The administration’s Sexual Assault Working Group released the revised Student Handbook policies regarding sexual assault and misconduct procedures. These policies aim to clarify the language used to define sexual misconduct and better codify the university’s response toward it. Changes include more specific guidelines regarding sanctions against individuals and groups and a concise examination of what constitutes consent within the context of a potentially intimate situation.
The motivation behind these changes is laudable — certainly, AU students deserve a “safe, healthy, living and learning environment,” as the new procedures state.
We hope that the release of these policies contributes to the continued development of constructive dialogue on what is an extremely relevant issue to both students and community members. Next semester, when there is more time to better examine these complicated issues, we look forward to leading a discussion about these changes and all changes to the Student Handbook. Plans to publish a special issue partially devoted to the changes with feedback from administrators, experts and students are underway and will be developed over the summer. Topics that affect students broadly deserve careful consideration and vetting, and we eagerly await your voice.
To access the new policies go to http://www.theeagleonline.com/policies/.
