<p>Adding to the previous post. While, the perpetrators of such acts are a very small minority of the campus, we must work to change the mindsets (of silence and apathy) and raise awareness amongst the general college population. Again, this doesn’t just apply to Amherst, but to American culture in general.</p>
<p>Am I missing something? When there is a reported act of sexual assault (which by the way is a felony), any college or university should immediately report the incident to the police and let them figure out in a balanced manner whether there is enough evidence to recommend a prosecution. That is the reason the police are there. No college is equipped to conduct this type of forensic investigation and college officials should stay out of the way of the authorities and offer their full cooperation.</p>
<p>you seem to have missed the point of what I said, and just ignored my analysis leading to questioning your claim. I’m not going to rehash it again. </p>
<p>In all events, what is important is that this is a serious issue at virtually every college campus, and needs to be addressed. But that doesn’t mean that there are necessarily easy answers. Taking the issue seriously, and discussing it in public, is a good first step, and I’m glad to see Amherst and Williams are at least doing that much. Time will tell whether they follow through and actually improve their policies and responses.</p>
<p>Historian: She reported the alleged sexual assault 9 months after the fact. What could forensics investigate?</p>
<p>Some more perspectives on recent events:
[‘Hey</a>, Why Are You Such a Slut?’: More Amherst Rape Survivors Speak Out](<a href=“'Hey, Why Are You Such a Slut?': More Amherst Rape Survivors Speak Out”>'Hey, Why Are You Such a Slut?': More Amherst Rape Survivors Speak Out)</p>
<p>Amherst is my top choice, and up until reading englishivy’s post, I was not second-guessing my feelings toward this school. Would an Amherst STUDENT please comment on this article to give some of us applicants (especially female) some peace of mind? I am a strong believer that it is never the victim’s fault, but I have got to believe that there is another side to the story. It literally makes me sick to think of the “Amherst Dean” saying those things to rape victims. I am aware that this issue is widespread, but I cannot imagine that this is how the administration at every school handles cases of sexual assault.</p>
<p>“mini, is the “previous President” of Williams of which you speak Morty Schapiro, or the interim president 2009-2010 William Wagner?”</p>
<p>Shapiro.</p>
<p>Mini, I have an ongoing question. The survey was by a national org, the ACHA. It tallied 44 rapes at Williams. So, why is the Williams Clery report figure so much lower? <a href=“http://security.williams.edu/files/2010/04/CrimeStats20121.pdf[/url]”>http://security.williams.edu/files/2010/04/CrimeStats20121.pdf</a></p>
<p>I think it suggests either that there was a surge in the academic year ending in 2012, there was under-reporting to the school- or what? The Williams Record account of this study also does not include the word “forcible.” </p>
<p>I am not trying to say force must come into play. I am trying to understand the difference in numbers. </p>
<p>Title IX does not require a victim to report to police. Of course the victim should. T9 does require the college to take action. It also requires “preponderance of evidence” for the college to judge. After that, a college can choose a minimal punishment or severe.</p>
<p>It’s a slippery slope.</p>
<p>Pollyocheese, as a member of the Amherst Class of 2012 and a female, I wanted to respond to your question. I always felt safe on campus, and I am proud of how the entire Amherst community–students, alumni, administration, faculty, Board of Trustees–are coming together to move forward. They have already introduced significant changes and are pursuing additional measures moving forward. I would note that some of these have been in the works since last spring, but the recent revelations have given a new sense of urgency to their implementation.</p>
<p>I encourage you to visit the recent website created by Amherst that details the measures taken in recent weeks and months to address this problem.
<a href=“https://www.amherst.edu/aboutamherst/sexual_respect[/url]”>https://www.amherst.edu/aboutamherst/sexual_respect</a></p>
<p>Unfortunately, issues of sexual assault–and questions of appropriate administration response–prevail at many, if not most, colleges and universities. This is not at all unique to Amherst. Hopefully, this will serve as impetus for many other schools to update their policies and practices.</p>
<p>Amherst remains an outstanding academic institution and, as an alumna, I would not hesitate to recommend it to an interested student.</p>
<p>We were shocked to read this. This news came just we had finished preparing the application for ED at Amherst. The first knee jerk reaction was not to apply there at all but then decided to wait till later, definitely not ED.
While rape is not uncommon at college campuses, I would have thought that a small liberal arts college would be able to have better controls. We were applying to majorly the small liberal arts colleges. Now we are re-thinking the entire list.</p>
<p>I looked at various clery reports, amherst seems to have one of the worst record. Even big public state universities with > 25K students had better records.
