Recommendations Made to the Sexual Assault Advisory Board, 4/7/13

Recommendations made to the Sexual Assault Advisory Board, 4/7/13 Sara Matthiesen PhD Candidate in American Studies Graduate Student Assistant at Sarah Doyle Women’s Center

These recommendations cover two areas related to graduate students at Brown University and the issues of sexual misconduct and sexual harassment:  Education and Accountability at the University Level  Resource Provision and Reparation Processes at the University Level

These recommendations reflect the reality of graduate student life at Brown. At Brown, graduate students are considered students, yet they also teach and mentor undergraduates and work professionally with both faculty and other graduate students. This confusing status of “professional student” and the unclear social and professional boundaries that accompany it can make it especially difficult to both identify inappropriate behaviors and know how to best provide resolution when harm has occurred. As a result, this student population requires extra outreach and resources that reflect the specificity of this daily reality. However, it is important to note that some of the recommendations outlined below also have the potential to benefit undergraduates, as cases involving faculty and post-docs that also involve an undergraduate are still subject to the administrative process outlined here. Beyond this specific instance, it is clear that both graduate and undergraduate students at Brown would benefit from greater clarity, transparency, and circulation of existing university resources and procedures related to sexual misconduct.

Education and Accountability at the University Level

Training, Current Practice:

Currently, graduate students receive no training on the topic of sexual misconduct. The only place students encounter mention of standards of behavior is in a brief section in the Graduate School Handbook. Students are currently not tested on their knowledge of this information upon completing orientation, just as they do not receive information on existing university resources. Last year, a training was developed to help fill this gap. While this is a good start, it is unclear how well this training addresses the specific experiences that characterize graduate student life. Additionally, this training is not widely offered.

Training, Recommendations:

 A training detailing situations graduate students often find themselves in should be developed and delivered at orientation. At Yale’s graduate student orientation, students are broken into small groups and assigned a workshop leader. Following a script written by the graduate school’s Title IX officer, the leader goes over community expectations and university resources with the group. Students are tested before and after their participation in this training. Brown should use this model, particularly the small workshops, to ensure active participation by students who are receiving lots of information during orientation events.

 A pamphlet clearly listing university resources, all possible courses of action, and the behaviors that are considered sexual misconduct and harassment should be included in orientation materials. (This is in the process of being approved by the graduate school. The pamphlet included in these materials is the result of student initiative. Ideally, administrators trained in this issue would create these materials with graduate student input).

 A similar document should be developed for faculty and distributed to all Directors of Graduate Study and Chairs so that they understand students’ options for pursuing a complaint and what resources are available. These same faculty representatives should have to undergo training on how to identify and respond to sexual misconduct so that they are equipped to act as first responders should students come to them with a complaint.

 Orientation should not be the only place students encounter training. Trainings should also be incorporated into pedagogical training opportunities, such as the Sheridan Certificate 1 program, the Sheridan Teaching Assistant Orientation, and any departmental level orientations related to teaching. As teachers and mentors of undergraduates, graduate students should not only be trained in appropriate conduct but also be able to direct students to available university resources.

Resource Provision and Reparation Processes at the University Level

Resource Provision, Current Practice:

Currently, there are two Title IX coordinators. Allen Ward handles cases involving students and Liza Cariaga-Lo handles cases involving faculty and postdocs. These processes are distinct in many ways. While graduate students who choose to file a formal complaint will go through either of these venues depending on the status of the other person involved in the case, there is a sense that Allen Ward’s office exists for undergraduates and Liza Cariaga-Lo’s office exists for faculty/post-docs.

Resource Provision, Recommendations

 A separate Title IX officer should be assigned to the graduate school so that there is a clear resource for graduate students. This person would work closely with other Title IX officers, but would be equipped to hand the specificity of graduate student cases and primarily serve this population.

 As stated above, existing university resources need to be made widely available to graduate students and the faculty they work with. In the event that a Title IX officer is not assigned to the graduate school, the student services that do provide support and guidance around this issue will have to take on the work of conducting concentrated outreach to the graduate student population in order to overcome the sense that such services are meant for undergraduates. This applies to administrative services that will help students through the complaint process and counseling services that will walk a student through their options and provide ongoing emotional support.

 Expansion of the Sexual Assault Information and Resources Network. This network is currently comprised of staff and one graduate student who have been trained in the various grievance procedures and university resources available to graduate students and are willing to discuss these options with a student who has experienced an incident. This network was formed so that more people would be able to provide graduate students with information on their options. Ideally, this network would include faculty members and more graduate student representatives, and would be included as a part of university resources. Expanding this type of resource makes it more likely that a graduate student will find someone who can walk them through their options quickly.

