Title IX and Sexual Misconduct at Monroe College
Monroe College is committed to providing students and employees with a safe environment in which to learn, live, and work – one that cultivates equality and mutual respect, and is free from any form of sexual discrimination, violence, harassment, or misconduct. The College embraces its Title IX and Sexual Misconduct responsibilities. A Title IX Administrator and Title IX Coordinators on the Bronx and New Rochelle campuses are available to all members of the college community:
Joy Tolliver, Title IX Administrator
Telephone: (914) 740- 6476
Email: jtolliver@monroecollege.edu
Title IX Coordinators serve as resources for any Title IX-related related questions or concerns. Such matters include, but are not limited to: dating violence, domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and stalking. To report an incident to the College, please call one of our Title IX Coordinators below. If you prefer, you may submit a report, which may be completed anonymously. The form can be found online at title-ix-sexual-misconduct-form.
Joy Tolliver, Title IX Coordinator, New Rochelle Campus
Telephone: (914) 740- 6476
Email: jtolliver@monroecollege.edu
Jeannette Slim, Title IX Coordinator, Bronx Campus
Telephone: (646) 393-8547
Email: jslim@monroecollege.edu
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a comprehensive federal law that protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities which receive Federal financial assistance. The law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. Title IX applies to traditional educational institutions such as colleges, universities, including SUNY campuses. Under Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972, colleges and universities are required to develop procedures to respond to claims of sexual harassment.
Title IX states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” For more information regarding Monroe College’s full Title IX Policy, please view the code of Conduct and Sexual Misconduct Policy info/title-ix-and-sexual-misconduct-policies.
Enough is Enough
New York State has the most aggressive policy in the nation to fight against sexual assault on college campuses. By standing up and saying “Enough is Enough,” we made a clear and bold statement that sexual violence is a crime, and students can be assured they have a right to have it investigated and prosecuted as one.
The new “Enough is Enough” legislation requires all colleges to adopt a set of comprehensive procedures and guidelines, including a uniform definition of affirmative consent, a statewide amnesty policy, and expanded access to law enforcement. With this law, we will better protect all of New York’s college students from rape and sexual assault. The New York State Enough is Enough website: ny.gov/programs/enough-enough-combating-sexual-assault-college-campuses
Sexual Offense Policies and Procedures
- Title IX Definitions
- Accused is defined as a person accused of a violation who has not yet entered Monroe College’s judicial process.
- Affirmative Consent is defined as a knowing, voluntary, and mutual decision among all participants to engage in sexual activity. Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create clear permission regarding willingness to engage in the sexual activity. Silence or lack of resistance, in and of itself, does not demonstrate consent. The definition of consent does not vary based upon a participant's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression
- Consent to any sexual act or prior consensual sexual activity between or with any party does not necessarily constitute consent to any other sexual act.
- Consent is required regardless of whether the person initiating the act is under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
- Consent may initially be given but withdrawn at any time.
- Consent cannot be given when a person is incapacitated, which occurs when an individual lacks the ability to knowingly choose to participate in sexual activity. Incapacitation may be caused by the lack of consciousness or being asleep, being involuntarily restrained, or if an individual otherwise cannot consent. Depending on the degree of intoxication, someone who is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants may be incapacitated and therefore unable to consent.
- Consent cannot be given when it is the result of any coercion, intimidation, force, or threat of harm.
- When consent is withdrawn or can no longer be given, sexual activity must stop.
- Bystander is defined as a person who observes a crime, impending crime, conflict, potentially violent or violent behavior, or conduct that is in violation of rules or policies of Monroe College.
- Bystander Intervention is defined as a safe and positive option that may be carried out by a person or persons to prevent harm or intervene when there is a risk of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Bystander intervention includes recognizing situations of potential harm, understanding institutional structures and cultural conditions that facilitate violence, overcoming barriers to intervening, identifying safe and effective intervention options, and taking action to intervene.
- Confidentiality is defined as information shared by an individual with designated campus or community professionals cannot be revealed to any other entity without the express permission of the individual, unless required by law. These campus and community professionals include licensed mental health counselors, medical providers and pastoral counselors. Students in need of confidential assistance may contact the Director of Health and Wellness Services and/or the Counseling Services Office. These individuals are prohibited from breaking confidentiality unless there is an imminent threat of harm to self or others, or if a report involves suspected abuse of a minor under the age of eighteen (18). Confidential entities, like many other professions, including employees in higher education, are required by state law to notify Child Protective Services or local law enforcement in cases of suspected child abuse.
