil last week in memory of those lost to domestic violence. These efforts drive home the message that there is no place for domestic violence on ���ϲ�����’s campus, and ensures that the voices of victims do not go unheard.”

Also part of the monthlong awareness effort was The Clothesline Project, an annual T-shirt display co-sponsored by Student Centers and Programing Services, ���ϲ����� Libraries and the Barnes Center at The Arch.

Below, check out some of the photos of ���ϲ����� going purple and the SU Goes Purple contest winners. Thank you to all who participated!

The Clothesline Project is an annual visual display of T-shirts created by individuals that have been impacted by interpersonal violence.

Most Purple Space and Most Liked Page on Social Media: ���ϲ����� Abroad.

Most Purple Space and Most Liked Page on Social Media: ���ϲ����� Abroad.

Honorable Mention: Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience (ESE), Communications.

Grand Prize Winner for Best Decorated Administration Space: Dean of Students Office.

Grand Prize Winner for Best Decorated Administration Space: Dean of Students Office.

The Cultural Centers staff members, representing the Disability Cultural Center, LGBT Resource Center and Office of Multicultural Affairs, showed their support of Purple Thursday on Oct. 24.

Most Creatively Decorated Space: The Barnes Center at The Arch, Recreation.

Most Creatively Decorated Space: The Barnes Center at The Arch, Recreation.

Honorable Mention: Department of Citizenship and Civic Engagement.

The Peer Educators Encouraging Healthy Relationships and Sexuality (PEEHRS) team showed their support of Purple Thursday on Oct. 24.

Honorable Mention: Department of Geography.

Most Interactive Space: Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

A wall of purple ribbons and factoids about dating and domestic violence.

The ESE leadership team showed their support of Purple Thursday on Oct. 24. (Pictured left to right: Dolan Evanovich, senior vice president of enrollment and the student experience; Bev Everding, ESE director of administration; Shannon Feeney Andre, ESE director of communications; Ryan Williams, vice president of enrollment services)

Get involved by joining the SEPT listserv

The Sexual and Relationship Violence Student Education and Prevention Team (SEPT) recently launched a dedicated listserv to share information regarding programming, policy updates, collaboration opportunities and other relevant information pertaining to violence prevention. Faculty and staff who want to get more involved in these efforts can complete the to be added to the email list. With questions or for more information, contact Michelle Goode.

Photos by Evan Jenkins, Division of Marketing and Communications

The Hall of Languages illuminated by purple light in honor of Dating Violence Awareness Month.

October is nationally recognized as Dating Violence Awareness Month. Every year, ���ϲ����� hosts events to increase awareness and educate the campus community about the dangers and prevalence of dating and domestic violence. This year, the University is continuing that tradition with an array of events.

Julia Cutler, a junior and peer educator in the Barnes Center at The Arch says, “Dating Violence Awareness Month provides a safe space for survivors to know there is a community that cares about them and is actively working to combat domestic and dating violence. It also makes it clear that there is no place for perpetrators of domestic violence on campus. Through the various events held throughout the month of October, we aim to raise awareness for survivors and make sure that their voices do not go unheard.”

All University offices and departments are encouraged to decorate their spaces purple to help raise awareness for domestic and dating violence and show support for survivors. Residence halls are welcome to participate by encouraging residents to decorate their doors or host floor contests. by Monday, Oct. 14, and judging begins on Monday, Oct. 21. Students who would like to volunteer to be judges are asked to .

Show your Solidarity in the Movement to End Dating and Domestic Violence

Members of the campus community are encouraged to share on social media how they will create positive change in our culture to reduce domestic and other forms of interpersonal violence using #SUGoesPurple and #IWillTBTN. At different times throughout the month, the Hall of Languages will be lit in purple to raise awareness of domestic and dating violence in support of survivors and victims. On Thursday, Oct. 24, the University will participate in , a nationwide effort to show solidarity with those impacted by interpersonal violence. Those who wish to show solidarity are encouraged to wear a purple ribbon or purple attire and tag on social media while using the hashtags #SUGoesPurple and #IWillTBTN.

The Clothesline Project provides the campus with an opportunity to explore displays of t-shirts decorated by those impacted by interpersonal violence. The display will be on exhibit from Monday, Oct. 21, through Monday, Oct. 28, in Bird Library and in the from Monday, Oct. 21, through Thursday, Oct. 31. If you are interested in creating a shirt or hosting a space to create t-shirts, please contact Michelle Goode, sexual and relationship violence prevention specialist by email at mlgoode@syr.edu  or by calling Barnes Center at The Arch Health Promotion at 315.443.8000.

Join the Barnes Center at The Arch peer educators on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel to honor the memories of individuals that have lost their lives due to domestic and dating violence. There will be a brief statement followed by a moment of silence.

In addition to events, there are multiple opportunities to show solidarity and support throughout the month on social media. Follow to see the various ways the campus community is uniting around the issue of domestic and interpersonal violence awareness.

For more information or to request accommodations, please contact Michelle Goode, sexual and relationship violence prevention specialist, at mlgoode@syr.edu or by calling 315.443.8000.

Story by Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience communications intern Abigail J. Covington ’19, G ’20.

“The task force plays a significant role in our overall effort to identify and shape the opportunities we have to further improve sexual violence prevention, education and advocacy services at the University,” says Chancellor Syverud. “We are all aware of serious issues of sexual violence on college campuses around the nation. Such violence has no place on our campus. I have asked the task force to continue reviewing our policies, services and procedures, and propose any necessary changes if there are weaknesses or gaps in our current systems and structures.”