Is there safety in numbers? Or are they just not reported?</p>
<p>I would argue that the low numbers come from non-reporting and are not actually an indication of a lack of sexual assault at other campuses. Sexual assault is a serious issue at many, if not most, colleges and universities, and under-reporting is a huge issue. </p>
<p>An article was published this morning in “Inside Higher Education” that features an interview with Biddy Martin, the Amherst College president. Many with experience in the field are commending the college for how they’ve responded and, as an alumna, I am very proud to see our community coming together so quickly and effectively. I would not let something like this change your application decisions.</p>
<p>[As</a> allegations fly, Amherst College tries to counter sexual assault issues | Inside Higher Ed](<a href=“http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/10/25/allegations-fly-amherst-college-tries-counter-sexual-assault-issues]As”>As allegations fly, Amherst College tries to counter sexual assault issues)</p>
<p>As a former rape crisis counselor I say that the decision to report a especially should rest with the victim, not the college administration. When more rapists are convicted and victims are not subjected to disturbing scrutiny more rapes will be reported. Many victims are too fragile to endure an excruciating process that rarely yields a satisfying outcome. A school can not prevent a victim from reporting the attack to the police.</p>
<p>As a student at Amherst College, I am inviting anyone with questions to email me. I cannot guarantee that I can satisfactorily answer your question, or even answer it at all, but I am more than happy to share my view on what has been happening the last few weeks.</p>
<p>It may be worth noting that I am a male student.</p>
<p>Some of the Amherst apologists should get jobs as corporate or political spokespeople. All this “coming together” suddenly happens when the veneer is publically stripped away - like at Penn State. </p>
<p>I’m especially fond of the “It happens on all campuses” line, second only to the President waving a magic wand to make it all better. </p>
<p>Atmospeheres that enable this type of envronment are typically deep seated - and centered in student attitudes that have developed over years. Couple that with an institution charged with protecting a brand and dependent on the money from those with the attitudes, and well … </p>
<p>No different than Penn State.</p>
<p>It is not a “line”–it is the truth. Just do some research on the Internet.</p>
<p>As horrifying as Angie’s story was, I’m not at all surprised by the administration’s handling of it and I think that implying this is a problem that starts and ends with a handful of colleges -denying that this type of response is common across campuses across the US- is doing us all a huge disservice. Amfreborg, what would you have the administration do? Administrations are put in a tough position when it comes to rape allegations, and I feel that a more productive approach would be changing the culture. IMO, this is a problem that is far bigger than any one college.</p>
<p>What would I have administration do? Let’s see, how about
College Policy - The campus is their property, why don’t they act like it? Do they own it, or the students? I mean let’s get real.
A) Are there “under 21” dorms? No alcohol - period - in under 21 dorms. If the students want to underage drink off campus, well they are responsible for the consequences. Why should the school put up with it? Oh yea - they don’t want to students mad at them. </p>
<pre><code> B) Felony crimes should be automatically refered to regular police. If students think
</code></pre>
<p>and want to be treated like adults, let’s treat them like adults. </p>
<p>I don’t get why control of your own institution is being abdicated. If you owned or ran a business, and an employee came in drunk, puking, or assaluted/raped someone - I ASSUME the police would be called? Students don’t even clean-up their own barf most of the time, and leave it for the cleaning staff. </p>
<p>How about the issue of public urination? A co-worker of my wife got caught doing this in a parking lot outside a bar, and in Ohio that will get you automatically labeled as a sex offender and on the registry. That’s what happened to her co-worker. </p>
<p>This country acts like it’s some draconian tyranny to try and get some order, discipline and control at our Universities. I work with a young Indian grad student - he had a GREAT observation. He told me “I notice in the US the college students are always partying. What the hell have they accomplished in life to celebrate.” </p>
<p>We give young people adult privileges, no consequences, and then wring are hands wondering about the results and flounder about what to do. We don’t have the stomach to be the “bad guys” to our kids … that’s the bottom line.</p>
<p>Your wife, amfreborg? I thought you were the one who did not get into Amherst and is suffering a case of sour grapes. But I guess the fruit does not fall far from the tree. Let it go.</p>
<p>That’s awful public urination gets you labeled a sex offender? I would not want to live in that world.</p>
<p>Just stay out of Ohio mythmom! Way back in 1977 I actually relieved myself off the side of Interstate 75 somewhere in the middle of Ohio, good thing I didn’t get caught. :rolleyes:</p>