Office of the Assemblies

Thank you for conveying to me SA Resolution 12: Supporting Survivors and Facilitating Harm-Reduction Strategies in Greek Life.

I am horrified and repelled by the reported events at our fraternities this semester, and appreciate the Student Assembly's concern. I fully support this resolution and in particular support the three specific harm-reduction strategies that they recommend. Specifically: 

1. Work is already underway to strengthen sexual violence prevention programs. Our current programs are being redeveloped under the direction of the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life and the Skorton Center for Health Initiatives. A number of students, including some from the Student Assembly, are involved with these working groups and offering their input, and students who would like to provide their perspective may contact Julie Edwards, the director of the Skorton Center.
2. The team in the office of Sorority and Fraternity Life is exploring an expanded partnership with the Tompkins County Advocacy Center. 
3. The Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX has established many new resources in the last two years to increase capacity for both hearings and investigations and to coordinate support. Laura Rugless, Associate Vice President for the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX, would be happy to share more about those enhancements to the department with the Student Assembly.

But all of this is not enough. Staff from Student and Campus Life have been meeting with many groups of students and are working diligently to determine whether there are better approaches to the challenges that these recent events illustrate. And I assure you that I am engaged in discussions with multiple stakeholders about how we can do better to promote the safety and wellbeing of our community.

Sincerely,

Martha E. Pollack