UT’s sexual assault policies, like much of UT’s campus, are slated for renovation.
Chancellor Jimmy Cheek announced Aug. 20 his consolidation of existing policies, as well as his intent to generate a new policy “ideally” to be finished by the end of the year.
“We want to start the year out with a really clear message to our students, faculty and staff about the university’s expectations, what practices we are going to do and where our next steps rest,” said Ashley Blamey, director of the Center for Health Education & Wellness.
The nation has been updating federal standards and recommendations since 1994, when the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights issued guidelines for dealing with sexual assault, misconduct, violence and stalking on college campuses.
Recent efforts by the White House, including the investigation of 55 universities for Title IX violations as well as the 2014 “Not Alone” report, have also pushed colleges to update sexual assault protocol.
“We are taking this opportunity to pull all of this direction and guidance together to create the best possible process for our students and employees,” said Jennifer Richter, UT’s Title IX coordinator.
Until the new policy emerges, the university will operate with an interim policy. Now available on UT’s sexual assault website, the interim policy streamlines all information a student or faculty member may need in the event of sexual assault. In addition, the interim policy clarifies which departments and resource centers are responsible for addressing student reports.
Ultimately, campus administrators hope to create one comprehensive policy.
“A ‘Sexual Misconduct Policy,’ in general, is just really the best practice on university campuses now,” Blamey said. “It’s about getting a really clear overview and coordinating the total picture. It’s making sure that we have one consistent message.”
While the interim policy is in effect, a Sexual Misconduct Task Force comprised of faculty, staff and students will collaborate to craft the new policy. Richter, who will chair the task force, said members will review information, collect and hear input from students and staff and create a final policy to propose to Cheek before the end of the academic year.
“The interim is there as a framework because it meets all of our federal and state legal requirements as well as those obligations that we want to be sure and fulfill for students, faculty and staff,” Blamey said. “We will take the next – however long it takes – for the task force to make the policy with the right fit for our campus.”
Every aspect of the current policy is up for negotiation, except those aspects which are federally mandated. The task force is meant to encompass the perspectives of students, faculty and staff.
“There are going to be opportunities across the board depending on what someone’s level of interest is to be involved,” Blamey said. “There are going to be opportunities just for general feedback and survey type feedback that students can give anonymously. There are also going to be opportunities for students to self identify that they would like to be apart of a focus group or the task force providing input.”
The chancellor is very committed to including students in the creation of the new policy, Blamey said.
Nicky Hackenbrack, senior in biological sciences and co-chair of Sex Week, observed the new interim policy “improves transparency.”
“It is directed at students, which provides an unambiguous message to all students that the university encourages them to report any cases of sexual assault or harassment,” Hackenbrack said.
Although current sexual assault policies do define consent, Blamey said she hopes to see this definition evolve before the final policy is released and become something UT can “stand behind.”
The interim policy also includes an amnesty policy, which will protect survivors from any consequences relating to underage drinking at the time of the assault.
“As a community of Volunteers, this is an opportune time to have conversations about sexual assault and consent, what those terms mean and what they look like in real life, and how we can be effective active bystanders and take sexual assault prevention into our own hands,” Hackenbrack said.
This year, the Center for Health Education & Wellness added a website dedicated to sexual assault issues, sexualassault.utk.edu. They have also changed their name from the Center of Safety, Environment and Education to the Center of Health Education & Wellness and are looking to employ a wellness coordinator focused on the Sexual Health & Sexual Violence Prevention program.
