Following months of student protest, outcry, and vigilantism, Columbia University announced a new "gender-based misconduct" policy on Friday. But some of the student groups that complained about the university's original policies say the revision falls short and was drafted with little student input.
In a written response to the changes, five campus activist groups -- No Red Tape Columbia, the Coalition Against Sexual Violence, Columbia Alumni Against Sexual Assault, Title IX Team, and Take Back the Night of Barnard College at Columbia University -- dismissed the new policy as an effort to "ensure baseline compliance" with U.S. Department of Education regulations.
"We are deeply troubled that this policy was drafted without input from students and fails to address the serious and urgent concerns raised by survivors and concerned students over the past year," the groups stated. "This is unacceptable. It is misrepresentative for Columbia to characterize these reforms as a response to student concerns."
The policy, which the university said is based on guidance from the Department of Education, bars students from serving on hearing panels, allows victims and the accused to be represented by lawyers, and provides a larger role for experienced campus investigators. Six new staff positions at the university's office of sexual violence and response have been created and a new support center will open on campus later this month.
Case managers will now help guide survivors through the reporting process, and the policy makes clear which offices and resources can and cannot keep student complaints confidential.
Read more at Inside Higher Ed: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/08/18/student-groups-unhappy-columbias-new-sexual-assault-policy