Please note: All Monroe College employees that are not listed above are not confidential resources, because they are mandated to report any incidents of sexual assault or other crimes. However, all Monroe College employees will maintain good faith in protecting your privacy best they can. If you do speak with a non-confidential resource, information will be passed on to the Title IX coordinator for an investigation and/or resolution. - Dating Violence is defined as violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the reporting party's statement and with consideration of the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. For the purposes of this definition, dating violence includes, but is not limited to, sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse. Dating violence does not include acts covered under the definition of “domestic violence”.
- Domestic Violence is defined as a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed
- by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim;
- by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common;
- by a person who is cohabitating with, or has cohabitated with, the victim as a spouse or intimate partner;
- by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred, or
- by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person's acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred.
- Hate Crime is defined as a crime reported to local police agencies or to the Department of Public Safety that manifests evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator’s bias against the victim. For the purposes of this section, the categories of bias include the victim’s actual or perceived race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, and disability.
- Privacy is defined as the information relating to a report of misconduct will only be shared with a limited number of trained college professionals who “need to know” in order to provide support for the individual and to ensure safety for individuals and the community as well as review, investigate, and resolve the report. The professionals with knowledge of the situation will be limited as much as possible to preserve privacy and ensure safety of the reporter.
- Reporting Individual is defined as a victim, survivor, complainant, claimant, or witness with victim status. A bystander, or a third party reporter, is not considered a reporting individual.
- Sexual Assault is defined as any sexual act directed against another person, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent. Sexual assault includes, but is not limited to, the offenses defined below.
- Rape is the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.
- Fondling is the touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, without the consent of the person, including
- Incest is sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law.
- Statutory Rape is sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent.
- Sexual Harassment is defined as unwelcome, sexual or gender-based verbal, written or physical conduct that is, sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it, has the effect of unreasonably interfering with, denying or limiting employment opportunities or the ability to participate in or benefit from the college’s educational, social and/or residential program, and is based on real or reasonably perceived power differentials (quid pro quo), the creation of a hostile environment or retaliation.
- Stalking is defined as engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person’s safety or the safety of others; or suffer substantial emotional distress
- Confidentiality and Privacy
Confidentiality:
Confidentiality can be provided when speaking with an individual who cannot share information to any other entity without the permission of the individual, unless required by law. Confidential on-campus resources are offered through the Counseling Center. Please see the full list of resources in Monroe College Resources and Services below.
Privacy:
Monroe College Campus staff and faculty who cannot guarantee confidentiality will protect your privacy to the best of their ability. The information reported to a non-confidential resource will be relayed as necessary to the Title IX Coordinator for further investigation and/or to determine a solution.
Mandated Reporting:
Monroe College staff and faculty who are non-confidential resources are mandated reporters for all of the information they collected about a reported incident. The mandated reporters will share information with the Title IX Coordinator. Reporting to a mandated reported constitutes as an official reporter to Monroe College. - Non-Discrimination Policy:
Monroe College does not discriminate and prohibits illegal discrimination, inclusive of harassment, against any individual on the basis of their race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, familial status, or any other protected characteristic under federal or state law in any of its employment practices or educational programs or activates. - Drug and Alcohol Amnesty Policy:
The health and safety of every student at Monroe College is of utmost importance. Monroe College recognizes that students who have been drinking and/or using drugs (whether such use is voluntary or involuntary) at the time that violence, including but not limited to domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault occurs may be hesitant to report such incidents due to fear of potential consequences for their own conduct. Monroe College strongly encourages students to report domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault to institution officials. A bystander acting in good faith or a reporting individual acting in good faith that discloses any incident of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault to College officials or law enforcement will not be subject to Monroe College’s code of conduct action for violations of alcohol and/or drug use policies occurring at or near the time of the commission of the domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault. - Student Bill of Rights:
All students have the right to:- Make a report to local law enforcement and/or state police;
- Have disclosures of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault treated seriously;
- Make a decision about whether or not to disclose a crime or violation and participate in the judicial or conduct process and/or criminal justice process free from pressure by the institution;
- Participate in a process that is fair, impartial, and provides adequate notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard;
- Be treated with dignity and to receive from the institution courteous, fair, and respectful health care and counseling services, where available;
- Be free from any suggestion that the reporting individual is at fault when these crimes and violations are committed, or should have acted in a different manner to avoid such crimes or violations;
- Describe the incident to as few institution representatives as practicable and not be required to unnecessarily repeat a description of the incident;
- Be protected from retaliation by the institution, any student, the accused and/or the respondent, and/or their friends, family and acquaintances within the jurisdiction of the institution;
- Access to at least one level of appeal of a determination;
- Be accompanied by an advisor of choice who may assist and advise a reporting individual, accused, or respondent throughout the judicial or conduct process including during all meetings and hearings related to such process; and
- Exercise civil rights and practice of religion without interference by the investigative, criminal justice, or judicial or conduct process of the institution.
