October28,2015

TotheColumbiaAdministration:
DespitetherecentupdatetotheGenderBasedMisconductPolicyandthenewSexualRespectInitiative,survivorsonthis
campuscontinuetofeelunsafe,retraumatizedandfailedbytheadministratorsthataresupposedtosupportthem.Toensure
thisisaninclusiveeducationalenvironmentandeveryonecanthrive,regardlessof
identity(includingbutnotlimitedtorace,
sex,gender,sexualorientation,socioeconomicstatus,immigrationstatus,andreligion),we
demandthefollowingchanges
:
Support

Accessibility

Accountability

Increaseculturallyresponsivementalhealthservicesandtraumaresponsestaffbyrequiring
the
SafeSpaceTrainingofferedbytheOfficeofMulticulturalAffairsandtrainingsaddressingother
issuesofincluding,butnotlimitedto,raceandclass
.1

HaveprofessionalstaffingataRapeCrisisCenteroncampus24/7.

Allowstudentstohavebothmoralandlegalsupportthroughoutthereportingandadjudication
process.Studentsshouldnothavetochoosebetweenhavingalovedoneorlawyerbytheirside.

RemovetheexceptionforGBMthatrequirestheOfficeofDisabilityServices,HealthServices,
andallothernormallyconfidentialservicestoreportcasesofGBM.Survivorsshouldbeableto
requestaccommodationswithouttriggeringaninvestigation.

Educateallfirstresponderstobeculturallysensitiveandawareofresourcesoncampus,including
immediatesupporttofeelsafenavigatingcampus,STItestingandreportingoptions.

Revisethepolicylanguagetoremoveunnecessarilycomplexandinaccessiblelegaljargon.The
policyslanguageshouldbeclearandeasilyunderstoodbyanystudent.

Providestudents,especiallythosewhocannotaffordanattorneyadvisor,withmoreoptionsfor
legalrepresentation,suchasalumni,membersofthecampuslegalcommunityorothervolunteer
attorneys.

Makeaggregatedataaboutprocessesavailabletoallstudents,includinginstancesofrepeat
offendersandspecificinformationaboutaccommodationsgranted.

Revisepolicylanguagetoclarifyproceduresforrequestingacademicandotherinterimandpost
accommodationsandgrantstudentsmoreagencyoveracademicandotheraccommodationsby:

RemovingtheStudentConductandCommunityStandardsOfficefromthe
decisionmakingprocessaroundacademicaccommodations,suchasexamextensions
andcoursewithdrawals.

AllowingforincreasedcoordinationbetweentheOfficeofGenderBasedMisconduct,
DisabilityServicesandthevariousCUschoolstoincreaseaccesstoaccommodations
forstudentsurvivors.Academicaccommodationsshouldbehandledbysame
universityofficesthathandletheseissuesinother,nonsexualmisconductcontexts.

Allowawidevarietyofstudentstobeconsistentlyinvolvedintherevisionandoversightof
campuspoliciesandprograms.

ReviseCleryCrimeAlertprotocolstoincludeinformationaboutongoingthreatsposedby
universityaffiliatedindividuals.Additionally,reviselanguageofthealertstoincludetrigger
warningsandreplacevictimblamingtipswithresourcesforsurvivors.

Foranexampleofauniversitypolicythatrecognizestheuniqueexperiencesofracialandethnicminoritysurvivors,seeEmory

UniversityOfficeofHealthPromotion:CampusLife,
Emory'sPolicyforRacialandEthnicMinoritySurvivors
,EmoryUniversity
Website,
http://studenthealth.emory.edu/hp/respect_program/interpersonal_violence_in_multicultural_communities.html
.

ExplicitlyrecognizestudentsrighttorecordallinterviewsandmeetingswithStudentConduct
andCommunityStandardsstafftoensuretheaccuracyofallpartiesaccountsandthelegitimacy
oftheoverallprocess.2

Increasetransparencyaroundemployeetrainingandqualifications,especiallyforlegally
mandatedreporters,GBMinvestigators,andhearingpanelists.

EstablishafeedbackmechanismthatallowsstudentstosharetheirexperienceswithColumbias
preventionprograms,resourcesandadjudicationprocesses.Thissurveyshouldbewidely
publicizedandreceivedbyanindependentbodythatdoesnotcontrolanyofthepreviously
mentionedprograms,potentiallycomposedoffaculty,toavoidfurtherconflictofinterest.

Funding

Enforcement

Increasethenumberofinvestigatorsandcasemanagerstoensureappropriateresponsesto
conflictsofinterestrequests.Forexample,astudentshouldneverbereassignedtohisorher
allegedassailantscasemanageraftersubmittingaconflictofinterestrequest.

MaketheSVRpeeradvocateandpeereducatorjobspaidpositionsofatleast$15/hourtoreflect
theirvalueinourcommunityandincreaseaccessibilityforlowincomestudents.

Fundmentalandphysicalhealthservicessosurvivorsdonthavetofaceweeksofwaittimes.

Instituteandpublicizeregularsupportgroupsforsurvivorsofvaryingkindsofviolence.

Clarifyenforcementmechanismstoensurethepolicyworksaswritten.

Removeconflictofinterestfromadjudicationbyappointingobjectiveadministratorsorfaculty.

Includeaprocessfortheinvestigationandremovalofinvestigators,casemanagersandother
employees,whofailtoadequatelyandappropriatelycarryouttheirdutiesonbehalfofsurvivors.

Createandrequiremorerobustpreventionprogramswithprofessionaloversighttoensureall
studentsparticipateinameaningfulway.

AllowstudentstofileananonymousreportsoitcanbecountedinCleryCrimeStatisticswithout
initiatinganinvestigationprocess.

Sincerely,
NoRedTape

TheBlackLaw
StudentsAssociation

Empowering
WomenofColor

GSASStudentsof
ColorAlliance

TakeBacktheNight

TheLatino/aLaw
StudentsAssociation

ColumbiaLaw
SchoolsDomestic
ViolenceProject

StudentsforJustice
inPalestine

International
Socialist
Organization

StudentWorker
Solidarity

JewishVoicesfor
Peace

ColumbiaWomens
Rugby

ColumbiaQueer
Alliance

CoalitionAgainst
SexualViolence

ColumbiaLaw
FeministSociety

2015N.Y.ALS76,2015N.Y.Laws76,2015N.Y.Ch.76,2015N.Y.SB5965(affordingstudentsarighttohaveaccesstoafulland
fairrecordofanyhearing)USDeptofEduc.OfficeforCivilRights,
KnowYourRights:TitleIXRequiresYourSchooltoAddress
SexualViolence
,2,

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/knowrights201404titleix.pdf
.(ensuringstudentsrighttoan
adequate,reliable,andimpartialinvestigation,bygrantingthemtherighttohaveanyproceedingsdocumented,whichmayinclude
writtenfindingsoffact,transcripts,oraudiorecordings).