The University implemented changes to the Student Conduct Code to align parts of AU’s conduct code with the Violence Against Women Act of 2013’s sexual violence language, Vice President of Student Life Gail Hanson said in an email to the campus community on June 13.
The changes, proposed by the Conduct Advisory Board, come in response a series of leaked emails by disbanded fraternity Epsilon Iota in April. AU President Neil Kerwin approved the changes and they are being implemented immediately, according to Hanson.
“AU’s new intervention strategies to address sexual misconduct are being guided by the recommendations from the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault and the Violence Against Women Act of 2013 (VAWA 2013),” Hanson’s email said.
According to Hanson’s email, new changes to the Prohibited Conduct section of the Student Conduct Code include:
- Adding “Interpersonal violence including, but not limited to, physical assault, dating violence and domestic violence.”
- Separating stalking and harassment, categorizing them as two different violations.
- Amending the definition of stalking to add: “or to inflict substantial emotional distress,” to the 2013-2014 Student Conduct Code definition of stalking.
In addition, the Student Conduct Code now includes physical assault, dating violence and domestic violence, according to Hanson.
- Physical Assault is defined as: “Unwanted physical contact or the use of physical force to threaten or cause physical injury, pain, or illness.”
- Dating Violence is defined as: “Violence or abusive behavior against an intimate partner (romantic, dating, or sexual partner) that seeks to control the partner or has caused harm to the partner (the harm may be physical, verbal, emotional, economic, or sexual in nature). The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on consideration of the following factors: the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of the interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.”
- Domestic Violence is defined as: “Violence or abusive behavior against a roommate, family member, or intimate partner that causes physical or psychological injury, pain, or illness.”
The email is the first of three scheduled updates from the Office of Campus Life regarding the University’s response to the EI emails for the summer.