Resources and Services Directory
Title IX Coordinator Contacts
| Title | Campus | Name | Contact Info | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title IX Coordinator, Co-Chair | Joy Tolliver | (914) 740-6476, jtolliver@monroecollege.edu | M-F, regular business hours | |
| Title IX Coordinator, Co-Chair | Daniel Sharon | (646) 393-8257, dsharon@monroecollege.edu | M-F, regular business hours | |
| Title IX Coordinator, Bronx Campus | Jeannette Slim | (646) 393-8547, jslim@monroecollege.edu | M-F, regular business hours | |
| Senior Vice President, Operations | David Dimond | (914) 740-6436, ddimond@monroecollege.edu | M-F, regular business hours | |
| Athletics, NJCAA | Luis Melendez | (914) 760-6444, lmelendez@monroecollege.edu | M-F, regular business hours |
On-Campus Mandated Reporters
| Title | Campus | Name | Contact Info | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Safety | New Rochelle | (914) 740-6854 | 24 hours / 7 days per week | |
| Public Safety | Bronx | (646) 393-8495 | 24 hours / 7 days per week | |
| Student Services Office | New Rochelle | (914) 740-6420 | M-F, regular business hours |
Off-Campus Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
Advocacy and Counseling
| Title | Name | Contact Info | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Ties of Westchester | Westchester, NY | 914-964-2063 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Hopes Door: Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Shelter | Westchester, NY | Hotline: 888-438-8700 Office: 914-747- 0828, ext. 1003 | Available: 24 hours/7 days a week |
| My Sister’s Place: Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Shelter | Westchester, NY | Hotline: 1-800-298-7233 | Available: 24 hours/7 days a week |
| WestCOP, Inc Victims Assistance Rape Crisis Services | Westchester, NY | Hotline: 855- 827-2255 Office:914-345-3513 | Available: 24 hours/7 days a week |
| Bronx District Attorney’s Crime Victim’s Unit | Bronx, NY | Office: 718-590-2115 | Available: Mon-Thurs, 8:30am- 11:00 pm; Fri. 8:30am- 5:00 pm |
| NYC Family Justice Center | Bronx, NY | Office: 718-508-1220 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Safe Horizons | Bronx, NY | Office: 718-590-2355 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, Changing Futures Program | Bronx, NY | Office: 718-884-0858, ext. 100 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| New York State Health Program | Bronx, NY | 718-960-0215 (English) 718-960-0300 (Spanish) | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
Off-Campus Mental Health Resources
| Title | Name | Contact Info | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Association | Maribel Rivera, LCSW | 914-345-0700, ext. 7302 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Open Door Family Medical Center | Mildred Tandria, PhD | 914-406-8210 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Victims Justice Center | Elizabeth Bussian, LCSW | 914-995-5165 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Family Services of Westchester | Jocelyn Pineda-Archer, LMHC | 914-305-6882 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Crisis Prevention Response | Hotline: 914- 925-5959 | Available: 24 hours/7 days a week |
Off-Campus Medical Services
| Title | Name | Contact Info | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center | Emergency Care | 718-590-1800 | Available: 24 hours/ 7 days a week |
| Montefiore / New Rochelle Hospital (does not take United Health) | Emergency Care | 914-632-5000 | Available: 24 hours/ 7 days a week |
| Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla | FACT Program: Forensic Acute Care Team | 1-866-468- 6962 | Available: 24 hours/ 7 days a week |
| Open Door Family Medical Center | Primary Doctors | 914-632-2737 | Available: M-F, regular business hours with some Saturdays |
| North Central Bronx Hospital, Sexual Assault Treatment Program | SAFE Hospital: medical care and forensic exam | 718-519-5722 | Available: 24 hours/7 days a week |
Off-Campus Legal Services
| Title | Name | Contact Info | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Make the Road New York (WHC) | Ida Serrano | 914-948- 8488 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Hudson Valley Legal Services | Betty Luciano | 1-877-574- 8529 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Pace Women’s Justice Center | Tracy Alter | 914-287- 0739 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
Off-Campus Survival Services (Food, Clothing, and Housing)
| Title | Name | Contact Info | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Social Services, Temporary Housing | Celia Megias | 914-995- 6267 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Social Service at Westchester County, Temporary Housing | Silvia Solis | 914-995-6855 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Food Pantry New Rochelle | Jim Anderson | 914-207-5047 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| Food Pantry Port Chester | Reverend Hilario Albert | 914-939-1244 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
