UT
NIVERSITY IMES
Sept. 29, 2014
www.csulauniversitytimes.com
C A L I F O R N I A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y, L O S A N G E L E S
Issue 207.1
CSU System Appoints Sexual INSIDE: Assault Victim's Advocates to All -Convocation Celebrates Campuses Statewide Covino's First Year
PG 10
-Housing
introduces gender neutral dorms.
PG 5
-asi president shane vera speaks about upcoming plans PG 3
-new Electric vehicle charging stations on campus PG 13
-NEW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH: CARTER SHAW PG 6
-VOTER REGISTRATION RECAP PG 4 -15 FASHION TRENDS TO FOLLOW THIS FALL PG 12
Chancellor Timothy P. White speaks to CSULA students during a 2013 campus visit. |Photo By Timmy Truong
LIFESTYLE Alexandra Del Salto Contributor On Tuesday September 23rd, the California State University system officially announced the appointment of advocates for sexually assaulted victims on all 23 of its campuses. The announcement was highly praised and applauded by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (Democrat-Calif.) and U.S. Representative Susan Davis (Democrat-San Diego), who introduced legislation in June to resolve the problem and urge California colleges to create such positions. The legislation, known as the Survivor Outreach and Support Campus Act (SOS Campus Act), would require every institution of higher education that receives federal financial assistance to designate offices for on-campus, independent advocates for campus sexual assault prevention and
response. The advocate will be supporting survivors of sexual assault and be responsible for representing the interests of the student victim regardless of conflict with the interests of the institution. Another part of the advocate’s position includes ensuring victims of sexual assault will have 24 hour access to: -Emergency and follow-up medical care -Information on how to report assaults to law enforcement -Medical forensic or evidentiary exams -Crisis intervention and ongoing counseling -Information on legal services -Information on their legal rights and referrals to additional support services Advocates will also report to outside individuals outside of the institution responsible for investigating and adjudicat-
ing sexual assault complaints at the institution, and submit an annual report on how the supplied resources were used, including the number of sexually assaulted male and female victims assisted. Public information campaigns on campuses will also be conducted by the advocates. “It is wonderful news that the California State University system has decided to implement the Boxer-Davis SOS Campus Act voluntarily,” Senator Boxer said. “This means that their 447,000 students will now have an independent advocate on each of their 23 campuses to help survivors of the harrowing experience of sexual assault.” Cal State Chancellor Timothy White committed to appointing advocates to each campus by June 2015; CSU Spokesman Mike Uhlencamp said six Cal State schools have already established offices.
In addition to voluntarily adding confidential sexual assault advocates to all of its campuses, the California State System will, for the first time, be hiring a system-wide Title IX compliance officer to ensure its campuses are aware of their legal obligations, coordinate preventive training and response, share best practices, and collaborate with all 23-campus-based Title IX Coordinators and their teams. “Both the California State University and the UC systems have demonstrated leadership in making the safety of their students a top priority,” said Representative Davis. “I hope this trend will continue on university campuses across the nation.”