Continuing as co-chairs for the 2019-20 academic year will be Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience, and Diane Lyden Murphy, dean of the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. Other members are:

• Randi K. Bregman, executive director, Vera House
• Katelyn U. Cowen, director of health promotions, Barnes Center at The Arch
• Jeremiah Deep, Catholic campus minister
• Connor Dennewitz, undergraduate student representative
• Kaitlin Donovan, student-athlete representative
• Herman R. Frazier, deputy director of athletics
• Andy Gordon, senior vice president and chief human resources officer
• Huey Hsiao, associate director, Office of Multicultural Affairs
• Chris Johnson, associate provost for academic affairs
• Sheila Johnson, associate vice president, chief equal opportunity and Title IX officer
• khristian kemp-de lisser, director, LGBT Resource Center
• Annabelle Lee, graduate student representative
• Andrew S. London, professor of sociology and associate dean, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Bobby Maldonado, chief, Department of Public Safety
• Rebecca Ortiz, assistant professor of public communications, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• Jeffrey S. Pauline, associate professor of sport management, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
• Abby R. Perer, associate general counsel
• Pamela A. Peter, assistant dean, Fraternity and Sorority Affairs
• Kyle Rosenblum, Student Association representative
• Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president, communications
• Cory Wallack, interim executive director, Barnes Center at The Arch
• Dyane Watson, professor of practice in marriage and family therapy, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
• Ralph Zito, professor of acting and chair of drama, College of Visual and Performing Arts

Describing their service on the task force as a “most important and sensitive responsibility on behalf of the ���ϲ����� community,” Chancellor Syverud charged members with exploring evidence-based best practices in order to frame their recommendations for improvement. They are also expected to seek significant involvement, input and feedback from members of the campus community and report their findings to the Chancellor on or before May 1, 2020.

The idea to establish the task force originated from the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Sexual Violence Prevention, Education and Advocacy, which recommended a permanent task force be established, including “individuals with expertise and authority on issues related to students’ need; privilege and confidentiality; federal, state and local statutes and policies; and fiscal and human resources issues.”

In implementing many of the recommendations, the University also has conducted a student climate survey designed to gauge attitudes, awareness and experiences related to sexual and relationship violence; created new support groups; signed on with the White House’s “It’s on Us” campaign; organized a full calendar of educational programs and events around the issues; and provided detailed information to faculty, staff and students about Title IX.

As part of the preparations, the Counseling Center’s location at 200 Walnut Place will close today. Walk-in services will be available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 111 Waverly Ave. until services are operational at the Barnes Center.

Crisis services and the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team remain available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling 315.443.8000.

Health care providers and the pharmacy will continue to operate from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in 111 Waverly Ave. until the move is complete to the Barnes Center. A ���ϲ����� licensed medical provider remains available for medical consult after hours by calling 315.443.8000.

Health promotion staff and recreation administrative staff moves will follow.

For question, contact the Barnes Center at The Arch at 315.443.8000 or barnescenter@syr.edu.

From a random sample of nearly 2,000 students, a total of 482 students responded to last April’s survey (a response rate of 24.1 percent). While the survey results do not represent the entire student population, some themes emerged that will guide the work of the task force. The full results of the student climate survey can be accessed online by logging into MySlice.

“This effort aligns with New York State Enough Is Enough legislation requiring that the University conduct this type of survey every other year and create awareness about related University policies and resources,” says Rob Hradsky, senior associate vice president and co-chair of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence. “The results of the survey will be used, along with other data, to guide our efforts as we continue to address sexual and relationship violence on campus.”

Key findings from the students who responded to the survey include the following:

• More than 70 percent said they knew where they could get help if they or a friend were sexually assaulted.
• About 67 percent said they had a general understanding of ���ϲ�����’s procedures for addressing sexual and relationship violence.
• Nearly 51 percent had a general understanding of the role of the University’s Title IX coordinator.
• Roughly 23 percent of participants reported having experienced sexual contact without their consent.
• About 26 percent reported that they had been affected by dating violence.

The survey focused on four key areas: sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and sexual harassment. Key takeaways relative to each focus area and the definitions of each area can be found in the report.

Opportunities for Involvement

Interested members of the campus community have several channels for getting involved in sexual and relationship violence prevention on campus. The —composed of students, faculty and staff—focuses on prevention initiatives relating to awareness and campuswide event coordination, healthy masculinity efforts, trauma-informed care and prosocial bystander intervention.

Training opportunities are also available—including the Be Orange certification workshop and programming—by request from the or the (EOIRS).

Students also may apply to become a peer educator through the Office of Health Promotion to encourage healthy relationships and sexuality; sign up for the Office of Health Promotion ; or join one of the many student organizations on campus involved in sexual and relationship violence prevention work, including , , and the .

Additional Resources and Support

For more information on resources and support for those affected by sexual or relationship violence, visit the website and the website. For more information on the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence, including membership and information on the group’s charge, go to the .

To help share the message of support, University offices, departments and organizations participated in the month-long . Participants were asked to decorate their on-campus space with the color teal and educational information.

“Decorating campus spaces, in addition to providing programs and events, helps to start conversations surrounding the topic of sexual assault and relationship violence. It also serves as a visual representation of support,” says Michelle Goode, health promotion specialist for sexual and relationship violence prevention in the Office of Health Promotion. “We thank everyone who helped spread awareness and hope that the conversations continue past April.”

Participating spaces were evaluated in the following categories: decorations, creativity, incorporation of the color teal, level of interaction the space provided, and how eye-catching the space appeared. Digitally, participants gained higher scores for promoting their space and receiving the most “likes” on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contest winners were selected by a panel of student judges.

The 2019 Go Teal Decorating Contest winners were:

Grand Prize
Office of Multicultural Affairs

First Runner-Up
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

Honorable Mention
Office of Student Living, South Campus

Most “Liked” Space on Social Media
Office of Multicultural Affairs

For more information, contact the at 315.443.7273.

In honor of the month, the Hall of Languages will be lit in teal, the national color for sexual assault awareness. The campus community is encouraged to wear teal on Tuesday, April 2—Teal Tuesday—to show their support for survivors of sexual assault. University offices and departments across campus are also invited to participate in the . to participate in the contest is due by Monday, April 15.