Off-Campus Culturally Specific Services
| Title | Name | Contact Info | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| LGBTQ Services and Advocacy | Shepard Verbas | 914-948-2932, ext. 13 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
Off-Campus Law Enforcement
| Title | Name | Contact Info | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York State Police Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit | Senior Investigator: Lisa Lastorino | Office: 631- 756-3358 | Available: M-F, regular business hours |
| New York State Police | Hotline: 1-844- 845-7269 | Available: 24 hours/7 days a week | |
| New Rochelle Police Department | Detective: Yadilene Machado | 914-654-2356 | Available: 24 hours/7 days a week |
| NYPD 46th Precinct, Bronx | Commanding Officer: Wilson Aramboles | 718-220-5254 | Available: 24 hours/7 days a week |
Responding to a Sexual Offense
Your safety and well-being are of paramount importance. Monroe College’s Title IX staff, Counseling Services, and Student Services offices are here to help you get the continued support you need. Do not blame yourself; sexual assault is never a victim’s fault. Survivors of sexual assault are encouraged to take the following actions immediately:
- Go to a safe place as soon as possible.
Your safety is our highest priority. If you do not feel safe on campus, contact the Department of Public Safety at 914-740-6854 (New Rochelle Campus) or 646-393-8495 (Bronx Campus). If you are off campus, dial your local police at 911. You may also contact the WestCOP, Inc. Victim’s Assistance Rape Crisis hotline at 1-855-827-2255 or Safe Horizon’s Rape and Sexual Assault hotline at 212-227-3000. - Seek medical attention.
If you are in need of medical attention, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 914-740-6854 (New Rochelle Campus); 646-393-8495 (Bronx Campus) to be transported to the hospital or dial 911. You may also contact the WestCOP, Inc. Victim’s Assistance Rape Crisis hotline at 1-855-827-2255, Safe Horizon’s Rape and Sexual Assault hotline at 212-227-3000, or the Westchester Medical Center’s Forensic Acute Care Team at 1-866-468-6962. - Reach out for support.
We are here to support you. If you need academic support after the alleged sexual offense, please contact the Office of Student Services at (914) 740-6420 (New Rochelle Campus) or (646) 393-8295 (Bronx Campus). If you wish to receive counseling or need help finding an appropriate counselor, please contact our Counseling Services Office at (914) 740-6402 (Tuesday: 11am-5pm, Thursday: 9am-3pm). You may also contact the WestCOP, Inc. Victim’s Assistance Rape Crisis hotline at 1-855-827-2255, Safe Horizon’s Rape and Sexual Assault hotline at 212-227-3000. For more information on services and support, refer to the Resource and Services Guide - Consider collecting evidence.
It is recommended that you do not wash or change clothing, sheets, towels, etc., to preserve any evidence to use in an investigation. It is recommended that you do not shower, bathe, douche, brush your teeth, use mouthwash, comb your hair, etc., until after a medical professional, preferably a Forensic Acute Care Team, examines you to help retain evidence. If you decide to seek medical attention, it is best to do so within 72 hours of the assault to preserve evidence.- Note: You are not obligated to press charges just because you consent to a collection of forensic evidence; however, this evidence is important should you later decide to prosecute. The Department of Public Safety or Police will provide transportation if necessary. Make sure to bring a full change of clothing, because the clothes you wore at the time of the incident might be kept as evidence.
- Note: Sexual assault forensic exams are free and confidential regardless of medical coverage.
- You have options.
You do not need to pursue any action until you have decided which option is best for you. You may work with Monroe College to come to a resolution, you may initiate criminal proceedings, and/or you may initiative a civil process against the perpetrator. Students who decide to work with Monroe College to investigate and resolve the incident should contact their campus Title IX coordinator: Joy Tolliver, (914) 740-6476, jtolliver@monroecollege.edu or Jeannette Slim, (646) 393-8547, jslim@monroecollege.edu. Employees should contact Human Resources, Kerry Wirsing, (646) 393-8306, to help with the investigation and resolution. If you decide to move forward with a criminal investigation, please contact the Department of Public Safety and/or the local police station where the incident occurred. If you would like someone to accompany you to make the report, please contact your Title IX coordinator.
