To handle the difficult issue of sexual assault, with its serious personal and institutional consequences, campuses often turn to student-affairs or law-enforcement officials, but the American Association of University Professors says faculty members could play a more important role. In a nine-page report released on Thursday, the group outlines the scope of the issue and suggests ways to prevent and manage sexual violence, with an eye toward faculty responsibilities.
Faculty members, the report says, may “find themselves in the role of ‘first responders’ to reports of sexual assault, yet few consider themselves adequately equipped for the role—in part because they are the least likely campus constituency to receive information about sexual assault and guidance about reporting and responding to it.”
Generally, professors are not required under the federal campus-crime reporting law known as the Clery Act to report alleged incidents to the authorities, the AAUP says, but they should be familiar with institutional policies and procedures, and comfortable helping students who are sexual-assault victims consider their options.
Also, the report says, scholars in relevant disciplines “can promote through their research a better understanding of the issues surrounding campus sexual assault.”
The association lays out 12 recommendations for campuses to develop sound policies and procedures, including making the process for reporting incidents clear, accessible, and highly publicized; restricting access to residence halls; and designating a single official to oversee and coordinate such responsibilities. The group also calls for a clearer definition of what constitutes a sex crime and increased collaboration between colleges and local law-enforcement agencies.
Attention to campus policies on sexual misconduct, including assault, has been high for the past couple of years, since the U.S. Department of Education released a “Dear Colleague letter” directing colleges more specifically than in the past on how to handle the issue. That letter and a recent high-profile investigation of Yale University have prompted many campuses to examine and, in many cases, revise their policies.
Federal lawmakers are also weighing in. On Tuesday the Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act, which includes provisions governing colleges, known from a prior bill as the SaVE Act, or the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act.
Beyond laws and regulations, faculty and staff members need more guidance, says the AAUP. The “patchwork of laws and definitions,” it says, “confuses efforts to address campus sexual assault.”