and nationally to discuss the issue
of sexual assault on campuses in
conjunction with a screening of
“The Hunting Ground” on campus.
The documentary follows two
survivors of sexual assault at the
University
of
North
Carolina
through their process of reporting
their assaults.
“ ‘The Hunting Ground’ is a very
powerful film, it has an incredible
message, but we want people to also
know that they can connect with
organizations, like the national
Sexual Assault Prevention and
Awareness Center and the It’s On
Us campaign, to be involved in a
part of a larger movement to create
change,” Palumbo said.
During the call, Ziering said
the issue of sexual misconduct on
campus can sometimes become
convoluted due to misperceptions
of how many reports are false. She
said only 4 to 8 percent of reports
are not true.
“It’s not as complicated or gray
or hard to figure out what exactly
went on as the culture or public
perception would have you believe,”
she said.
The
University
is
currently
under investigation by the U.S.
Department of Education over its
handling of sexual misconduct.
Dick said campus leaders have
the ability to make the issue of
sexual misconduct on campus a top
priority.
“I would like to see, since it is
Sexual Assault Awareness Month,
college presidents present at the
number of activities going on, and
speaking very forcefully about
how important this is, to them
personally, but also how important
it is for all the students,” Dick said.
Palumbo echoed his sentiment,
stressing
the
role
university
administrations play in setting the
tone for a community-wide effort to
prevent campus misconduct.
“College campus administrators
have the responsibility and ability
to really set the tone for prevention
on campus,” she said. “When they
show institutional commitment, it
reflects good leadership, it sets the
tone for all of the accountability
measures on campus, and sends a
message of the significance of the
campus’ sexual assault prevention
and response effort.”
Rider-Milkovich
said
the
University’s priority is promoting
verbal,
sober
and
enthusiastic
consent before having sex.
She
added
that
though
the
conversations
regarding
enthusiastic
consent
may
be
awkward at first, the University
is
committed
to
shifting
the
culture around consent through
programs such as AlcoholEdu and
Relationship Remix.
“I think it’s really valuable that
these
programs
are
providing
the evidence that students can
understand why it’s so critical,
and have good role models on how
to have those conversations, how
proactive sober consent doesn’t have
to be awkward or uncomfortable.
It can be a natural part of that
relationship’s
progression,”
Winchell-Caldwell said.
A
Michigan
Daily
report
published Wednesday pointed to
discrepancies between the definition
of consent taught to students by
SAPAC and the definition applied
in University disciplinary processes.
While SAPAC says silence and body
language do not satisfy consent, the
University’s
Sexual
Misconduct
Policy defines consent as “Clear and
unambiguous agreement, expressed
in mutually understandable words
or actions, to engage in a particular
activity.”
“I am very excited that ‘The
Hunting Ground’ is coming to the
University of Michigan, that we
are a campus and community that
is not fearful of having difficult
conversations,”
Rider-Milkovich
said. “I think it is important to have
difficult conversations in order for
us to really get to the heart of this
issue.”
Ruza said as a student she
appreciated the efforts of those
working in administration and on a
national level who devote their time
to making a culture shift around the
topic of college sexual misconduct.
“For me as a student, it was really
great to hear the perspectives of the
folks who created ‘The Hunting
Ground,’ as well as the other experts on
the panel who do this work every day.”
The screening of “The Hunting
Ground” at Rackham Amphitheatre
Thursday night also featured a
panel discussion with Milkovich,
Annie Clark and Andrea Pino, the
main subjects of the film, Paul
Blavin, a ‘96 University alum and
executive producer of the film,
Margie Pillsbury, a Department of
Public Safety and Security officer
and head of the new Special Victims
Unit, and Anna Forringer-Beal,
networking, publicity and activism
program co-coordinator of SAPAC.
The
event
attracted
many
students, faculty members and
parents, with the amphitheatre
completely full and people sitting in
the aisles.
Clark told the crowd that at the
end of the day, decisive steps have to
be taken in response to the issue of
sexual assault on college campuses.
“Even though some schools have
really great policies, they still have
zero expulsions, and I think until
we start changing that number
— until we have higher numbers
of reporters, higher numbers of
students
actually
being
found
responsible — it’s going to be very
hard for us to change this problem”
she said.
Pillsbury said she was hopeful
that reporting would increase now
that the SVU — a unit with officers
trained to investigate crimes such as
sexual assault and domestic abuse
— is in place.
“Many times we don’t end up
getting the justice (the survivors)
want, but I really applaud their
courage, and we do everything we
can to show them that we believe
them, and what their options are
moving forward in the justice
system,” she said. “I’m excited about
the new SVU and hoping that the
University will begin to make more
reports to the police department.”
Daily
Staff
Reporter
Lara
Moehlman contributed to this report.
3-News
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
Friday, April 10, 2015 — 3
about
it,”
Diljak
said.
“Diet
and exercise are really, really
important, but they aren’t cures for
everyone.”
Low said he believes scientific
advances such as this one have
helped transform the field of weight
regulation in past years, removing
common misconceptions about
weight such as the idea that
obesity is caused by a lack of self-
control.