Reporting an Incident
The incident report form can be found at monroecollege.edu/info/title-ix-and-sexual-misconduct-form.
An individual who believes they are a victim of sexual assault, discrimination, or harassment has the right to pursue more than one of the reporting options below simultaneously, or they can choose not to participate in any of the options below:
- To confidentially disclose the incident to one of the following, who by law may maintain confidentiality, and can assist in obtaining services:
On-Campus:
- Counseling Services: (914) 740-6402
Off-Campus New Rochelle Services:
- Westchester Hispanic Coalition Prevention Program: Hotline: (844) 926-6627
- Family Ties of Westchester: (914) 964-2063
- WestCOP, Inc Victims Assistance: Hotline: (855) 827-225
- Westchester District Attorney’s Office: (914) 813-5800
Off-Campus Bronx Services:
- Safe Horizon’s Rape and Sexual Assault Hotline: (212) 227-3000
- Bronx District Attorney’s Office Crime Victim’s Assistance: (718) 590-2114
(Note: the hotlines listed above are for crisis intervention, resources, and referrals, and are not reporting mechanisms)
- To disclose the incident to one of the following college officials who can offer privacy and information about remedies, accommodations, evidence preservation, and how to obtain resources. These officials will also provide the information contained in the Students’ Bill of Rights. These college officials will disclose that they are private and not confidential resources, and they may still be required by law and college policy to inform one or more college officials about the incident, including but not limited to the Title IX Coordinator.
- Title IX Coordinators:
- Joy Tolliver, New Rochelle Campus: (914) 740-6476 jtolliver@monroecollege.edu
- Jeannette Slim, Bronx Campus: (646) 393-8547 jslim@monroecollege.edu
- Department of Public Safety - available 24/7
- New Rochelle Campus: (914) 740-6854
- Bronx Campus: (646) 393-8495
- To file a criminal complaint with local law enforcement
- New York State Police Sexual Assault Victims Unit: (631) 756-3358
- New York State Police: Hotline: (844) 845-7269
- New Rochelle Police Department: (844) 845-7269
- NYPD 52nd Precinct, Bronx: (718) 220-5857
- When the accused is an employee, a reporting individual may also report the incident to Monroe College’s Human Resources Department or may request that one of the above referenced confidential or private employees to assist in reporting to Human Resources. Disciplinary proceedings will be conducted in accordance with the College’s Policies and Procedures. When the accused is an employee of an affiliated entity or vendor of the college, college officials will, at the request of the reporting individual, assist in reporting to the appropriate office of the vendor or affiliated entity and, if the response of the vendor or affiliated entity is not sufficient, assist in obtaining a persona non grata letter, subject to legal requirements and college policy.
- Human Resources Department
- Kerry Wirsing: (646) 393-8306; kwirsing@monroecollege.edu
Note: You may withdraw your complaint or involvement from Monroe College’s process at any time. Monroe College may continue the investigation process to ensure safety within the college community even if your participation in the investigation is withdrawn.
For more information regarding on and off campus resources, please refer to the Resources and Services directory above.
Education and Prevention
Bystander Intervention
A type of harassment intervention that encourages the community to pay attention and take action if they see someone is uncomfortable or in potential danger
The 4 D’s of Bystander Intervention
- Direct – Confront the harasser (i.e. ask the harasser to leave the victim alone)
- Distract – Interrupt either party (i.e. ask the harasser or the victim for the time)
- Delegate – Get help from others (i.e. alert a public safety officer)
- Delay – Check in on the situation later (i.e. ask the victim if they are okay after the incident)
Campus Climate Assessments
Title IX Campus Climate Executive Summary October 2019
Introduction
Monroe College is committed to ensuring a positive campus climate, especially surrounding issues of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and gender discrimination on campus. As part of this important work, we anonymously surveyed the College community to better understand the perspectives and experiences of our students. The results of this survey will be used to improve our policies and services to support our students.
The survey was administered from September 25, 2019 to October 25, 2019 and was adapted from the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.
Demographics
The survey was sent to all currently enrolled Monroe College students on the Bronx and New Rochelle campuses and online. We received 183 responses to the survey. The majority of respondents were Bachelor’s (43%) and Associate (42%) students. Most of the respondents were female (81%) and heterosexual (73%), and most students fell between the ages of 18-24 (52%).
