The Associated Students of Madison Student Council met with UW-Madison administration during its meeting Wednesday to examine results of the recently published campus climate survey.
Dean of Students Lori Berquam and University Health Services Executive Director Sarah Van Orman informed the council of the survey’s key results and gave recommendations for using those findings to address sexual assault and sexual misconduct on campus.
The survey, conducted by the Association of American Universities last spring, aimed to assess the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses nationwide, as well as ask for students’ perceptions of campus climate and knowledge of campus resources for these issues.
Van Orman said the findings showed alcohol as a common factor in sexual assaults and misconduct, something she said would be addressed with conversations about how alcohol impairs bystanders and creates an environment where perpetrators facilitate assault.
“I don’t want to talk about the victim’s consumption of alcohol,” Van Orman said. “I want to talk about the offender’s consumption of alcohol and the bystanders’ consumption of alcohol.”
Berquam discussed revamping “Tonight,” a prevention program required for all freshmen and transfer students to promote education about sexual assault on campus.
Over the next few years, Berquam said the program will be redeveloped to be more inclusive of LGBTQ students, as well as give participants “multiple doses” of the program to make information stick.
Berquam also explained plans to work closely with Greek life on campus to address the disproportionate amount of sexual assaults in off-campus Greek housing.
UW-Madison administration will look at implementing educational programs for these students, specifically gender-based violence programs aimed toward fraternities, according to Berquam.
ASM Chair Madison Laning encouraged council members to stay informed and look for ways to engage the campus community in discussion.
Laning said a component of the results that stood out to her was the number of students that do not intervene, even though they see someone in a situation where sexual assault or misconduct could occur.
Moving forward, she said, ASM will work to create conversations focused on making students more comfortable intervening in possibly harmful situations and making the campus a more supportive place for all students.
