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Harding University Scholar Works at Harding The Bison Archives and Special Collections 9-30-2016 The Bison, September 30, 2016 Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.harding.edu/thebison Recommended Citation The Bison, September 30, 2016. (2016). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.harding.edu/thebison/1963 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Archives and Special Collections at Scholar Works at Harding. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Bison by an authorized administrator of Scholar Works at Harding. For more information, please contact [email protected]. etebe 2 NE A Vo 2 o OPINION A PO FEAE tetPbs LIFEYLE eboo he oe t thehe ey A 2 Immunity Clause opens door for communication JORDAN DOYLE can help put each student in touch with the business manager proper resources related to their well-being on campus.” Victims and witnesses of sexual Neal, Collins, Bartee and Cunningham all assault, domestic violence, dating said they believe there should be more con- violence and stalking can no longer be versations on campus regarding sexual assault. suspended or be put on probation for Collins said part of the ongoing discussion violating Harding’s code of conduct needs to include a better understanding of when crimes occur, according to a what sexual violence is. new university policy. Cunningham briefly mentioned some Harding counselors Klay Bartee misconceptions of sexual violence during and Briana Cunningham announced the Sept. 19 chapel. the new victim and witness Immunity “We have to stop thinking that this is Clause in chapel on Sept. 19. The im- something that men only do to women,” munity policy has been in effect since Cunningham said. “Sometimes men do it the beginning of the semester, and can to men, sometimes women do it to women, be read in the Victim Rights handout and ... sometimes there may be a woman who online under the Student Life, Public does it to a man.” Safety or Counseling Center tabs on Men in college are five times more likely Harding’s website. to experience sexual assault than men who “Students who believe they are victims are not in college, according to 2014 data of dating violence, domestic violence, sex- from the Rape, Abuse and Incest National ual assault, or stalking may obtain redress Network. More data was released in 2015 through University procedures,” the new by the NSVRC that said one in five women Immunity Clause states. “Complainants and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted and witnesses who report or participate in while in college. an investigation of dating violence, domestic Bartee said he believes some of the mis- violence, sexual assault, or stalking will not be conceptions of sexual violence come from subject to disciplinary sanctions, such as suspension victim shaming. or probation, for violations of the code of conduct “If you’re sexually assaulted, it is never that occurred at or near the time of the incident.” your fault,” Bartee said. “I don’t care where University Executive Vice President David you are; I don’t care what you’re doing; I don’t Collins said national discussions regarding sexual care if you know this person; I don’t care if crimes on college campuses are what made Hard- you’ve had sex with them before. If you say ing administrators look at the issue more closely. no, that’s it. Anything past that is assault.” According to 2015 data from the National Sexual Kathy Helpenstill, assistant professor of Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), more than behavioral sciences and a forensic interviewer 90 percent of sexual assault victims on college for the White County Children’s Safety campuses do not report the crime. Collins said Center, said she agrees with Bartee and said once he realized Harding’s code of conduct might that Harding needs to move forward from deter victims and witnesses from reporting crimes, just talking about the victim. he knew the university policy had to change. “I think a next step needs to be getting “There are a number of reasons why victims comfortable talking about sexuality and do not report, but we certainly do not want reconciling and differentiating between a the concerns of being disciplined for alcohol, person’s behavior and blame,” Helpenstill drugs, or whatever the code of conduct viola- said. “You’re responsible for your behavior tion is, to keep the student from being able regardless of what someone else is doing. If to report and have the university respond you choose to wear a certain outfit, it doesn’t appropriately to sexual violence,” Collins mean that you’re ‘easy’ and that you’re asking said. “Yes, it’s important to us to enforce for sex. But women and men on campus be- our code of conduct and to hold students lieve that based on clothing, hobbies, music to high standards, but above that, we and free-time leisure activities, that you are want to be able to respond fully to crimes asking for something or that’s who you are. of this nature. In order to do that, we That kind of assumption and interpretation has wanted to be able to offer students the got to be part of the next step — identifying option to come forward and not have how behaviors are not a part of entitlement. “ any disciplinary actions.” Right now, Bartee said there are no plans he Collins said the change to Harding’s knows of to discuss the predator’s involvement policy was made by collaborating with in sexual assault cases, but he said he does Public Safety, the Office of Student believe those discussions are crucial. Life and the Counseling Center. “We don’t have that part of the discussion, Senior Natalie Martin said she has speaking to the entitlement of these pred- gone with other students in the past ators,” Bartee said. “You are in the wrong if to report sexual assaults on campus you are manipulating, coercing, blackmailing, and said she believes the new Immunity Clause taking advantage of someone, or if you are will be met with diverse reactions. pursuing anybody in the manner where it is “Some students may feel skeptical about the new policy,” Martin unwanted. You are not entitled to try to get said. “We’re told we won’t have repercussions, but I feel like some whatever you want sexually from another people will have a hard time believing there isn’t a catch. If over person. What I’m understanding is that time, students see people coming forward and getting help without (predators) literally believe that it is not wrong. being scrutinized for their actions, I can see many more individuals I find that disturbing. If that is a prevalent being willing to come forward. It’s just going to take some time.” idea out there, then I fully support some of Zach Neal, assistant vice president of student life, is one of us screaming, ‘That is not OK. Your jaded the administrators who investigate sexual crime allegations. He idea of entitlement when it comes to sexual said that even though the immunity policy is new, students who conduct with someone else is wrong.’ That’s have been victims or witnesses of sex crimes in the past can come a good part of the conversation that needs to forward now and still be protected with immunity. be equally stressed.” “We will give as much attention to something from the past as According to Neal, sexual assault will be we will the present in order to help the student,” Neal said. “Our discussed in chapel again in October, and that primary concern is the health of the student, both physical and Harding will honor Sexual Assault Awareness emotional. We definitely want students to feel comfortable talking Month in April by having a booth in the to us, regardless if it is about the past or the present, so that we Hammon Student Center. Photo by AMANDA FLOYD Pipeline hacks foreshadow new beta release Mobile-friendly interface ‘past time for update,’ according to application developer JACOB ARDREY time to update it.” However, the upcoming release is not the overshadowed by the recent email accounts student writer Pipeline will now have a new search first time the new Pipeline Beta has been being disabled, according to Director of feature that allows the user to attain infor- tested. Before the first week of this semester, Network Services John Nunnally. The new Pipeline Beta is was released on mation via typed response by exploring the the core team of developers initiated the According to Nunnally, anyone who Sept. 29 and has become the main Pipeline website’s database. According to Spearman, first trial run of the program. Following owns a Harding email could receive a link website for Harding students, faculty and staff the user will be able to toggle between a the initial release, the database revealed to from phishing websites that target people at according to Shawn Spearman, director of normal search and a people search. As for be faulty and the developers shut it down, random and steal their account credentials. application development and enhancement. the new appearance, Spearman said the data according to Spearman. Upon clicking the link, the website may use With development teams constructing will be familiar, but will be surrounded by “We initially rolled it out, but with that your email address to send spam to other the website for over a year, Pipeline will a new interface. came database complications,” Spearman said. users. In this case, Google will shut down showcase several new features that users will “It’s a big change.

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