Vanderbilt 
  University 
  2015 
  Campus 
  Climate 
  Survey 
  
Recommendations 
  from 
  the 
  Provost’s 
  Task 
  Force 
  on 
  Sexual 
  Violence 
  
January 
  26, 
  2016 
  

 
   
   
  
Vanderbilt 
  University 
  is 
  committed 
  to 
  creating 
  a 
  safe 
  environment 
  for 
  the 
  entire 
  campus 
  
community. 
   
  Based 
  on 
  a 
  review 
  of 
  the 
  results 
  of 
  the 
  Campus 
  Climate 
  Survey 
  on 
  Sexual 
  
Assault, 
  the 
  Provost’s 
  Task 
  Force 
  on 
  Sexual 
  Assault 
  (PTFSA) 
  has 
  developed 
  the 
  following 
  
recommendations. 
  
 
   
   
   
  
The 
  PTFSA 
  recommends 
  that 
  the 
  Title 
  IX 
  coordinator 
  make 
  further 
  efforts 
  to 
  increase 
  
awareness 
  among 
  students, 
  faculty, 
  and 
  staff 
  of 
  the 
  resources 
  on 
  campus 
  that 
  are 
  
available 
  to 
  those 
  affected 
  by 
  sexual 
  misconduct, 
  particularly 
  the 
  Project 
  Safe 
  Center 
  for 
  
Sexual 
  Misconduct 
  Prevention 
  and 
  Response, 
  and 
  of 
  the 
  services 
  they 
  provide. 
  
 
   
  
Additionally, 
  we 
  recommend 
  that 
  faculty 
  and 
  staff, 
  in 
  particular 
  academic 
  advisers, 
  receive 
  
additional 
  training, 
  including 
  information 
  on 
  the 
  resources 
  and 
  services 
  available 
  to 
  both 
  
complainants 
  and 
  respondents. 
   
  In 
  addition, 
  we 
  recommend 
  enhancing 
  the 
  existing 
  
programming 
  for 
  faculty 
  and 
  staff 
  and 
  considering 
  whether 
  to 
  provide 
  targeted 
  situation-­‐‑
based 
  programming, 
  for 
  example. 
  
 
   
  
We 
  recommend 
  that 
  the 
  Equal 
  Opportunity, 
  Affirmative 
  Action, 
  and 
  Disability 
  Services 
  
Department 
  (EAD) 
  endeavor 
  to 
  make 
  the 
  process 
  for 
  reporting, 
  investigation, 
  and 
  
adjudication 
  of 
  sexual 
  misconduct 
  complaints 
  more 
  transparent, 
  and 
  also 
  clarify 
  what 
  
constitutes 
  “formal 
  procedures.” 
   
  We 
  also 
  recommend 
  that 
  EAD 
  continue 
  to 
  note 
  areas 
  
where 
  the 
  process 
  can 
  be 
  enhanced 
  or 
  simplified. 
  
 
   
  
Next, 
  we 
  recommend 
  that 
  the 
  University 
  increase 
  programming 
  and 
  awareness 
  campaigns 
  
for 
  those 
  who 
  have 
  experienced 
  sexual 
  misconduct 
  prior 
  to 
  attending 
  Vanderbilt. 
   
  For 
  
example, 
  the 
  University 
  should 
  enhance 
  transition 
  planning 
  to 
  connect 
  individuals 
  who 
  
have 
  experienced 
  sexual 
  misconduct 
  prior 
  to 
  Vanderbilt 
  with 
  resources, 
  both 
  on 
  and 
  off-­‐‑
campus. 
   
  Additional 
  training 
  should 
  be 
  offered 
  in 
  conjunction 
  with 
  existing 
  programming 
  
to 
  increase 
  awareness 
  and 
  understanding 
  of 
  available 
  resources. 
  
 
   
   
   
  
We 
  also 
  recommend 
  increasing 
  and 
  enhancing 
  programming 
  facilitated 
  by 
  the 
  Project 
  
Safe 
  Center. 
   
