As of Jan. 1, MSU’s Sexual Harassment Policy was replaced by an updated and more thorough Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct policy.
This new policy comes while MSU is currently under several Title IX investigations by the U.S. Department of Education for potentially mishandling sexual assault accusations from students.
Paulette Granberry Russell, the university’s Title IX coordinator and the director of the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives, known as I3, said the university’s new policy incorporates guidance directly from the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.
“It was important to make changes now,” Granberry Russell said. “Given recent guidance related to relationship violence and stalking that was included in the Violence Against Women Act.”
Much of the emphasis of President Lou Anna K. Simon’s official release focused on clearly defining consent, sexual misconduct and relationship violence as well as making students aware of all the resources available to them when dealing with a sexual misconduct incident. Students, university employees or concerned friends are encouraged in the policy to contact MSU police or I3.
I3 handles the potential violations of university policy, and acted quickly to implement the changes detailed in this new policy, Granberry Russell said.
A recent investigation from I3 revealed that only 47 of the 174 student claims of sexual misconduct reported since August 2011 underwent formal investigation. From 2013 to 2014, only 21 of the 81 reports were formally investigated. Reasons for several of the cases going without investigation included lack of claimant participation or no jurisdiction in the matter.
The recommendations to change the policy arrived in June of 2014, and the effects are now being seen on MSU’s campus.
Simon’s release also stated that comprehensive training for students and employees will be announced sometime this spring.
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said the police are forming a special victims unit designed to help support students who may be going through domestic abuse, stalking or sexual assault.
“The members of this unit are specially trained to listen to and never blame the victim,” Taylor said. “We want victims to feel safe when they come to report an incident like this.”
The specially trained employees will also do whatever it takes to make victims comfortable talking to police officers, including meeting them at any specified location or sending only a male or female officer if requested.
Current training programs including the Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Prevention Program and the Sexual Assault Response Team will be updated to reflect the changes of this new policy.
The Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention program — part of the MSU Sexual Assault Program — will soon begin training new members to serve the community and support survivors.
“We provide a training each semester and ensure our new volunteers are aware of sexual assault advocacy and counseling services on campus and in the Greater Lansing area,” said Shari Murgittroyd, program coordinator for the Sexual Assault Program. The 40-hour training regiment includes practice with role plays and referral scenarios so volunteers build knowledge and a skill base for effective referrals.
The team will work with I3 to work within the guidelines of MSU’s new policy and the federally defined dimensions of violence and consent.
