Letter to the editor: USD is working to address gender-based violence
My name is Marisa Cummings and I am the University of South Dakota project coordinator for the Violence Against Women Campus Project grant through the Department of Justice. My office is located in the University Counseling Center or Cook House. I am excited to join the University of South Dakota family and work towards reducing gender-based violence.
The ultimate goal of the campus project is to help the University of South Dakota create an effective, comprehensive response to gender-based violence. A comprehensive approach includes both prevention and intervention efforts.
We will be launching a coordinated effort that engages key stakeholders from the campus and the surrounding community and will be actively engaging students, faculty and staff in our approach. All grant activities will support and promote the Clery Act and Title IX compliance, include the engagement of males and engage historically marginalized groups.
Broad campus and community engagement will be a fundamental goal of our work. We have established a Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) that will strategically develop an effective and comprehensive response to reduce gender-based violence at the University of South Dakota.
The CCRT subgroups will collaboratively work to establish comprehensive sexual assault prevention efforts on campus, evaluate student conduct policies and procedures, engage and work collaboratively with the Vermillion Police Department and the University Police Department and coordinate with victim services and advocacy through Domestic Violence and Safe Option Services.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The theme for this year is “Believe Survivors, Change the Culture.” In April, we will be launching a climate survey related to sexual assault at the University of South Dakota. The purpose of the survey will be to collect data that will assist the CCRT in addressing strategies to best serve our students and university community in relation to education, prevention and response to sexual assault.
Please respond to the survey, your input is truly valued. In addition, if you need a stress reliever with finals coming up, please stop by the Center for Diversity and Community and color away your stress and grab some temporary tattoos. Please keep your eyes out for some exciting programming this fall.
Marisa Cummings, Cook House project coordinator
