Amherst College strives to be a leader in implementing policies and procedures that bring about real change in on-campus culture in the areas of gender equity and sexual respect. These are among the extensive steps taken in this direction:
Conducted a national search and hired a full-time Title IX Coordinator.
Conducted a national search and hired a full-time Sexual Respect Educator.
Appointed full-time directors to the Multicultural Resource Center, The Queer Resource Center and the Women and Gender Center.
Trained all Resident Counselors on sexual respect, Title IX and the Clery Act during their August training.
Trained over 25% of the student body in Bystander Intervention, with a plan to offer training to the remaining student body.
Provided all new students with information about the College's definition of consent, reporting options and the Sexual Misconduct Policy at New Student Orientation.
Provided Bystander Intervention workshops in the fall semester to Faculty and Staff, with more planned for subsequent semesters.
As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the College hosted a display of the Clothesline Project and held a Healing Vigil.
Held Bystander Intervention trainings for all first-year students.
Presented a follow-up training to all Resident Counselors on Title IX and their role as mandatory reporters.
Offered recommendations to the Committee on Educational Policy regarding triggering language in academic courses.
Recruited professional staff from the Five College Consortium to serve on the campus Sexual Misconduct Hearing Board. Conducted a comprehensive training for hearing board members on hearing board procedures, common reactions of a survivor of sexual assault and Amherst College's Code of Student Conduct.
Posted new and revised policies and procedures on the Sexual Respect and Title IX website.
Identifed space for a gender resource center.
Hired two new Psychotherapists to the Counseling Center staff.
Presented updates to parents and alumni.
Provided additional support and services during upcoming breaks, such as Thanksgiving.
Cancelled classes and closed offices so that the Amherst College campus community could participate in the Day of Dialogue, a program of presentations and small group discussions.
Accelerated efforts to ensure that the entire College community is educated about law, policy and appropriate responses to survivors of incidents of sexual misconduct and assault and to ensure that staff, faculty and students are aware of how to protect survivors of sexual assault from experiences that trigger post-traumatic reactions.
Brought in counselors from Harvard’s McLean Center who are experts in the fields of sexual misconduct and assault policy to hold several walk-in counseling sessions with students and other members of the campus community.
Established a special committee to consider all recommendations for enhancing sexual respect, together with other ideas proposed by faculty, students, administration, staff and trustees. Read the committee’s report, Toward a Culture of Respect: The Problem of Sexual Misconduct at Amherst College.
Launched an internal investigation and review of the response to the first-person account in The Amherst Student, and a comprehensive review of the application of policies and procedures.
Solicited input from faculty, staff, alumni and students by planning and holding open meetings and gatherings of specific constituencies and through suggestions contributed via email and the Web.
Added student representation on the Title IX Committee and the Sexual Respect Task Force.
Launched this comprehensive new Sexual Respect and Title IX website that consolidates resources on sexual respect, including sexual misconduct and sexual violence in one area.
Authorized the establishment of an anonymous and confidential hotline service.
Outreach to local community partners for support.
Letters to the College community from President Martin and trustees.
Improved the disciplinary process, based on student feedback. For example, alternative testimony options are available for Committee on Discipline hearings, such as Skype, providing students with full access to the hearing process. Also, complainant and respondent have the option of submitting Impact Statements to be considered by the Committee while determining sanctions.
In future sexual misconduct cases, a trained investigator will meet with the complainant, respondent, and relevant witnesses; gather evidence; and prepare a report for distribution to the two parties and the Committee. Using an investigator permits a more complete investigation and lessens the burden on the complainant and the respondent in preparing their respective cases.
Hired an independent and nationally recognized expert, Gina Maisto Smith, a partner at Pepper Hamilton LLP, to work with the Title IX Committee on revising the College’s Title IX and sexual misconduct policies and practices.