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Preventing
Sexual Harassment on Campus
What Works - What Doesn't
A Forum
Presented by AAUW St. Louis Branch, AAUW-LAF Office, the University of
Missouri-St. Louis, and UMSL Office of Equal Opportunity at the UMSL
Millenium Student Center, March 13, 2008, 3:30 PM-5:30 PM
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 Click
here to view program flyer
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In early 2007 members
of the St. Louis AAUW Branch made a commitment to work on
a project relevant to AAUW issues. We chose to
forego regular branch meetings and focus on the project -
sexual harassment on college campuses. The St. Louis
area has more than 17 major colleges and
universities. We investigated published sexual
harassment policies to identify what institutions were
doing about the issue. We also sought ways to create
awareness about the Legal Advocacy Fund and how it might
be a useful resource.
Our project co-chair,
Connie Stoker, did a careful and thorough analysis of
sexual harassment policies utilizing web sites and copies
requested from various colleges and
universities. A spreadsheet was created so they
could be assessed against specific criteria. (At
left: Jan Scott kicks off the forum) |
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 We
then invited administrators from local colleges and universities
to meet with us and brainstorm about how we could
collaborate. At one of those meetings, the idea of a forum
on the prevention of sexual harassment was born and a date set -
Spring 2008.Jan Scott, project co-chair, then followed up with the
University of Missouri-St.
Louis to secure a location and a sponsor for the forum. They
willingly agreed.
Thus began our successful partnership with UMSL and Deborah
Burris, director of their Office of Equal Opportunity. She
helped recruit a stellar panel of local authorities.
Meanwhile, Jan Scott coordinated with the Legal Advocacy Fund
office at AAUW headquarters to secure a speaker. Our
president, Amy Weisser, wrote a grant request to the AAUW of
Missouri Peg Witt Fund to assist with forum expenses. (Above: Lisa Maatz shares AAUW findings) |
During our
efforts to coordinate the forum, the LAF office alerted us to the
Social Action Theatre that students can perform themselves to
address sexual harassment issues on campus. With a new
student affiliate group forming at UMSL, it seemed the perfect
project to send their way. A performance was held on campus
in November 2007 and later done as part of the program for the
AAUW Interbranch Council luncheon in March 2008, to the delight of
all.
 Social
Action Theatre
Student Affiliate member Angela Wright and AAUW
husband and attorney, Gene Stoker, present a skit about a professor,
a student, and a beer at the AAUW IBC
luncheon.
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| The Sexual Harassment
Prevention Forum was held on Thursday, March 13th, on the UMSL
Campus. We were fortunate that AAUW LAF sent us the very
knowledgeable Lisa Maatz, director of government relations and
public policy, as our keynote speaker. She shared the
findings of AAUW's extensive research in this area and updated the
audience on the bottom line: Sexual harassment is now much
more recognized, but still not reported by most. Following
the panel's presentations, the audience broke into groups to
discuss the issue and brainstorm ideas which were then shared with
the group. The overwhelming recommendation - "proactive
awareness." |
| (Below: Lisa Maatz and
panelists discuss the prevalence of sexual harassment with
university and community representatives)
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(Below:
Small groups brainstormed on prevention methods)
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