  Project 
  Safe 
  has 
  added 
  a 
  workshop 
  on 
  recognizing 
  warning 
  signs 
  and 
  
preventing 
  the 
  escalation 
  of 
  dating 
  violence 
  to 
  its 
  programmatic 
  offerings; 
  other 
  
similar 
  programs 
  should 
  be 
  developed. 
   
  The 
  PTFSA 
  recommends 
  that 
  Project 
  Safe 
  continue 
  
to 
  increase 
  the 
  number 
  of 
  bystander 
  intervention 
  trainings 
  for 
  students, 
  faculty, 
  and 
  
staff 
  and 
  increase 
  the 
  number 
  of 
  trainings 
  and 
  programs 
  on 
  understanding 
  effective 
  
consent 
  and 
  setting 
  boundaries 
  within 
  intimate 
  relationships. 
  
 
   
  

Recommendations 
  from 
  Provost’s 
  Task 
  Force 
  on 
  Sexual 
  Violence 
  

1 
  

 We 
  recommend 
  that 
  Project 
  Safe 
  and 
  EAD 
  increase 
  programming 
  and 
  education 
  
on 
  unwanted 
  sexual 
  contact. 
  
 
   
   
  
The 
  PTFSA 
  recommends 
  that 
  Vanderbilt 
  continue 
  to 
  prioritize 
  student 
  safety 
  by 
  publicizing 
  
the 
  SafeVU 
  application, 
  a 
  mobile 
  safety 
  application 
  for 
  iOS 
  and 
  Android 
  smartphones, 
  
through 
  a 
  targeted 
  email 
  campaign 
  to 
  faculty, 
  staff, 
  and 
  students. 
  SafeVU 
  provides 
  
telephone 
  numbers 
  for 
  key 
  safety 
  resources 
  on 
  campus, 
  including 
  the 
  Project 
  Safe 
  Center. 
   
  
 
   
   
  
It 
  is 
  the 
  recommendation 
  of 
  the 
  PTFSA 
  that 
  Vanderbilt 
  University 
  continue 
  to 
  assess 
  the 
  
campus 
  climate 
  on 
  sexual 
  misconduct 
  by 
  conducting 
  further 
  campus 
  climate 
  surveys 
  in 
  the 
  
future. 
   
  Due 
  to 
  the 
  time 
  needed 
  to 
  adequately 
  distribute 
  a 
  survey, 
  analyze 
  results, 
  and 
  
implement 
  new 
  and 
  enhanced 
  measures, 
  PTFSA 
  recommends 
  conducting 
  a 
  campus 
  climate 
  
survey 
  every 
  two 
  or 
  three 
  years. 
   
  Because 
  the 
  shorter 
  survey 
  in 
  this 
  pilot 
  had 
  a 
  higher 
  
response 
  rate, 
  the 
  PTFSA 
  recommends 
  using 
  a 
  shorter 
  survey 
  that 
  combines 
  the 
  best 
  
elements 
  of 
  both 
  surveys. 
   
  Attention 
  should 
  be 
  given 
  to 
  defining 
  or 
  clarifying 
  any 
  
unclear 
  terms. 
   
  
 
   
   
   
  
The 
  PTFSA 
  recommends 
  that 
  Vanderbilt 
  University 
  continue 
  to 
  review 
  and 
  enhance 
  
its 
  policies, 
  practices, 
  and 
  processes 
  relating 
  to 
  sexual 
  misconduct 
  at 
  least 
  once 
  a 
  year. 
  
 
   
  
These 
  recommendations 
  are 
  intended 
  to 
  assist 
  the 
  University 
  in 
  creating 
  a 
  safer 
  campus 
  for 
  
all 
  members 
  of 
  the 
  Vanderbilt 
  community. 
   
  
 
  

Recommendations 
  from 
  Provost’s 
  Task 
  Force 
  on 
  Sexual 
  Violence 
  

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