Campus Climate
The results revealed that the majority of students feel valued (78%), safe (86%) and have a sense of belonging (78%) at the College. Students report they feel the College treats all students fairly (81%), and that Public Safety is genuinely concerned about students’ well-being (83%). Most respondents agreed that Public Safety officers protect students from harm (91%) and treat students respectfully (95%).
Awareness on Policies and Procedures
Students demonstrated that they know the definition of sexual assault (99%), affirmative consent (95%), sexual harassment (99%), and gender discrimination (98%). More than half of students know how and where to report a sexual assault (58%), but only 43% of students know who the Title IX Coordinator is on their campus.
The feedback regarding policy awareness from 2018 helped us improve our policy, communication tools, training, and education regarding Title IX and Enough is Enough. In the prior year’s survey, less than half of students thought that policies relating to gender discrimination (35.1%), sexual violence (40%), sexual harassment (40.2%), and sexual assault (40.8%) were well-communicated. The positive feedback on policy communications improved this year to: gender discrimination (61%), sexual violence (65%), sexual harassment (67%), and sexual assault (64%). We attribute this improvement, in part, to the creation of a student-friendly digital brochure to help students better understand the College’s policies and procedures, as well as their rights. As well, information flyers and posters were prominently placed around campus to raise student awareness of essential facts regarding Title IX and Enough is Enough. This year’s survey results reflect the success of these efforts.
The 2018 survey results revealed other areas for improvement. Specifically, there is a need for better communication of services available for victims of sexual assault, as half of respondents (51%) said they are unsure of available services. That number decreased to 40% of respondents in the 2019 survey. The College will be working to further improve student awareness on such critical information.
Another area that was cited for improvement in 2018 was students’ knowledge of the College’s sexual assault education. This also improved by 10%. In 2018, 40% of students reported they were not sure whether Monroe was doing a good job of educating students about sexual assault. In 2019, that percentage improved to 30%.
Bystander Intervention and Education
More than half of Monroe students (67%) would respect someone who did something to prevent a sexual assault. Most (69%) felt that they were aware of strategies to intervene if a situation had the potential for sexual assault. Students (70%) largely reported they feel empowered to intervene in a sexual assault or harassment incident if they feel safe in doing so.
Over the past two academic years, the College has developed and disseminated additional materials regarding bystander intervention and added more bystander training sessions to the training schedule. These efforts have yielded positive increases for all of the indicators related to this area.
Most students (97%) understand the basic Title IX and Enough is Enough definitions -- as well as how and where to report incidents. To ensure more students are participating in training and education seminars, we are working to present them more frequently and in smaller groups.
Among the forums through which we disseminate Title IX information: FYE Freshman Seminars, New Student Orientations, Pre-Season Athlete Orientations by team, Residence Assistants training, Parent Orientation, and pamphlets distributed with Freshman Welcome Folders. These efforts have substantially increased student participation in sexual assault education and training from 43% in 2018, indicating that they had been educated on sexual assault, to 83%, indicating they received sexual assault education.
Victimization
The survey questions surrounding victimization are designed to help us better understand if victims of sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination are reporting these incidents. Overall, seven students reported being sexually harassed, four students reported being a victim of sexual assault, and eight students experienced gender discrimination.
Among students who report they were victimized, seven students spoke with someone off campus regarding the incident, three students spoke with local law enforcement, and five students spoke with a college official. While these results are encouraging, more training and education need to take place to ensure that victims feel comfortable speaking to someone and reporting an incident.
Comparatively, 11 students reported witnessing a student being sexually harassed, four students reported witnessing a sexual assault, and 12 students reported witnessing gender discrimination. Among students who witnessed an offense, approximately six students reported it to a college official and five students reported the incident to local law enforcement. The College will be increasing the frequency of bystander intervention trainings and inviting local law enforcement experts on campus to better familiarize students about resources and information available on campus.
Conclusion
Monroe College wholly supports the principles set forth in Title IX and Enough is Enough. The College is committed to working to prevent sexual offenses from occurring on-campus and within the local community.
As part of its commitment to a safe and supportive campus climate, the College has expanded available campus resources. A psychologist is on staff to provide counseling to victims as well as confidential resources, and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office is helping the College improve policies and procedures relating to Title IX and Enough is Enough. Additionally, the College runs training sessions for students, faculty, and staff regarding bystander intervention, consent, and reporting. Going forward, The College plans to increase the frequency and variety of training and education sessions, run a campaign to promote more student participation in the Campus Climate Survey, and include training sessions on Dating Violence.