Several events will be held throughout the month for students, faculty and staff to learn more about campus and community resources, find empowerment and create a discussion on campus on how to help end sexual and relationship violence.

On Thursday, April 4, the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services (EOIRS) will host “Food for Thought,” a lunch, panel and resource fair featuring on-campus support resources for students, faculty and staff. The resource fair will be in the Schine Student Center Atrium from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The panel discussion will be in 228B Schine and will include a light lunch for attendees.

—the comedic performance group—will return to campus on Monday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m. in Grant Auditorium. Hosted by the Sexual and Relationship Violence Student Education and Prevention Team (SEPT), Phallacies will explore healthy masculinity and relationships through various comedic sketches.

In addition to the events above, the month will feature “Surviving the Silence: A Conversation on Race and Sexual Assault” (April 3); “Getting Involved with It’s On Us SU” featuring Samantha Skaller ’17 (April 4); “Cookies and Consent” (April 5); “Yoga as Healing” (April 10 and 24); “Mindful Monday Mile” (April 15); “Miss Representation” film viewing and dialogue session (April 18); “Be Orange Student Training” (April 22); and “Spilling the Tea on Sex and Relationships” hosted by Vera House Inc. (April 23).

“I think it’s important for students to attend these events for their own well-being,” says Emily Durand ’19, a senior in the School of Education and It’s On Us at-large advisor. “I think it’s important to always challenge ourselves in these safer environments so that we can begin to be more understanding, compassionate and empowered on this campus. We can all be a part of making the culture on campus more inclusive, and I think Sexual Assault Awareness Month events really help enable that change.”

The campus community is also encouraged to continue the message from Take Back the Night and participate in the #IWillTBTN campaign all month long, sharing on social media how they will help end interpersonal violence using the hashtag. The community can follow events during the month using #SUGoesTeal on social media.

For full details on each of the events, visit the .

Sexual Assault Awareness Month is a Universitywide collaboration made possible by the Office of Health Promotion, the Counseling Center, EOIRS, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Office of Student Assistance, the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, the Department of Public Safety, SEPT, the Student Association, It’s On US SU, Healthy Monday ���ϲ�����, the Panhellenic Council and Vera House Inc.

In the story, Thompson explains that “when you see those stories embodied in actual human beings, with pretty unrelenting closeups (of interview subjects), that has a rhetorical power that exceeds ‘just the facts.’”

“The Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence was established to help nurture a safe and respectful campus community for all,” says Falk College Dean Diane Lyden Murphy, who co-chairs the group with Robert Hradsky, senior associate vice president for the student experience and dean of students. “Meeting this goal requires open communication—to the greatest extent possible given any confidentiality concerns—of our work and of the progress we are making toward this goal.”

Earlier this week, the task force convened its regular monthly meeting, during which it discussed proposed federal changes to Title IX regulations and reviewed strategies for better educating and engaging with the campus community. Randi Bregman, executive director of Vera House and a member of the task force, also provided a preliminary report on the annual White Ribbon Campaign.

The task force members discussed the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed changes to Title IX regulations. A sub-workgroup, including students, faculty and staff (along with the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services and the Office of the University Counsel), was formed to further review the proposed regulations and their impact.

Following its Title IX discussion, the task force focused on new initiatives designed to enhance its communications efforts. This included a decision to run regular meeting updates in SU News and SU Today, to incorporate meeting highlights into the University’s monthly campus update email and to further enhance the task force’s website presence.

Before the conclusion of the meeting, Bregman provided details about the March 2019 White Ribbon Campaign. Bregman said that the campaign not only serves as a fundraiser but also as an important means of building awareness across campus and the larger community. The task force indicated it plans to publicize and support the campaign as it has in past years.

The task force’s next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 25.

is the director at and president of the Central New York Psychological Association. She says victim silence is often the byproduct of cultural messages that implicitly or directly blame those who come forward with allegations.

Kapuscinski says:

“In my clinical practice, I have met many sexual assault survivors. I am frequently the first person they have ever told about their experience, and relatively few pursue legal action. Feelings of shame and anxiety about telling their stories are common responses to sexual trauma for many women who do not report.

“Their silence is in part the byproduct of cultural messages that implicitly or directly blame and doubt women who come forward with allegations.��Women are aware that convictions are rare, while the cost of speaking up can be heavy.��Only about 1 in 10 sexual assaults reported by police result in a conviction.

“Survivors of sexual trauma are commonly haunted by intrusive flashbacks and nightmares emphasizing certain traumatic details that are vividly ‘burned’ into their memoires – while some aspects of the event are not recalled.

“Following severe threats to our bodily integrity, changes immediately occur in our neurobiology that are intended to ensure survival by facilitating vigilance to cues associated with threat in the future.��Survivors’ memory systems prioritize details of the event that are perceived as central to the danger, and it would therefore be expected that some peripheral details, such as those occurring before or after the trauma, would not be recalled.”

To request interviews or get more information:

Daryl Lovell
Media Relations Manager
Division of Marketing and Communications

T 315.443.1184   M��315.380.0206
dalovell@syr.edu |

820 Comstock Avenue, Suite 308, ���ϲ�����, NY 13244
news.syr.edu |

���ϲ�����

Charged by Chancellor Syverud with identifying strategies to deter sexual violence and further enhance education and advocacy services, the task force works to advance key recommendations that had been put forward in the group’s original 2015 report to the Chancellor.

“The work we have done so far shows that we have many resources and people who are deeply invested in eliminating instances of sexual and relationship violence and providing needed support and services when they do occur,” says Murphy. “We will continue working this year to build on those assets and to pursue best practices that help to ensure a safe and respectful campus community for all.”

“Assuring the safety and well-being of our students is our most fundamental priority,” says Hradsky. “Students cannot thrive—academically, socially or emotionally—unless they feel safe in their campus environment, and I look forward to making even greater progress toward that goal in the months and year ahead.”

