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Tuesday, December 1, 2015
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Volume 109, Issue 15 | the-standard.org The Standard/The Standard Sports
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Paris attacks affect MSU students studying abroad understand how dire the situation was.” Another global studies major, Amanda Justus, was also studying in Pau at the The whole world watched in horror as time multiple terrorist attacks rippled across Paris, France, on Nov. 13, leaving 130 dead as of Friday. Thousands of people around the world rallied in a massive show of support, from lighting candles and saying prayers to changing their profile pictures on Facebook to sport the French flag. The United States was thoroughly shaken by the Paris attacks. Though many similar tragedies have occurred this year in countries like Lebanon, Syria and Mali, this attack took place in a westernized country. France is a place many Americans visit or dream of visiting. France has also been a U.S. ally for as long as many of us can remember. These acts of violence have brought terrorism one step closer to our doors. These attacks also hit close to home of on the Missouri State campus. Many stuthe dents at MSU have considered studying attacks. abroad, and several students were in France “I watched TV with my host family until at the time of the attacks. about 2 a.m. in shock,” Justus said. Lauren Speichinger, a junior global In regards to Missouri State’s response studies major with a minor in French, was to the incident, both students said they studying in Pau, a city in northern France. received an email from the university to “It was shocking, even in Pau,” Spe- ensure their whereabouts and safety. ichinger said. “It was hard to understand Justus said that she had to complete a what they were saying, but it was easy to large amount of paperwork and go through
By Emma Jones Staff Reporter @WildEmmaChild
Photo courtesy of Amanda Justus
MSU students Amanda Justus and Lauren Specichinger are currently studying abroad in France. Also pictured are Julia Knowles from UMass Amherst and Chloe Elizabeth from University of Mount Union.
various safety plans before being allowed to study abroad. “I received emails from the U.S. government warning me about issues continuing with traveling,” Speichinger said. “I was told that if it came to my safety being a concern, the program would get me home as quickly as possible.” Elizabeth Strong, the director of the study away program, said that no Missouri State students were stationed in Paris at the time of the attack. However, there are 38 students studying in Europe, so the Study Away Program sent out an email to every student requiring their location and assurance of their safety. “The one student who had travelled to Paris for the weekend was safely evacuated by Nov. 15.” Said Strong. According to Strong, each student who studies abroad has an insurance policy that includes evacuations in case of natural disasters or civil unrest. The university responded as quickly and efficiently as possible to ensure the safety of their students. “I am content with the information I know and how each university I work with has handled the occurrence,” Speichinger said. “They reached out immediately and expressed concern.” Though this event was indeed tragic, Strong hopes that it does not deter students from considering studying abroad. “The health and safety of MSU’s students is Study Away’s number one priority,” Strong said. “All MSU study away locations have safety protocols in place to deter emergency situations or respond quickly when events occur.”
Over
In 2012,
By Courtney Cramer Staff Reporter @CourtneyRCramer
S EW Shattering the Silence discusses ADA compliance
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In just a few short months, seven sexual assaults have been reported on Missouri State University’s campus. Generation Action, a new student organization on campus, decided to show a screening of the Hunting Ground, a documentary about campus sexual assaults, at the Plaster Student Union on Monday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. According to the documentary, 8 percent of men commit more than 90 percent of campus sexual assaults, meaning that most assaults are committed by repeat offenders. in 2012, 45 percent of colleges reported no sexual assaults, 16 percent of college women are sexually assaulted. According to the Hunting Ground, the universities protect the perpetrators over the victims because there is financial
incentive to do so. In many cases, perpetrators of sexual assault end up suing the university. So to avoid that, universities try to cover up the sexual assaults that happen on campus. Annie Clark, who previously attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was asked by an administrator what she would have done differently looking back at the situation when she reported her assault. Because of the treatment of herself and other students in similar situations, Clark, with the help of Andrea Pino, another UNC student who was sexually assaulted, started traveling the country to help students file reports against their universities by saying they were violating the Title IX law. Title IX says that all students have a right to an equal education. By refusing to investigate and properly handle cases of sexual assaults, universities are violating Title IX. At the time of the creation of the documentary,
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colleges have been under investigation for how sexual assaults have been handled. Yet, percent of national university administration say cases are handled correctly.
over 100 colleges and universities were under investigation for how they handled sexual assault cases, and yet 95 percent of university presidents say their college handles sexual assaults appropriately. The screening of the Hunting Ground in the PSU included a panel discussion about sexual assaults at Missouri State with Jill Patterson, the Title IX Coordinator, Tom Johnson, the director of Safety and Transportation, Rhonda Lesley, the director of the Counseling Center, and Melinda Vacey the education coordinator at the Victim Center in Springfield. When asked how Missouri State was creating a safe campus, Johnson said that by sending out more crime alerts, specifically the alerts that students receive when a sexual assault occurs, they are raising the awareness of situations that can happen on campus.
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percent of college women are sexually assaulted in their college career.
Documentary spreads awareness of campus sexual assaults
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percent of colleges reported no sexual assaults.
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