GPSA RESOLUTION 3/ 2014-2015, THE SEXUAL ASSAULT RESOLUTION

15 OCT 2014
WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) exists to advocate,
serve, and represent the graduate and professional student population of the Pennsylvania State
University;

WHEREAS, there were 28 reported sexual assaults on or near the Pennsylvania State University,
University Park campus during the 2013-2014 academic year, and six already reported in the
first two months of the Fall 2014 semester;

WHEREAS, the effects of sexual assault and discrimination impact the Pennsylvania State
University community at large;

WHEREAS, evidence demonstrates that the majority of sexual assaults are unreported;

WHEREAS, changing the culture of sexual violence within our community requires action by all
members of the community;

RESOLVED, that the GPSA recommends that the Pennsylvania State University takes the
following actions:

1) Institute a General Education requirement that each student completes a class that
discusses systems of violence as they pertain to issues of gender, race, class, age, and
ability with the goal of broadening students' understanding of systemic cultural issues,
such as gendered violence.
2) Incorporate comprehensive Bystander Intervention Training into all First-Year
seminars.
3) Require that all students, faculty, and staff complete the online sexual harassment
module. Re-write this module to include statistics that disprove gender violence myths.
4) Develop strict and transparent procedures regarding expulsion of those sanctioned for
sexual assault. The procedures should provide public information on the process, to the
extent to which the Pennsylvania State University is legally able.
5) Distribute key chains and whistles to all students, staff, and faculty that list all
important contact details for emergency situations including the Auxiliary Police, the
Safe Walk program, the State College Police, and the Center for Women Students.
6) Increase street lighting throughout the University Park campus and work with the
borough of State College to increase lighting downtown.

RESOLVED, that the GPSA calls for these proposals to be implemented in an open and
democratic way which involves representation from the GPSA;

RESOLVED, that the GPSA will work with other stakeholder organizations to hold a town hall
to discuss sexual violence and the culture that surrounds it at the Pennsylvania State University.
The town hall will be held during the spring 2015 semester;

RESOLVED, that the GPSA requests that the Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Task Force
releases a preliminary report by the end of the 2014 calendar year.