In addition to Murphy and Hradsky, the following faculty, staff and student representatives will serve on the task force for the 2018-19 academic year:

• Laurie Boucicaut, Panhellenic Council
• Randi K. Bregman, executive director, Vera House
• Katelyn U. Cowen, director, Office of Health Promotion
• Jeremiah Deep, campus minister, Hendricks Chapel
• Kaitlin Donovan, student-athlete representative
• Emily Durand, “It’s On Us” representative
• Herman R. Frazier, deputy director of athletics
• Tula Goenka, associate professor, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• Andy Gordon, senior vice president and chief human resources officer
• Huey Hsiao, associate director, Office of Multicultural Affairs
• Sheila Johnson, chief equal opportunity and Title IX officer
• khristian kemp-delisser, director, LGBT Resource Center
• Andrew S. London, professor of sociology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Bobby Maldonado, chief, Department of Public Safety
• Jeffrey S. Pauline, associate professor of Sport Management, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
• Abby R. Perer, associate general counsel, Office of the General Counsel
• Pamela A. Peter, director, Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities
• Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president, University Communications
• Sarah T. Solomon, director, Office of Student Assistance
• Linda Stone Fish, professor of marriage and family therapy, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
• Cory Wallack, director, Counseling Center
• Barry L. Wells, special assistant to the Chancellor
• Ralph Zito, professor and chair of drama, College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Denise Dowdall, support staff

The task force, which meets regularly throughout the academic year, aligns with a best practice recommended by the Education Advisory Board for campuses seeking to work proactively to curb sexual and relationship violence.

To learn more about the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence, visit .

The decision was made after a legacy conduct system policy was brought to the attention of university leaders at Wednesday night’s Campus Conversation at Hendricks Chapel. The event was held to further conversation critical to the ongoing work to create a diverse, inclusive, equitable and accessible University community.

At the event, a student questioned why sexual assault victims and survivors had to pay a transcript fee. Chancellor Kent Syverud, who was in the audience, denounced the policy, and Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Andrew Gordon said that monies would be made available immediately.

“Once it became apparent that this set of fees was a burden to students, we took immediate action,” Gordon says. “As we committed to last night and effective this morning, if any student asks for a transcript, the University will have it transcribed for them and students will not have to pay for the transcripts.”

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires that institutions of higher education take immediate and effective steps to end sexual harassment and sexual violence on campus.

Along with reporting incidents of sexual assault, relationship violence, sexual harassment or stalking to law enforcement, students have the right to report the incident to the University and the Title IX office. Title IX conducts an investigation, and formal resolution of cases is conducted though the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

If the matter goes before the University Conduct Board, the proceedings are taped and, in the past, if students—whether the complainant or respondent—wanted a copy of the transcript, they had to request a copy from the University. The cost of the transcript was passed on to the student who requested it. The University doesn’t usually have it transcribed unless a student requests a transcript.

Students impacted by sexual and relationship violence can contact the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team at 315.443.4715 for 24/7 confidential support, advocacy and to discuss reporting options.

Take Back the Night 2018 is scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, at 7 p.m. at Hendricks Chapel. The Take Back the Night planning committee and Office of Health Promotion invite campus community members to attend and show their support for ending sexual and relationship violence. The event begins with a rally and march, with a speak out to follow.

Tekhara Watson, staff therapist and Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team member in the Counseling Center, will be the keynote speaker at the event. Watson earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy at ���ϲ�����. Bringing a deep commitment to social justice to her work, Watson’s experience has included serving underserved and underrepresented populations, identity development, relationship and sexual violence, and trauma. She has also worked in community mental health, focused primarily on trauma associated with sexual violence and domestic violence.

The student speakers at Take Back the Night are Gabrielle Krawczuk, a senior in the , and Nathalie Pollack, a senior in the and. Both Krawczuk and Pollack are members of the student It’s On Us team and have served on the Take Back the Night planning committee for three years.

“During Take Back the Night, we show our collective commitment to creating a violence-free society and supporting victims and survivors of interpersonal violence. We invite the campus community to take back the night with us and show that we will not tolerate or condone any form of violence,” says Michelle Goode, Take Back the Night co-chair and sexual and relationship violence prevention health promotion specialist.

For more information, questions or volunteering opportunities, visit the  or email healthpromotion@syr.edu.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, and , ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

For Robert Thompson, the director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture within the Newhouse School, this will create an interesting situation, as this coverage will likely include celebrity commentary about the #MeToo movement itself.

“Red carpet conversations have become, almost, a little forum for discussions of these kinds of issues,” Thompson said. “That’s going to make for a really difficult dynamic in a job where the very thing he is supposed to do is hold a microphone in front of people we fully expect to talk about the #MeToo movement.”

More than 90 student volunteers will distribute White Ribbon Campaign awareness wristbands and collect donations at each Dome entrance. Additionally, representatives from Vera House and ���ϲ����� will be in the backcourt providing information about the 24^th Annual White Ribbon Campaign and on- and off-campus resources for sexual and relationship violence services and prevention.

The Vera House White Ribbon Campaign is an initiative led by men and encourages all members of the community to “Stand With Us” to end sexual and relationship violence. By wearing a white ribbon or wristband, community members demonstrate their support and commitment in ending violence.

To show your support, students, faculty and staff can purchase wristbands, lapel pins, paper ribbons, chocolates and window clings by contacting Denise Dowdall at ddowdall@syr.edu. Community members can also show their support by using #StandWithVeraHouse on social media, adding their name to the campaign �����Ի� attending the White Ribbon Campaign Walk on Friday, March 23, at noon in Clinton Square. Additional details are available on the .

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, and , ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

The ���ϲ����� community will come together on Friday, Feb. 16, at 5:30 p.m. for a candlelight vigil to stop sexual and gender violence locally and globally. This is the sixth consecutive year for the SU Rising: Stop Sexual Abuse event, in which ���ϲ����� has joined playwright and activist Eve Ensler’s “One Billion Rising” international call-to-action.