“We think now that the
propensity to become overweight
is partly in our genes and is
certainly exacerbated by the
availability of cheap calories and
reduced exercise,” he said. “So
it’s a combination of many things,
but we know the genetic part is
there and we also know that these
POMC neurons are just one part
of a very complicated system in
the brain.”
AWARENESS
From Page 1
student’s experience with sexual
misconduct. In some sections, the
survey asks for detailed accounts
of one’s experience if they had been
assaulted, and suggests scenarios
that could have happened. If the
respondent answers affirmativly,
the survey then asks questions
regarding how many times the
assault occurred and of what
relation the perpetrator was to the
respondent. The survey also asks
about drug and alcohol use during
the time of possible instances of
sexual misconduct.
A FAQ regarding the survey
written by the University’s Office of
Public Affairs says the survey asked
about sensitive topics to foster a
safe environment.
“It is only by directly collecting
this information from students
will we be able to prevent negative
experiences
and
effectively
respond when they do happen,” the
FAQ says.
The survey begins with a
disclaimer that reads, “Some of
the language used in this survey is
explicit and some people may find
it uncomfortable, but it is important
that we ask the questions in this
way so that you are clear what we
mean. Information on how to get
help, if you need it, appears on the
bottom of each page and at the end
of the survey.”
However, Diaz believes the
trigger warning included in the
survey was not enough, and
said the survey data is skewed
and ineffective when it cannot
include the voice and experiences
of survivors who may not feel
comfortable taking the survey.
“I think it is bringing a huge
divide among administration and
survivors, because it is blatantly
disrespectful and very triggering to
us,” she said.
In
a
statement,
University
spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said
national experts on the topic of
campus sexual assault, as well
as experts in survey design and
methodology, helped craft AAU
survey questions
“Some of the language used in
the AAU survey is explicit and some
may find it uncomfortable, but it is
important that the questions are
posed in this way so that students
are clear about the meaning, and
to collect the best possible data,” he
wrote in a statement.
Fitzgerald stated the University
had no input in the exact language
the survey used, yet chose to
administer the survey to gather
data to promote a “healthy, safe and
non discriminatory” environment.
He also stated each page contains
support resources and information
to get help.
LSA senior Hannah Crisler,
director of the I Will campaign,
said she also felt uncomfortable
with the questions. Crisler said
the graphic content and explicit
descriptions were unwarranted
without appropriate warning.
She particularly felt by titling the
survey one on “campus climate,”
as she said it made the survey
ambiguous and did not provide
an adequate representation to the
survey takers.
“I think that if someone is going
to take that survey, it’s definitely
triggering,” she said. “If something
did happen to you and you are
truthfully answering the survey,
then you are reopening a wound
that was not explicitly chosen
before hand.”
Crisler said she began to take the
survey, but stopped due to anxiety.
LSA junior Connie Gao, president
for the University’s Students for
Choice chapter, said she disliked
the experience of taking the survey
as well.
Gao said she felt specifically
asking about each separate instance
of an individual’s experience with
sexual assault is not necessarily
addressing campus climate.
“There could have been ways
to administer the survey that did
more adequately address campus
climate,” she said.
LSA junior Anna Forringer-Beal,
SAPAC
student
co-coordinator,
said she understands how students
would feel triggered by the explicit
questions, but said she believes
the survey is an important step in
gathering data on the issue. She said
the explicit language was necessary
to get the most precise information.
“It’s difficult for me, speaking
individually, because I always
want to put the survivor first, but
I know as somebody who does
social science research, a lot of
people won’t listen to you unless
you have the numbers to back it up,”
Forringer-Beal said.
However, she said she would
have liked to see the trigger
warning made more clear and
explicit before the survey.
Diaz echoed Forringer-Beal’s
sentiment, saying she believed the
University was right to seek out
ways to gather more information
on campus sexual assault, though
she did not like how the survey
was potentially inaccessible to
survivors.
“I think it raises awareness of
some sort, and then it also says that
the University is taking it seriously,
but I think it’s all very surface
level,” she said.
SURVEY
From Page 1
sider amendments.”
In Harper’s e-mail, she wrote
that opportunities for commu-
nity input will be available from
April 2015 until Nov. 2, 2015. The
SRAC must receive all of the final-
ized amendment proposals by the
end of this period. The committee
will then conduct a formal review
from November 2015 through
January 2016.
The Office of Student Conflict
Resolution held the first commu-
nity dialogue on the statement on
Thursday in collaboration with
Central Student Government and
Trotter Multicultural Center.
Though the event was open to
all students, only current Business
graduate student Michael Proppe,
former CSG president, attended
the event. Clyde Barnett III, CSG’s
program manager and adviser,
also attended the dialogue, along
with OSCR personnel.
Shana Schoem, the program
specialist at OSCR, and Stacy
Vander Velde, the associate direc-
tor at OSCR, led the discussion.
OSCR plans to hold more com-
munity dialogues in September.
“There are definitely things
that we’ve heard already, but we
haven’t had the chance to hear
too much from students,” Schoem
said. “Hopefully, that’s what (the
dialogues) are for and we’ll see
more people in the fall.”
