January 31, 1994

■ WEATHER INSIDE TODAY: variabte ctowNfMM M4t:lew30« Low:20s FOCUS- ...Jl TUESDAY: partly cloudy STYLE.... ....J4 M0cmM2Oa Low: 15 OPINION ...JS SPORTS. ....21 HUMOR. ....25 CLASSIFIEDS ...27 MONDAY JANUARY 31,1994 VOL 71. NO. 31 Students propose assault policy Restructuring shuffles some by Nicole Motley continuing their research on the existing policy which prohibits any kind of news editor sexual misconduct policy at JMU. They inappropriate sexual behavior." then drew up recommendations on how to Sexual misconduct is a judicial charge administrators A group of JMU students has proposed revise and change the three-year-old which includes behaviors from unwanted changes in the university sexual policy. fondling to rape and penalties from by Drew vanEsselstyn misconduct policy. "We aren't here to threaten anyone or probation to expulsion, he said. news editor After a year of extensive research, step on anyone's toes," said Kathryn The current sexual misconduct charge students in a sociology class suggested Mangano, a senior human communication Sections of the JMU administration was developed from advice from the will find new homes, in an effort to some changes in the wording of the policy major who is actively trying to drum up attorney general's office and from other and that a separate judicial council be support for the proposal. "What we are increase interaction in certain areas and state university policies, Way said. decrease red tape in others. formed to handle sexual assault cases. doing is a good thing. This change is a The sociology students then came up positive change." "It's « way of looking at what we with their own sexual assault policy based have now, and finding not only the • This is the first in a series of articles About 45 students have been involved on their research and inadequacies they most efficient way to provide services, on the proposed sexual assault policy. in the project — from the initial research saw in the existing policy. to actively gathering support for the but more importantly, how to provide Way said he felt there were three main the best services available to the JMU proposal. The students gathered research objections the students had of the current community," said Fred Hilton, director After one incident last semester, student from counseling centers, sexual assault sexual misconduct policy — the general interest in the university's sexual of JMU media relations. coordinators at other schools, looked wording of the current policy, the use of Academic advising and the Office of misconduct policy peaked. through old police logs, and also studied the word misconduct instead of assault In that incident, a student was accused laws. Career Services will have an increased and the fact that there is not a separate role of interactivity with one another. of the acquaintance rape of another Bonnie Barnish, a senior history major judicial council to hear sexual misconduct Academic advising had been part of student. Because the university judicial who helped with the research and writing cases. system does not have a separate charge for academic affairs, and career services of the proposal last semester, said, "We According to the sexual misconduct previously fell under student services rape, the student was charged under the found things that bothered us about the policy in the 1993-94 Student Handbook, prior. judicial policy of sexual misconduct. existing policy at JMU." The two areas will be merged into At the same time, some students Michael Way, the university judicial enrolled in Sociology of Women were one unit as part of academic affairs, coordinator, said, "Our policy is a blanket POLICY page 2 and will report to Dr. Teresa Gonzalez, presently an associate vice president of student affairs. Gonzalez will be shifted Freshmen goals today highest in history by March 1 from student affairs to academic affairs to assume her duties. Hilton said that the merger is a by Drew vanEsselstyn logical one for the reasons that the two news editor areas are very closely aligned, and that the merger would "better serve the A recent survey of freshmen nationwide student body" in advising and career illustrated trends highlighted by all-time placement. highs in a number of categories, including Dr. Bethany Oberst, vice president the desire of students to pursue advanced for academic affairs, said in a press degrees. release, This change will allow us to Most notable was the fact that college give closer attention to the important women's aspirations have hit an all-time area of academic advising from the high. time the student enters JMU until the The survey, conducted by the Higher time when he or she graduates and is Education Research Institute at UCLA, ready to enter the job market or pursue found that for the first time in the history further educational opportunities." of the study, women are more inclined Dr. Robert Scott, vice president for than men are to pursue advanced student affairs, said, "This will provide educational or professional degrees. additional opportunities in academic More than 66 percent of the women advising and facilitate new resources who responded to the survey expressed for students." interest in furthering their education Two of the areas that Gonzalez had beyond the undergraduate level, as been responsible for — the Counseling compared to 63 percent of men who and Student Development Center and participated in the survey. the JMU Health Center — will remain William Korn, who worked in the in student affairs. compilation of the survey, said, "I think it Senior Vice President Lin wood Rose reflects a general movement among outlined several committees directly college females not only to aspire to CJ. GREBB related to restructuring efforts at the greater degrees, but that they are also which represents 1,800 colleges and (26.7 percent for men versus 8.5 percent beginning Of the semester. The attracted to fields that were previously universities, sponsored the work at UCLA. for women). In this year's study, men fell committees were formed to provide non-traditional fields for women.'* Close to a quarter million freshmen slightly behind (27.3 percent for women reports tot he University Restructuring David Merkowitz, spokesman for the responded to die survey at 427 colleges versus 25.8 percent for men). A high-level Committee on current practices in American Council on Education, said in a and universities, and the results show a degree specifically referred to medical, several university areas and to provide Jan. 24 Washington Post article, "If you dramatic increase by women over die past law and doctoral degree programs. suggestions for improvements. want a long-term indicator of major social 25 years. An increased trend was also evident in The Support Service Operations change, this is one." In 1967, three times more men than overall freshmen aspirations. Sixty-five subcommittee, which will be headed by The American Council on Education, women were seeking a high-level degree ADMINISTRATORSpage 2 COALS page 2 • ■ - - ■ * - ■■ - 2 THE BREEZE Monday, Jan. 31. 1994 Policy Goals. continued from page 1 continued from page 1 The judicial proceeding at JMU begins 7.2 percent in 1987 to 15.8 this year. "No student shall engage in or attempt to when a student is charged judicially with a percent of all first-year students plan to go To some degree, those two majors are engage in any form of sexual misconduct. university violation. The student then on to graduate course work, as compared interchangeable," Korn said. "Health Sexual misconduct includes sexual assault meets with Way, unless it is a minor to 55 percent last year, and less than 50 careers are also very well-paying, and or sexual intercourse without consent." violation and then the student meets with percent in the early 1970s. students are interested in that.-1 think Way said the State Council of Higher the student judicial coordinator. A record number of those freshmen business lost its luster, and based on Education for Virginia wrote a new sexual who responded to the survey indicated that economic circumstances, business was misconduct policy last year which is more a significant factor in attending college given a bad name." specific, detailing body parts and actions. ''Assault' expresses was so that the jobs and opportunities that Students are also more willing to be Way said JMU may adopt this policy if followed would be financially lucrative. identified and associated with the right or the attorney general's office approves it. the event of rape better Seventy-five percent said that a "very the left of the political spectrum, as The state attorney general's office acts important" reason for going to college was opposed to previous years in which the as JMU's lawyer and JMU must approve than 'misconduct.' to increase the opportunity to make more classification "middle of the road" and adopt SCHEV's policy by April 20 for money after graduation. garnered the most support. it to be included in die 1994-95 handbook. "These findings suggest that the 'For the first time since 1972, less than students may be more interested in half of the respondents (49.9 percent) Way said. Laura McClintock According to the sexual assault graduate degrees because they feel that claimed to middle of the road, 10 proposal, the students wrote: "We endorse senior sociology major advanced training will give them the percentage points down from the all-time SCHEV's recommended sexual assault competitive edge in their quest for jobs high of 60 percent in 1980. policy of February 1993. However, we After hearing the case. Way hands and financial security," Alexander Astin The political right, with an increase of hold firm the conviction that the term down a sanction and the accused student said.

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