Transparent Reparation Processes, Current Practice:

As stated above, graduate students who choose to pursue formal cases will go through one of two processes depending on the status of the other person involved. Currently, grievance procedures related to cases involving faculty and post-docs are not widely published or available, a violation of Title IX regulations. In this process, cases are not subject to hearings by a panel, the student is not assigned an advocate upon the start of the process as is the case with the judicial affairs process, and a decision is ultimately made by the provost alone. Furthermore, it is unclear how much power the Title IX officer has to ensure the complainant is prioritized in making accommodations to limit contact with the accused, despite the fact that this responsibility ultimately lies with the Title IX officer as per Title IX regulations.

Transparent Reparation Processes, Recommendations:

 The grievance procedures for cases involving a faculty or post-doc are in need of serious reform. Like cases that go through judicial affairs, a panel made up of faculty, students, and administrators should review evidence in order to guarantee transparency. Complainants should also be informed at the start of the process that they are entitled to an advocate who will support them throughout the process. If necessary, an external mechanism should be developed to ensure that the Title IX officer is empowered to make arrangements that prioritize the complainant’s stability and schedule.

 Regardless of whether or not these reforms take place, details of the grievance process need to be published and widely available, as per Title IX regulations. The options available to students who choose not to issue a formal complaint should be listed as well, and the fact that students have a right to request accommodations even if they do not pursue a formal complaint should be emphasized. Federal law requires this service and wide publication of its existence. Opportunities for distribution include the training and materials mentioned in the earlier recommendations, the graduate student handbook, the student code of conduct, other graduate student online resources, and on any university webpage that addresses sexual misconduct policies. A potential model for this is included in this report. Possible Model for Presenting University Resources

The following information is borrowed from Yale’s online resources related to sexual misconduct. I include them here because they present all university resources in a clear format while also delineating the differences between them. The first charts are a list of all university resources, whereas the handout goes into more detail about different resolution procedures (what they entail, who a student would go to, what is required evidence wise, etc.).

RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS

PRIMARY RESOURCES

Seeking Obtaining Seeking Bringing a Confidentiality Info & Counseling Informal Formal Level* Support Remedies* Complaint*

SHARE Center Strictly (Sexual (provides (provides Confidential Harassment and advice and advice and Assault assistance) assistance) Response and Education) Hotline - 203- 432-2000

University-Wide Mostly Confidential Committee on Sexual Misconduct 203-589-0142

Yale Police Confidential 203-432-4400 according to state law

Title IX Mostly Coordinators Confidential 203-432-4446

OTHER SUPPORTING RESOURCES

Seeking Obtaining Seeking Bringing a Confidentiality Info & Counseling Informal Formal Level* Support Remedies* Complaint*

Mental Health Strictly Services at Yale Confidential Health 203-432-0290

Walden Peer Strictly Counselors Confidential (Undergraduate) 203-432-TALK

Deans of Student Mostly Affairs, Confidential Residential College Deans & Masters

Communication & Mostly Consent Confidential Educators (CCEs - Undergraduate)

New Haven Police Confidential 203-946-6316 according to state law

*SEEKING INFORMAL REMEDIES

Examples of informal remedies include: shielding a student from ongoing contact with an individual; taking that individual out of a class or issuing an administrative no-contact order; assigning an individual to a different lab or other clinical setting; asking an administrative authority to speak to the individual to express serious concern about a behavior; reminding the individual of policies and definitions relating to sexual misconduct; offering counseling targeted to addressing sexual aggression; and reorganizing housing assignments so that students can feel safer. Informal remedies do not preclude formal discipline.

*BRINGING A FORMAL COMPLAINT

Bringing a formal complaint will lead to an investigation and a hearing (in most cases), and can result in punitive outcomes. Filing a complaint is often the best way to seek protection from future harm. The student bringing the complaint retains considerable control, although not total, as the process unfolds.

*CONFIDENTIALITY LEVEL STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL These conversations are all confidential and can be anonymous. Except in rare, extreme circumstances, nothing will be shared without your explicit permission. MOSTLY CONFIDENTIAL These conversations are kept as confidential as possible, but information about incidents of sexual misconduct must be shared with relevant administrators and a Title IX coordinator so that the University can take action if necessary for reasons of safety. In planning any response, the wishes of the person are given full consideration. CONFIDENTIAL ACCORDING TO STATE LAW Exploratory conversations are confidential. Police reports, with identifying information redacted, may be available to the public upon request.