The chancellor’s announcement of a permanent task force on relationship and sexual violence is an effective use of workgroups addressing shortfalls on campus.

Last Thursday, Chancellor Kent Syverud appointed 30 members to the permanent task force. Its formation is more than a short-term response to criticism stemming from the closing of the Advocacy Center last summer, and is a demonstration that SU values the concerns of the university community.

Syverud said in an SU News release on Thursday that the task force will review sexual assault and relationship violence services, policies and programs every semester.

The recommendation to have a permanent task force at SU was made in the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Sexual Violence Prevention, Education and Advocacy’s Final Report, which was released in December 2014. The report detailed gaps in sexual assault resources and provided short-term and long-term recommendations about how the university should improve services for students.

Because sexual assault resources and the administration have been criticized for a lack of transparency about services and policy changes, the task force must act as an intermediary for students. The task force must clearly share information about resources and any changes that affect those resources to the student body moving forward.

The Daily Orange Editorial Board encourages the task force to administer a formal report, like the one compiled by the chancellor’s workgroup, every semester in order to evaluate which strategies do and do not work when combatting sexual assault at SU.

The 30 members appointed by Syverud consist of experts that represent several facets of student life, including the LGBT Resource Center, the Department of Public Safety and several colleges on campus.

It is important to note that the members appointed to the task force have other responsibilities on campus. Stemming from this, the task force must clearly communicate to students how often they will be meeting, and what their main goals are as we approach the fall semester.

If the newly created task force values communication, it will not only increase transparency on campus, but will ensure that Syracuse University remains a leader in sexual assault and violence services.

Published on April 28, 2015 at 12:49 am

Contact: opinion@dailyorange.com