PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — The Sexual Assault Task Force, established by Brown University President Christina Paxson at the end of the last academic year, has drafted a proposed policy on sexual and gender-based violence and harassment that defines prohibited conduct and provides clear procedures for reporting, investigating, considering and resolving allegations of prohibited conduct.

The draft policy is included in the final report of the 23-member task force of students, faculty, and staff that began its work in the fall and presented its interim report in December.

In addition to the proposed new sexual misconduct policy, the final report highlights several recommendations for initiatives that include raising awareness about issues of sexual violence, centralizing prevention and enforcement efforts in one office, training investigators, and increasing education, among other initiatives. Paxson released the report in a letter to the Brown community Tuesday afternoon and made the full report available on her website.

“In sharing this report, I share also my belief that our campus is uniquely positioned to confront the issue of sexual and gender-based violence at the center of discussions at higher education institutions across the country,” Paxson said in her message to campus. “Even as various incidents have prompted deep consideration and questioning of ourselves as a community around awareness and response to sexual violence, we have the advantage of so many members of our campus actively galvanized around these issues.”

Many student groups have participated in forums and discussions on issues of sexual violence and harassment in the early part of the spring semester, and offices across campus participated in expanding resources for students after Paxson announced the immediate implementation in January of several of the task force’s recommendations from its interim report.

The task force’s final report offers a dozen recommendations in its executive summary, among them:

• Implementation of a unified policy defining sexual and gender-based harassment, sexual violence, relationship and interpersonal violence, and stalking as prohibited conduct. The full draft policy is included in the final report as Appendix A.
• Centralizing all University processes that deal with sexual and gender-based violence and harassment — including efforts at prevention and education as well as enforcement — in a newly created office for managing issues surrounding Title IX, the antidiscrimination law establishing guidelines for campuses regarding sexual and gender-based violence. (The University recently hired its first Title IX program officer to lead that office.)
• Development and promulgation of standard protocols for investigations conducted by professional investigators and University offices — as well as standard protocols and practices for administering medical and forensic exams and toxicology testing — to ensure thorough, fair, comprehensive and accurate investigations. (The use of independent investigators was among the recommendations Paxson implemented in January.)
• Mandatory annual education about sexual and gender-based violence and harassment for all faculty, staff, and students, and mandatory training at orientation for all new undergraduate, graduate, and medical students.
• Annual tracking and reporting of information by the Title IX Office to the campus and a standing advisory committee of faculty, students and staff that would review the campus’ progress every three years, in addition to an assessment by the Title IX Office of the resources made available by the University to address issues covered by the policy.
• Availability of advice from legal counsel for both complainants and respondents involved in University proceedings, including a list of attorneys who may be willing to provide advice on a pro bono basis for complainants or respondents who are unable to afford it. (The report notes that University hearings are not legal proceedings, and attorneys would not participate in them directly.)

The report and its recommendations provide an opportunity for Brown “to make significant and lasting progress” as a united campus, the task force members wrote in their cover letter presenting the report to Paxson.

“We are under no illusion that adopting all or most of our recommendations will eradicate violence, bias, discrimination, exploitation of privilege, and abuse surrounding sexual and gender-based violence and harassment on the Brown campus,” the task force wrote. “But we recognize that generations of Brown students, faculty, and staff have dedicated significant portions of their lives striving to do just that, both on our campus and in communities large and small throughout the world.”

The task force was broadly representative of the University community, comprising students, faculty, and administrators, from the chaplain’s office to athletics. The report addresses issues at or between all levels — faculty, undergraduates, graduate or medical students, administrators, and staff.

“Making graduate and medical students visible as a population with unique needs and challenges is an important first step,” said Sara Matthiesen, a graduate student member of the task force. “Graduate students are at the start of their professional, academic careers. In thinking about reporting, they are aware of their precarious status within the University and worried about the potential for professional ramifications, especially if a complaint involves faculty.”

Matthiesen noted that the move to a centralized system, recommended in the report, will ensure that a complaint will be heard by a trained panel that understands the unique position of graduate students and will take steps to protect their career trajectories.

In its letter to Paxson, the task force noted the complexity of its work, stating that it was intense and that members did not always agree. While the recommendations generally reflect consensus, the letter stated, they do not necessarily represent unanimity of opinion on all points.

“We worked in a system of consensus, and I believe that my vote and opinion had just as much weight as everyone else’s,” senior Lauren Stewart said. “Although there were definite points of contention between the undergraduates and some members of the task force over the last few months, I think we were all able to work on our differences and compromise to create some of the best policy we can for this university.”

Paxson invited the campus to participate in the consideration of the policy and other recommendations, saying she plans to issue a formal response to the report before the end of the semester.

“The final report reflects intensive analysis and acknowledges the early actions we have taken as a campus, but certainly is not the end of our work as a community to confront sexual and gender-based violence and harassment,” Paxson said. “The further action we take and policies we adopt will consider not only federal guidance for colleges and universities nationwide, but also the specific culture and needs of our campus. The strength of Brown is the deep care and dedication that members of our campus feel for this community — the sustained dedication of students, faculty and staff working together to effect lasting change.”