Why has 蹤獲扞⑹ developed a Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy?
Sexual violence and misconduct are never acceptable. 蹤獲扞⑹ is committed to providing members of the university community with a safe, supportive and respectful environment in which to live, learn and work. 蹤獲扞⑹ already has protocols and procedures in place to respond to incidents of sexual violence and misconduct, and this Policy supports and reinforces these existing protocols and procedures. The Policy also contributes to a broader and longer term conversation about the issue of sexual violence and misconduct at our campuses.
The policy is a response to Bill 23 2016: Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy Act, provincial legislation which mandates the creation of such a policy at all post-secondary institutions in British Columbia.
What has 蹤獲扞⑹ done so far?
The Presidential Task Force on Sexual Violence was created in the spring of 2014 and submitted its final report in September 2016. The report contained a series of recommendations about how 蹤獲扞⑹ should respond to the issue of sexual violence and misconduct. The Steering Committee on Sexual Violence was created in October 2016 to respond to the recommendations of the Task Force. The first objective of the Steering Committee was to consult with students on the issue of sexual violence and misconduct in order to inform the development of a stand-alone policy and response procedures. This consultation process started in February 2017 with an online questionnaire, several focus groups, and opportunities for one-on-one interviews. This was followed in March 2017 with the release of the draft Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy and accompanying Response Procedures to the university community and an opportunity to provide feedback online.
The review of the draft Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy and Response Procedures was held until April 21, 2017. The Policy and Response Procedures was discussed by the University Senate on March 22, 2017 and by the University Board of Governors on March 31, 2017. Feedback from the university community was considered and the final drafts of the Policy and Response Procedures were presented to the Board of Governors for approval in May 2017. The final Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy and Response Procedures were released to the 蹤獲扞⑹ community on May 18, 2017.
Recommendations
蹤獲扞⑹ took steps to ensure a healthier and safer environment for the 蹤獲扞⑹ community by announcing a new set of recommendations designed to help the University address the issue of sexual violence on campus.
The first step was to create a steering committee to work with the Universitys senior administration team as well as other community members as appropriate regarding the following recommendations.
Determining the Occurrence of Sexual Violence
- Within a year, 蹤獲扞⑹ develop a seamless protocol for receiving both confidential and non-confidential disclosures of sexual violence and how to then report that a disclosure has been received.
- 蹤獲扞⑹ provide trauma-informed training to university community members who are likely to receive reports of disclosures.
Identify the Personal and Academic Implications of Sexual Violence
- 蹤獲扞⑹ create an accessible environment for initiating disclosures of sexual violence towards students by providing a clearly communicated reporting and support system.
- Develop protocols for providing reasonable academic accommodations (e.g., academic scheduling, deferrals, etc.) and protocols for providing reasonable student support accommodations (e.g., housing room changes, extended counselling sessions, etc.).
Review of Current Policies and Procedures
- Utilize 蹤獲扞⑹s Student Conduct Statement of Principles procedures to investigate disclosures and where a students behaviour is deemed to have breached the policies of student standards of conduct. Recommendations of any appropriate penalty must follow the procedures outlined in the Student Conduct Statement of Principles.
- The steering committee ensures revisions to the current 蹤獲扞⑹ Student Statement on Conduct Principles policy, and to ensure the current policy will refer out to a new stand-alone policy on sexual violence.
- The steering committee ensures that 蹤獲扞⑹ adapts the Ministrys Sexual Violence Guidelines for the 蹤獲扞⑹ context, and develops a stand-alone Sexual Violence policy.
Identify Faculty and Staff Responsibilities for Supporting Students
- Develop and deliver a plan to educate and train 蹤獲扞⑹ employees on how to provide initial supports for students who make a confidential disclosure, and what actions need to be taken by 蹤獲扞⑹ employees when the report is provided confidentially.
- Develop and deliver a plan to educate and train both 蹤獲扞⑹ students and employees on how to formally report disclosures of sexual violence, or how to support a student in seeking to formally report disclosures of sexual violence.
Review How Reported Cases are Managed
- 蹤獲扞⑹ should investigate software that can allow for multiple units to notify a single office when a report of a disclosure has been received, and to track the stages of support and investigations. A report should be produced outlining the benefits and costs of such software, and recommending 蹤獲扞⑹s next steps.
- That all 蹤獲扞⑹ employees who have some responsibility for supporting students who disclose incidents of sexual violence receive and be trained in utilizing communication protocols for responding to all reports.
Identify Educational Strategies for Pro-actively Creating a Nurturing Campus
- 蹤獲扞⑹ develop a coordinated, student-centred education risk reduction and prevention program that focuses on empowerment, not fear, and healthy interpersonal relationships for prospective student victims and perpetrators. Such programming must be research-based, and be accessible to students on all of our campuses. As an institution of higher learning, the development of a re-education program for perpetrators is also critical to a holistic education program.