The event is free and open to the public, and all are welcome. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided; free public parking is available in the Q1 lot.

The event will be led by Jikyo Bonnie Shoultz, Buddhist chaplain, and will include remarks and performances by several ���ϲ����� student groups and organizations, including Students Advocating for Sexual Safety and Empowerment (SASSE), Otto’s Empire, peer educators at the Office of Health Promotion and the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team at the Counseling Center.

Following the performances and speakers, a candlelight vigil and moment of silence will take place on the steps of Hendricks Chapel at 6 p.m. The annual performance of Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” will be held at Hendricks Chapel at 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 for general admission and $5 for students, and are available at the Schine Box Office. All proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood.

“Sexual abuse, harassment, assault and violence continue to be on everyone’s mind with recent events in the world, especially the momentum of the MeToo movement,” says Tula Goenka, professor in the , long-term member of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence and faculty advisor of SASSE. “Many of us at ���ϲ����� have been addressing these issues for a long time, long before they became topics of public discourse. I am grateful that we can once again gather and pledge to support victims and survivors, and co-create a world free of sexual abuse.”

SU Rising is co-sponsored by the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence;  Hendricks Chapel; the Counseling Center; the Office of Health Promotion; Students Advocating Sexual Safety and Empowerment (SASSE); College of Arts and Sciences; Falk College; Maxwell School; Newhouse School; School of Education; Humanities Center; South Asia Center; Disability Cultural Center; ���ϲ����� Animal Rights Organization (SARO): Femme Noire; I Am THAT Girl; International Socialist Organization; and Vera House.

About ���ϲ�����

Founded in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching excellence, rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11 academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional disciplines that prepares students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main campus and extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an institution of its kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of supporting veterans and is home to the nationally recognized Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their families.

Members of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence pose with Chancellor Syverud, fourth from right, Otto the Orange and Emily Durand, next to Otto, on Teal Tuesday.

The It’s On Us campus student ambassadors have planned a number of events, programs and awareness activities for It’s On Us Week of Action from Oct. 23- 27. The It’s On Us national campaign encourages every member of the community to take the pledge and do their part to end sexual and relationship violence.

Emily Durand, a junior in the and , is an It’s On Us National Student Advisory Committee member for the northeast region and one of the SU campus organizers for It’s On Us. We asked her four questions to learn more about It’s On Us and the Week of Action.

The Hall of Languages is lit up in purple to commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.

As done annually in honor of this month, and as part of continued efforts to raise visibility and awareness, the Hall of Languages will be illuminated purple, the designated color for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, each evening as part of the “Shine the Light on Domestic Violence” .

Throughout the month, the PEEHRS will be tabling in the Schine Student Center and dining centers providing students with educational activities.

“Engaging on a peer-to-peer level creates the opportunity to have open and honest communication in the community without the fear of being talked at nor talked down to,” says Teagan Peacock ’18, a student in the and a member of PEEHRS. “Talking with friends and peers helps break down stigmas and biases later, helping create lasting and meaningful change on a larger scale.”

The month will conclude with the Clothesline Project from Oct. 23-29 in Panasci Lounge, Schine Student Center. T-shirt making for this project will take place in 302 Schine from Monday, Oct. 23, to Wednesday, Oct. 25, and again Saturday, Oct. 28, to Sunday, Oct. 29. If offices are interested in hosting T-shirt making in their own spaces, they can contact Michelle Goode, health promotion specialist for sexual and relationship violence prevention in the Office of Health Promotion, at mlgoode@syr.edu.

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the It’s On Us student ambassadors ask campus offices and departments, as well as residence halls, to participate in the . Offices must by Oct. 23, and judging takes place from Monday, Oct. 23 to Friday, Oct. 27.

Student organizations or campus offices looking to get more involved can also request . The kits will provide all the tools for groups to create their own HAV pledge and to hang the completed banner in their spaces to show support for people who have been impacted by interpersonal violence.

For more information or questions about Domestic Violence Awareness Month, please contact Goode at mlgoode@syr.edu.

“We had a very productive year, especially in terms of information gathering on protocols and best practices,” says task force co-chair Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, interim senior associate vice president and dean of enrollment and the student experience. “That information, along with the expertise shared by those who work on the front lines of this issue on a daily basis, will be a great help as we work to formulate best policies and procedures for assuring a safe and respectful campus for all.”

In its year-end 2016-17 report, the task force reported several key activities and updates. They include:

• A recommendation calling for appropriate training for faculty and staff to better facilitate a cultural change “from the ground up and the top down.” The recommendation emerged in response to the Campus Climate Assessment survey, which cited the importance of ensuring faculty and staff have appropriate training to talk with and offer support to students who might have experienced sexual assault.
• A presentation by Susan Pasco, associate director of the Counseling Center, on the American College Health Association and her participation in a task force focused on sexual and relationship violence. The ACHA task force has created a tool kit that will assist campuses, including ���ϲ�����, with several aspects of the problem, including management, advocacy resources, defining best practices for prevention, risk reduction and response.
• A presentation on Title IX compliance by Deborah Osgood, a national expert on civil rights laws and regulations that govern educational institutions.
• A meeting with ���ϲ����� Police Chief Frank Fowler to discuss working together more proactively. In a related session, ���ϲ����� Chief of Public Safety Bobby Maldonado also clarified for the group the role of the Department of Public Safety and the ���ϲ����� Police Department in handling student sexual assault complaints.
• Continued efforts to enhance awareness of prevention strategies and resources and to solicit feedback on how to improve the campus climate and culture relating to sexual and relationship violence.

In June, Diane Lyden Murphy, dean of the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, joined the task force as co-chair, replacing Joanna Masingila, who stepped down as chair at the end of the academic year. Masingila, dean of the School of Education, had served along with Kantrowitz as co-chair of the task force since its inception in 2015. Kantrowitz will continue to serve as co-chair with Murphy.

