From: Suzanne B. Goldberg

Special Advisor to President Bollinger on Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

In recent weeks and months, Columbia University has taken extensive steps to strengthen our response to all forms of gender-based misconduct, including sexual assault. Building on comments and suggestions from students throughout the past academic year, as well as the ideas of faculty, administrators and staff, new initiatives have been launched and existing programs and resources have been strengthened, all with the aim of creating an environment where students and other community members can flourish free from gender-based misconduct, including sexual violence.

These issues are much-discussed both throughout the University (including within Barnard College and Teachers College) and across the country. Because this discussion is important for informing and engaging the community, I offer this commentary, in my role as Special Advisor to President Bollinger on Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, to highlight some of the recent changes, to identify some of what’s to come in the academic year, and to talk about some ways that interested students can get involved.

http://sexualrespect.columbia.edu/gender-based-misconduct-prevention-response-special-advisor-update