President’s Task Force Submits Report on Sexual Assault and Support
June 25, 2014 – Thunder Bay, ON
Lakehead’s Task Force on Sexual Assault Education, Prevention and Support has submitted its report to University President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brian Stevenson.
The task force’s chair, Dr. Lori Chambers, said she is pleased with the results of the task force’s work and hopes its report helps Lakehead enhance and expand existing supports for victims of sexual assault.
“Our mandate included developing a means to more effectively educate the University community about the pervasiveness of sexual assault, and to minimize stigma and sexual assault myths,” said Dr. Chambers, who is also Chair of Lakehead’s Department of Women’s Studies. “I am confident that this report and the adoption of its recommendations will fulfill this need.”
The report was submitted seven months after Dr. Stevenson created the President’s Task Force in response to a letter to the editor published in the Chronicle-Journal about a former student’s disclosure of an alleged sexual assault involving another student off campus.
“I would like to thank the individual who wrote the letter to the Chronicle-Journal last October, both for her courage and the resulting encouragement to take a close look at our policies and practices and improve upon them,” said Dr. Stevenson. “I am also very grateful for everything Dr. Chambers and her fellow task force members have worked so diligently to achieve for our University community. We have already taken steps to implement some of the report’s recommendations.”
Recommendation #1 POLICY
- Approval of a new policy, entitled Sexual Misconduct Policy and Protocol: A Policy Dealing with Sexual Harassment, Sexual Stalking and Sexual Assault.
Action: Lakehead’s Board of Governors formally approved the task force’s groundbreaking policy at their June 6, 2014 meeting.
The policy is available at https://www.lakeheadu.ca/faculty-and-staff/policies/general/sexual-misconduct-policy-and-protocol.
Recommendation #2 EDUCATION
- Including a campaign to enhance a culture of respect and inclusion, and to prevent sexual misconduct.
Action: During the 2014-2015 academic year, Lakehead University will establish education initiatives for students, faculty, and staff.
Recommendation #3 STRUCTURAL SUPPORT FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS
- Including the establishment of a Human Rights, or Social Justice, office at Lakehead.
Action: During the 2014-2015 academic year, a new Human Rights Officer position will be created at Lakehead University with a mandate to pursue the feasibility and implementation of the report’s recommendations.
President Stevenson announced he will reconvene the task force in approximately six months in order to summarize, discuss, and assess the University's progress in implementing the recommendations arising from the report.
Please see this PDF of the complete report from the Task Force on Sexual Assault Education, Prevention and Support.
Members of the Task Force on Sexual Assault Education, Prevention and Support included Lakehead students, faculty, and staff, as well as experts in sexual assault from the community:
• Chair: Dr. Lori Chambers – Chair, Department of Women's Studies
• Bott, Alexander – Student Representative, Orillia
• Boucher, Doreen – Executive Director, Thunder Bay Sexual Assault/Abuse Counselling and Crisis Centre
• Cappadocia, Frank – Associate Vice-Provost, Orillia
• Chan, Karen – Manager, Student Health and Counselling Services
• Chung, Jayal –Gender Issues Centre Coordinator
• Eccles, Barb – Senior Advisor to the President and Legal Counsel
• Fogel, Curtis – Faculty Member, Orillia
• Gerrard, Diedra – House President (Residence) and Student Representative, Thunder Bay
• Hare, David – Director of Residence and Conference Services, Thunder Bay
• Herchak, Sherry –Harassment and Discrimination Coordinator, Thunder Bay
• Jeppesen, Sandra – Faculty Member, Orillia
• Kaucharik, Susan – Detective Sergeant Criminal Investigations Branch, Thunder Bay
• Kaufman, Ian – President, Lakehead University Student Union, Thunder Bay
• Kearney, Jessica – Student Representative, Orillia
• MacDonald, Dawn – Manager, Ambulatory Services, SADVTC, Pre-Admission Clinic and Rehabilitation Services, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
• McRae, Ian – Lakehead University Student Union, Orillia
• Moffatt, Linda – Acting Manager (Security Services) Thunder Bay
• Prisciak, Theresa – Security Services Coordinator, Orillia
• Quinlan, Andrea – Faculty Member, Orillia
• Ryks-Szelekovszky, Marian, Vice-Provost (Student Affairs), Thunder Bay
• Stuesser, Lee – Founding Dean, Faculty of Law
• Warden, Tom – Director of Athletics, Thunder Bay
• Wesley-Esquimaux, Cynthia –Vice-Provost (Aboriginal Initiatives), Thunder Bay
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Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8177, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
In 2015, Lakehead University will celebrate 50 years of exceptional education. Guided by a new Strategic Plan (2013-2018), our University is known for providing an education focused on independent thinking, unconventional scholarship, and a close sense of community. About 9,700 students and 2,000 faculty and staff learn and work in ten faculties at two campuses, in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Home to Ontario’s first new Faculty of Law in 44 years (Fall 2013) and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's West Campus, Lakehead is among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities (2014 Maclean’s University Rankings), as well as 1st in Ontario and 2nd in Canada for its innovative research (Re$earch Infosource). Our Orillia campus is the first in North America to be built entirely to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. Share your Lakehead story as it relates to our Strategic Plan at www.lakeheadu.ca/presidents-office/nurturing-passion, and learn more about Lakehead at www.lakeheadu.ca.