“Sexual and relationship violence is a scourge that affects every campus in the country today,” says Murphy. “It’s an issue that really requires a campuswide cultural change, and this task force has begun laying the foundation for that change. Dean Masingila has done a great job co-leading this effort these last two years, and I look forward to continuing that progress in the year ahead.”

The group also set several goals for the 2017-18 academic year, including the following:

• Explore ways to continue support for the Office of Health Promotion.
• Involve more men and male student-athletes in prevention, educational and outreach efforts.
• Identify outreach and education events and services that have been successful in the past and build on them.
• Explore the possibility of the University hosting a statewide conference on sexual violence.
• Continue collaborating with the ���ϲ����� Police Department.

To learn more about the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence, visit .

More recently, Gov. Cuomo announced that, beyond the annual certification requirements, New York State will conduct an “Enough is Enough” audit of all public and private colleges and universities in the state this summer. The audit will evaluate the University’s policies and procedures; information on how the policies and procedures are communicated to students; and files related to complaints made during the 2016-17 academic year. Earlier today, the University submitted requested materials to the New York State Office of Campus Safety in a manner designed to maintain confidentiality and preserve student expectations regarding privacy.

Chancellor Syverud says he is proud that ���ϲ����� was the first private university in New York State to endorse “Enough is Enough,” and that he is pleased with the progress the community has made in recent years.

“Over the last several years, our campus community has taken a number of steps to address this very important issue,” says Chancellor Syverud. “I am grateful to our students, faculty and staff for making a collective effort to combat sexual and relationship violence.”

Those positive steps include the following:

• The creation of the , a Universitywide 30-member task force committed to these issues.
• The University entered into a formal agreement, known as a , with Vera House. The agreement affirms each organization’s commitment to providing privileged and confidential services to those impacted by sexual and relationship violence.
• Holistic support services provided by, among other units, the and the , to students impacted by sexual and relationship violence. The University offers 24/7 support via the to anyone impacted by sexual or relationship violence.
• Implementation of the “Think About It” online training program and in-person “Speak About It” program for all new students. The program educates new students about healthy personal relationships, resources for those impacted by interpersonal violence and policies and procedures relating to sexual and relationship violence.
• The (EOIRS), in consultation with the Department of Public Safety, responds to and investigates complaints. During that process, EOIRS ensures equitable and prompt processes for all involved; presents informal and formal options for resolving complaints; and oversees investigations, which includes collecting evidence and testimony. Upon completion of the investigation, the (OSRR) convenes an independent review panel consisting of faculty and staff, and brings the complaint to a resolution. Disciplinary action may include expulsion, suspension or probation. Following adjudication, both the accuser and accused can file an appeal, a process that is overseen by OSRR.
• Diverse staff across campus continue to advance their knowledge by attending national conferences and events regarding best practices related to sexual assault and relationship violence prevention and response.
• Students are continuing to engage in prevention and education initiatives to promote awareness of sexual and relationship violence and cultural change. This includes the work of the University’s many student organizations and leaders, including peer educators in the Office of Health Promotion.
• The and EOIRS continue to provide training to hundreds of students, staff and faculty. This includes annual training for our student leaders, including student-athletes and resident advisors.
• Finally, the University continues to support and engage in open dialogue about sexual and relationship violence.

���ϲ����� provides a number of resources—confidential and legal—to those impacted by sexual or relationship violence. Students seeking support for sexual assault, harassment, relationship violence or stalking can contact the at the at 315.443.4715 for 24/7 confidential support, advocacy and discussion of reporting options. For 24/7 off-campus confidential support and advocacy, contact Vera House at 315.468.3260.

Barry L. Wells

“I am absolutely thrilled that our board of directors unanimously chose Barry Wells as the recipient of this year’s Sister Mary Vera Award.�� I believe that Barry truly embodies the spirit of Sister Mary Vera, through his passionate support of our mission, his tenacious pursuit of justice and his refusal to let obstacles sway him from his vision,” says Vera House Executive Director Randi Bregman.

While Wells’ involvement with Vera House spans nearly 15 years, his efforts to combat sexual and relationship violence began in 1990 as an assistant dean in the when he served as the college’s liaison to the former University R.A.P.E. Center. This work evolved into years of service on committees and task forces that have advanced the University’s efforts in sexual and relationship violence prevention, adjudication and policies. He brought this same commitment to his then-role as senior vice president and dean of Student Affairs, promoting sexual and relationship violence prevention and education efforts and raising awareness of the ways in which domestic and sexual violence impact individuals and communities. His work today continues today as a member of the and a steadfast advocate for creating a world free from violence.

“I am grateful for Barry’s continued leadership in sexual and relationship violence prevention and advocacy on this campus and throughout the community,” says Chancellor Syverud. “This well-deserved honor recognizes his dedicated efforts for nearly three decades as an opponent of sexual and relationship violence and an unwavering supporter of the Vera House mission.”

“To receive this award from Vera House, an organization I admire and appreciate so much, makes me grateful,” says Wells. “More importantly, it energizes me to do more to combat sexual and relationship violence in our community.”

Following his decades of involvement in this important work, Wells was eager to bring his commitment, experience and advocacy to Vera House in a leadership capacity in 2003. He served on the Vera House Foundation Board of Trustees for five years, led the White Ribbon Campaign as honorary chair in 2005 and, along with wife Claudette P. McGowan-Wells, served as Home for the Holidays Gala Honorary Chairs in 2006. Under his leadership, not only did fundraising increase, but he also prompted important dialogue across the community. His call to action then and now remains the same: “end the silence about domestic violence.”

Among many honors, he is the recipient of a YWCA Academy of Diversity Achievers Award, a Citizen of the Year Award from Temple Adath Yesharun, a Distinguished Community Service Award from the Department of African American Studies and a ���ϲ����� Chancellor’s Citation for Distinguished Service. In honor of his outstanding contributions to the institution and its students, ���ϲ����� named the WellsLink Leadership Program after him.

