Western Michigan University has approved a new policy to address sexual violence within the school’s community. That’s in response to recent changes to federal guidelines. Western’s Deputy General Counsel, Carrick Craig, says the Department of Education was concerned that many schools’ policies were discouraging people from reporting sexual violence.
"The process itself was so daunting and intimidating, that many complainants would rather not go through that process at all than go to the institution and make the complaint," he told the trustees at their regular meeting on Wednesday.
The university says its new policy reflects a better understanding how trauma affects the way a person communicates. And it requires Western employees to report all suspected incidents of sexual violence, says Vice President for Student Affairs Diane Anderson.
"We all have a responsibility to help make this campus safe. That’s really what this is about. And not to stand by and do nothing when we’re made aware of someone in our midst being violated," she says.
The university has seen reports of inappropriate sexual conduct jump, from 14 in the first half 2014 to 40 in the first half of this year. Western says that reflects well on an already-updated interim reporting policy.