Before the SRAC forwards
their amendment recommenda-
tions to the Office of the President
in March 2016, the Office of the
Vice President and General Coun-
sel and the Civil Liberties Board
will also review the proposals.
Final
decisions
will
be
announced in April 2016 and will
go into effect on July 1, 2016.
Harper noted in her e-mail that
CSG, SACUA and the University’s
administration are the three bod-
ies that can propose amendments.
Fitzgerald said granting these
three groups the chance to amend
the statement ensures that faculty,
students and staff are all repre-
sented throughout the process.
“Typically CSG would have
someone focused or some group
focused at looking at the state-
ment,” he said. “But then I think
it’s important to note that there
are vehicles for faculty, staff
and students to initiate possible
amendments.”
Daily Staff Reporter Tanaz
Ahmed contributed reporting.
CODE
From Page 1
these different identities.”
Overall, Sudarsan said she
hopes the performers impact-
ed students with their perfor-
mances and stories.
“Using art is one of those
most salient ways for people to
express themselves and be true
to themselves,” she said. “We
wanted people to take away
the motion and the pain that
the performers have with these
different identities and the joys
too.”
College officials in attendance
highlighted
several
programs
at their institutions focused on
affordability. Curt Gielow, chief
campus executive of Concordia
University in Ann Arbor, talked
about a new program called the
Concordia Promise.
The
Promise
allows
high
school juniors and seniors at cer-
tain Lutheran and Christian high
schools to take 30 college credits
from Concordia at $50 per credit
hour. A typical credit usually costs
$650, he said.
“If you do that, you’ve essen-
tially paid us $1,500, but you’ve
earned 30 credits,” he said. “Now,
if you then come to Concordia in
Ann Arbor or the Concordia in
Wisconsin that we’ve partnered
with, we’ll give you back the
$1,500 and move you in as a soph-
omore. You in essence have gotten
the first year of college for free.”
Davon Shakleford, a Washt-
enaw Community College stu-
dent, said he plans to transfer to
the University but is concerned
with the affordability of student
housing.
“If there is a way to make
affordable student housing more
accessible to students, that would
be very helpful,” Shakleford said.
“The housing around Ann Arbor
is very expensive.”
Public Policy senior Bobby
Dishell, Central Student Gov-
ernment president, agreed with
Shakleford. He said many stu-
dents have to search for housing
outside Ann Arbor, which makes
them reliant on public transport
and means they miss out on cam-
pus life.
“Students aren’t talking about
the classes, they’re talking about
the social aspect, being able to
go to the games, and being part
of that community,” he said. “It
leaves out the students who aren’t
able to afford the social costs at
Michigan.”
Another issue brought up was
the cost of books, which Eric Pen-
rose, Eastern Michigan University
student, called extravagant.
“At some points, I’ve had to go
to the corner of a book store and
take a picture of the page I need-
ed just to cover what I needed to
know because I had no money,”
Penrose said. “That is a huge issue,
especially since most students
spend about $400 a semester on
books, some even more based on
their fields.”
LSA
senior
Antoinette
Hemby, who is an out-of-state
student, said the high cost of
books often caused her to make
difficult choices.
“I have the struggle of: am
I going to buy books, or am I
going to fly home for Thanks-
giving?” Hemby said.
Gielow said one potential
solution is for professors to
create their own textbooks by
taking pieces from different
versions and binding them for a
cheaper price, as some Concor-
dia professors do.
Linda Blakey, vice president
of student and academic ser-
vices at Washtenaw Community
College, said they are also try-
ing to reduce costs through col-
laboration.
“Our library services are
developing online educational
resources that are free,” Blakey
said. “They bring their materi-
als together and look at what
they can have students use.”
Attendees also touched on
the federal application for stu-
dent aid, FAFSA.
Margaret Rodriguez, senior
associate director of Financial
Aid, agreed with several other
comments calling the FAFSA
unnecessarily complicated and
said there are other options
available to assess students than
the current, lengthy FAFSA.
“How many times do stu-
dents have to tell you that
they’re poor?” Rodriguez said.
“One should be plenty.”
The discussion touched on
providing
financial
literacy
opportunities to all students,
addressing the large amount of
pre-existing debt and alternate
options for students who can’t
pay their loans.
In an interview after the
event with The Michigan Daily,
Dingell said she hosts the round
table meetings to become more
engaged with the topic.
“I know higher education
affordability is a real issue for
young people every day,” Ding-
ell said. “It’s an issue that’s mat-
tered to me before I got elected,
and I’m continuing with that.
I’m meeting a lot of people who,
for example, can’t go on to grad-
uate school, so I want to under-
stand the issues. And then, I’m
a more effective advocate when
I’m armed with facts.”
She added that Thursday’s
round table in particular identi-
fied several new potential issues
for her to look into.
“It
raises
awareness
for
everybody,” she said. “I really
want to go through the grants,
the Pell Grants and see what
kind of issues they have. I’m
going to go back and find out
why some people are saying
in-person loan counseling is a
barricade. Why are they say-
ing that? What are the pros and
what are the cons? That’s what
I do.”
DINGELL
From Page 1
VOICES
From Page 1
LINK
From
Page 1