He currently serves on the board of the Eat To Live Food Cooperative and has served on numerous community boards, including the Dunbar Association, the Salvation Army, the Community Folk Art Center, ���ϲ����� Stage and the Central New York Community Foundation.

Wells has also served as a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators James E. Scott Academy for Leadership and Executive Effectiveness Advisory Board and is a member of several professional organizations, including the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

Along with the Sister Mary Vera Recognition Award, Vera House will present the Vera House Special Appreciation Awards and the Annette Briggs Memorial Award. Gina Pauline, associate professor and undergraduate director of sport management in , will receive one of the Special Appreciation Awards for her leadership in the creation of the charity golf tournament with the sport venue and event management graduate program. The inaugural tournament held in 2016, which benefited Vera House, resulted in a $15,000 donation. Final tallies are in progress for the 2017 tournament to benefit Vera House, which was held on May 8.

The Annual Recognition and Celebration Luncheon is June 13. For more information, visit the .

Diane Lyden Murphy

Murphy joins co-chair Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, interim senior associate vice president and dean of the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience, at the helm of the task force, which is made up of dedicated students, faculty and staff with various expertise and perspectives, along with the executive director of Vera House. The Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence addresses sexual and relationship violence prevention, education and advocacy services. The task force’s leadership, situated in both the areas of academics and student experience, represents an overarching, university-wide focus on engaging the entire campus community in a collective and holistic effort to prevent sexual and relationship violence.

“I very much appreciate Dean Murphy taking on this important leadership role with the Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “Dean Murphy’s leadership and perspective will be a valuable asset to the task force’s continued work. I also thank Dean Masingila for her leadership over the last two years focused on the important issues of sexual and relationship violence.”

The task force was appointed on April 23, 2015, at the recommendation of the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Sexual Violence Prevention, Education and Advocacy. Its members are charged with reviewing University policies, practices, programs and procedures; exploring promising practices and resources related to sexual and relationship violence; identifying best practices to communicate with the campus; and supporting efforts to prevent and raise awareness about sexual and relationship violence.

“I am honored to be part of the Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence,” says Murphy. “This group has made important strides across campus in raising awareness and empowering community members to be engaged participants in this critical work. I look forward to working with the task force members and engaging with the many people on campus who are committed to eliminating sexual and relationship violence.”

The task force’s efforts are in concert with the work of the University’s student peer educators, student organizations and volunteers, and many offices and individuals who are committed to raising awareness about sexual and relationship violence and fostering an environment free from violence.

“The work of the task force is rooted in the dedication of its members in making the campus a better place,” Kantrowitz says. “We are now fortunate to have Dean Murphy join us as we continue to enhance a safe, welcoming and inclusive living and learning environment for our students.”

To learn more about the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence, visit
. There, campus community members can find important information about available resources and campus efforts to halt sexual and relationship violence.

Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz and Joanna Masingila

Joanna Masingila, dean of the School of Education, and Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, interim senior associate vice president and dean of the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience, are the co-chairs of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence. Below, they talk about the mission and goals of the task force and its work on the ���ϲ����� campus.

“’Culture of Consent’ is a program to discuss aspects of our culture that make interpersonal violence acceptable. The goal is to discuss parts of our culture that are engrained and normalized by media, such as sexism, objectification, hypermasculinity, homophobia, transphobia and many more,” says Michelle Goode, health promotion specialist in the .

The purpose of these discussions is to help participants think critically about the media and popular culture that they consume. In this series of conversations, students are provided an opportunity to express their own opinions while hearing from others. The Peer Educators Encouraging Healthy Relationships and Sexuality (PEEHRS) team will lead these discussions, and encourage participants to challenge the notions of culture and discover the power of self-truth.

“We use open discussion as a format to talk about how we all can become more aware of, and then challenge, these harmful concepts. Everyone comes from different backgrounds and lived experiences—it is good to come together and find common ground or just being more open to hearing contradicting opinions,” says Goode.

meets on Thursdays from 8-9 p.m. in 340 Newhouse 2 through April 27.  Space is limited, so contact the OHP at healthpromotion@syr.edu if planning to attend. Light refreshments will be served. As part of , there will also be themed “Culture of Consent” discussions.

Together with students, faculty and staff, OHP provides prevention and education essential to students’ health, well-being and safety, including sexual and relationship violence, alcohol use and mental health.

For more information about the OHP or the Culture of Consent series, contact Goode at 315.443.3514 or mlgoode@syr.edu.

While on campus, OCR will host two community meetings, both of which are open to students, faculty and staff. The OCR visit is an opportunity for the campus to learn more about the processes and policies in place to address these vital issues. During its meetings, OCR will discuss its mission and processes and offer attendees the opportunity to ask questions and share information.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to participate as part of the University’s commitment to a transparent process and supportive environment for survivors of sexual violence. The meetings will be held in Room 228B in the Schine Student Center on the following days:

• Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2:30-4 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 25, 9:30-11 a.m.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available at both meetings. For questions about accessibility or to request accommodations, contact the Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services (EOIRS) office at 315.443.4018.

OCR staff will also be available for individual appointments to discuss sexual harassment and sexual assault issues today from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m., and tomorrow from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Room 233 in the Schine Student Center. For more information about OCR’s visit, .

Since these events could be triggering for members of our community who may have been personally impacted by sexual assault, staff from the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response (SRVR) Team will be available and on hand to provide support during the OCR visit. For 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week CONFIDENTIAL support and advocacy, and to discuss your reporting options, contact our SRVR Team at the Counseling Center at 315.443.4715.

