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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

President's Wednesday Message


During this fall’s Message to the College Community, I spoke about SUNY’s resolution of October 8, regarding a system-wide response to sexual assault on college campuses. Since then, national concerns about campus safety and about colleges’ responses to sexual assault have only grown—making SUNY’s work on this issue even more important. Late Monday, Chancellor Zimpher provided all SUNY presidents with the policies, procedures, and guides related to this resolution. In the Chancellor’s words, these new policies:

· Ensure that victims/survivors of sexual violence know how to reach confidential, supportive resources on and off campus, including community organizations and state-wide hotlines.
· Include a “Victim/Survivor Bill of Rights,” ensuring that victims/survivors will be treated with respect and dignity when disclosing crimes of sexual violence. It includes rights, protections, and remedies for victims/survivors, including options for receiving resources, protection, and accommodations; reporting to school officials and/or law enforcement; and utilizing the conduct and/or criminal justice system.
· Put clearly in writing that the campus will not charge a bystander reporting in good faith or victim/survivor of sexual violence with violation of an alcohol or drug use policy if they were under the influence at the time of the incident.
· Make victims aware of available remedies, including orders of protection, no contact orders, and adjudication through campus disciplinary proceedings and law enforcement.
· Define “consent” clearly and uniformly across the SUNY system as unambiguous, knowing, and voluntary.
· Provide a road map for an orientation and continuing awareness program to educate the campus community about preventing sexual violence, how to report it, and what resources and remedies are available for victims/survivors.
· Plan for the creation of a uniform SUNY-wide climate survey. Beginning in Spring 2015, SUNY experts will analyze past survey questions and methodologies and craft a uniform survey to be implemented by all SUNY colleges in the 2015-2016 academic year.

The Chancellor has set a March 31, 2015, deadline for colleges to respond with the actions they have taken to address these policies, and SUNY’s Office of General Counsel is preparing a detailed manual to support implementation at the college-level.

MCC’s response and implementation will be led by Vice President Lloyd Holmes and Director of Public Safety Sal Simonetti, but it is important to understand that all of us play an essential role in creating a safe learning environment for our entire college community. I encourage you to contact Vice President Holmes or Public Safety Director Simonetti should you have any questions about the new policies or about how you can support this effort.

Please share your thoughts on the blog.

    Anne M. Kress
    Office of the President
    12/03/2014