2008 Woodie Awards
FIA-STARSA and Hoppe revisit college's sexual harassment policy
By: Matt Day, News Editor
Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: News
The mood was tense in the lecture hall on the ground floor of Carnegie Hall. Dean of Students Jim Hoppe, invited by Feminists in Action-Students Together Against Rape and Sexual Assault to discuss Macalester's sexual assault policies, sat alone on a table in front of more than 50 students in attendance at the Tuesday evening event.
As Hoppe explained the procedures of the Macalester College Harassment Committee, the questions he fielded began to express more and more frustration with what students said were failures of the administration to advertise and implement a policy adequately supportive of victims.
Anna Min '09 broke the tension almost an hour after the evening began with an appeal to Hoppe and the administration.
Min said students on campus brag about avoiding punishment for sexual assault and asked that Hoppe concentrate on prevention by advertising consequences that the college will enforce.
"I hope you lay it out, and say 'we'll kick your ass,'" Min said. The crowd, silent throughout the event, laughed, one of the only light moments in an evening full of serious conversation.
FIA-STARSA, a student-led organization, has been in talks with Hoppe about the sexual assault procedures for more than a month. The forum was designed to raise campus awareness of the policy to encourage a broader discussion.
FIA-STARSA co-chair Becca Holohan '10 expressed a concern shared by many at the meeting in her remarks in introducing Hoppe.
"We want to feel safe on our campus," she said. "We want the college to be more concerned with our mental health than with the college's PR."
As Dean of Students, Hoppe has the chief role in dealing with issues of harassment and sexual assault on campus. He spent 45 minutes detailing the procedural role of the Macalester College Harassment Committee.
The MCHC, comprised of Hoppe, Abraham Noel of Human Resources, French Professor Joell Vitiello and Psychology professor Brooke Lea, receives and investigates complaints from students.
As Hoppe explained the procedures of the Macalester College Harassment Committee, the questions he fielded began to express more and more frustration with what students said were failures of the administration to advertise and implement a policy adequately supportive of victims.
Anna Min '09 broke the tension almost an hour after the evening began with an appeal to Hoppe and the administration.
Min said students on campus brag about avoiding punishment for sexual assault and asked that Hoppe concentrate on prevention by advertising consequences that the college will enforce.
"I hope you lay it out, and say 'we'll kick your ass,'" Min said. The crowd, silent throughout the event, laughed, one of the only light moments in an evening full of serious conversation.
FIA-STARSA, a student-led organization, has been in talks with Hoppe about the sexual assault procedures for more than a month. The forum was designed to raise campus awareness of the policy to encourage a broader discussion.
FIA-STARSA co-chair Becca Holohan '10 expressed a concern shared by many at the meeting in her remarks in introducing Hoppe.
"We want to feel safe on our campus," she said. "We want the college to be more concerned with our mental health than with the college's PR."
As Dean of Students, Hoppe has the chief role in dealing with issues of harassment and sexual assault on campus. He spent 45 minutes detailing the procedural role of the Macalester College Harassment Committee.
The MCHC, comprised of Hoppe, Abraham Noel of Human Resources, French Professor Joell Vitiello and Psychology professor Brooke Lea, receives and investigates complaints from students.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Parent
posted 4/19/08 @ 2:03 PM CST
I would have liked to have seen a breakout on points of the policy and statistics on the number of mediations requested during the current or most recently completed school year. (Continued…)
Another Parent
posted 4/20/08 @ 12:00 AM CST
"Mediation was the subject of several questions. Students were critical of the principle that a perpetrator and victim of assault would be expected to reach a mutual agreement. (Continued…)
Another Parent
posted 4/20/08 @ 12:31 AM CST
An interesting related article
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0219/p02s01-usgn.html
Post a Comment