The OCR visit follows a significant effort by the University to prevent sexual and relationship violence. In addition to being the first private university to sign onto the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, ���ϲ����� was an early endorser of the Enough is Enough legislation; is an active participant in the White House’s “It’s On Us” campaign; continues to advance how it addresses sexual and relationship violence via the work of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence; and just last summer, entered into a formal agreement, known as a Memorandum of Understanding, with Vera House, affirming the University’s commitment to providing privileged and confidential services to those impacted by sexual and relationship violence.

The University will continue to keep the campus community informed of important developments related to Title IX compliance.

From March 30-31, the Office of Health Promotion, within the Division of Student Affairs, will host a series of Take Back the Night activities and events dedicated to raising awareness about sexual and relationship violence. Members of the campus and local community are invited to take a stand against violence, raise awareness about attitudes that perpetuate violence and discuss ways to work together to create a safer, more respectful community.

“Take Back the Night is an important opportunity for us to come together to speak about sexual and relationship violence and its impact on our community,” says Katelyn Cowen, director of the Office of Health Promotion. “We invite community members to join us in taking an active stance and demonstrating their commitment to ending sexual and relationship violence during the Take Back the Night activities.”

The activities leading up to and during Take Back the Night help spread the message that the ���ϲ����� and SUNY ESF communities will not tolerate any form of sexual or relationship violence on these campuses, and that every individual plays a vital role in creating a community that is a safe and caring place to live. These events help bring ���ϲ����� and SUNY ESF closer to the goal of becoming a community of “empowered bystanders”—individuals who take action when witnessing potentially harmful behavior and support those who have experienced sexual and relationship violence. Every member of our community is entitled to live and work in a respectful, safe environment, and we are committed to work toward creating such an environment. It is on all of us to support those impacted by sexual and relationship violence and demonstrate our commitment to speaking up and stepping in.

The following is the list of activities for Take Back the Night 2015:
• Hands Against Violence, March 30-31 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Schine Student Center Atrium
• Take Back the Night Rally. March. Speak-Out., March 31 beginning at 7 p.m., Hendricks Chapel
The rally and march are open to the public. Free parking is available in the SU Harrison/Lehman lots.
• Breaking the Silence to Stop the Violence, April 7 at 7 p.m., The Underground, Schine Student Center
Sponsored by A Men’s Issue (AMI)

Students and community members will have several opportunities to symbolically pledge that they will not use their hands for violence. This is done by adding their hand, covered with finger paint, to a banner that will be hung in Hendricks Chapel during the event. Students can visit the Hands Against Violence tables at the Schine Student Center on March 30 and 31.

On Tuesday, March 31, community members are invited to gather at Hendricks Chapel for a rally beginning at 7 p.m. Kim Williams will be the keynote speaker at this event.

Williams is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program in cultural foundations of education. She also co-teaches the Intergroup Dialogue class on race and ethnicity. Williams received a B.A. in psychology and sociology from Concord University and a master’s degree in human resource management from the University of Charleston. In addition, she received a second master’s from ���ϲ����� in communication and rhetorical studies.

Prior to enrolling in the Ph.D. program, Williams worked in a variety of roles on campus. She was a residence director and a coordinator in the Office of Residence Life, and then joined the Office of Multicultural Affairs as an associate director. Many students also know Williams as a mentor in the campus Posse Program.

Williams is deeply connected and committed to eradicating issues of sexual violence, domestic violence and other issues that affect women disproportionately as a constituent group. She is a feminist who volunteered as a mentor for the peer group e5m, with the former R.A.P.E. Center at SU, sits on a women’s leadership group on campus and has enhanced her education with a C.A.S. in women and gender studies.

Following the rally will be the Take Back the Night march. At the conclusion of the march, a speak-out will be held in Hendricks Chapel, where anyone who has been impacted by sexual and/or relationship violence is invited to speak. Due to the sensitive nature of the speak-out, it is closed to the media.

For more information about Take Back the Night activities, contact Jill Sneider at 315-443-7126 or jasneide@syr.edu.

Follow the events on Twitter at @TBTN���ϲ�����U, Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SUTakeBackTheNight, and the Office of Health Promotion website at http://healthpromotion.syr.edu/sexual-relationship-violence/tbtn.html.

The event will include remarks and performances by several ���ϲ����� student groups and organizations, including Students Advocating for Sexual Safety and Empowerment (SASSE), SU Zinda, A Men’s Issue and the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team at the Counseling Center. It will conclude with a candlelight vigil and moment of silence on the steps of Hendricks Chapel. A performance of Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” will take place at Hendricks Chapel at 8 p.m.

“In the last few months, we have seen issues of sexual assault on college campuses suddenly gain a lot of attention and legislated by the both the federal and state government, highlighted in the media and focused on at ���ϲ�����,” says Tula Goenka, associate professor in the and faculty advisor of SASSE.�� “This makes it a critical time to continue to show our support for victims and survivors and fight against all forms of gender violence so that our own campus and the world around it can change for the better.”

“SU Rising connects us to the global community in this common call to action,” says Tiffany Steinwert, dean of Hendricks Chapel.�� “Hendricks Chapel is honored to host this event once again, and gather with our campus community to take a stand against sexual and relationship violence here and around the world.”

“SU Rising acts as a reminder that the atrocities of sexual assault and violence against women are deeply engrained not only within college campuses across the United States, including ours, but are ubiquitous worldwide,” says Clare Keaney, a senior and co-president of SASSE. “It insists that all survivors of sexual violence and all marginalized peoples deserve real, affecting change.”

Co-sponsors for this year’s SU Rising are: Hendricks Chapel; Division of Student Affairs; Counseling Center; Office of Health Promotion; LGBT Resource Center; the Newhouse School; the Falk School; the Departments of Religion, Women and Gender Studies and the LGBT Studies program in the ; the Departments of international relations and sociology, the South Asia Center and the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC) in the ; Students Advocating Sexual Safety and Empowerment (SASSE); A Men’s Issue (AMI); South Asian Students Association (SASA); SU Zinda; and Vera House.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided during the events in Hendricks Chapel.