Dear campus community,

I am writing to provide you with an update on the ongoing efforts to promote equity and safety on our campus through the implementation of the recommendations from Cozen O’Connor in our Title IX program at Hesston College. Over the past semester, we have been actively working to strengthen our Title IX policies and procedures, as well as enhance our education and prevention efforts related to sexual misconduct.

Here are some key updates on our Title IX work:

1. Training and Education: We have implemented enhanced annual training programs for students, faculty, and staff to raise awareness about Title IX rights and responsibilities, as well as to promote a culture of respect, consent, and bystander intervention. These training sessions cover topics such as recognizing and responding to sexual misconduct, understanding consent, and supporting survivors.
2. Prevention Initiatives: In addition to education and training, we are implementing prevention initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of sexual violence and promoting healthy relationships and behaviors on campus. This includes programming focused on fostering healthy interpersonal relationships, consent education, and bystander intervention. Campus Counselor Jose Gloria, along with other student life staff, put on a number of events this semester supporting these efforts including self defense workshops, mindfulness practices, community walks, and stress management workshops. We believe proactive efforts to promote holistic health emotionally, spiritually, physically, and relationally will directly address root causes of sexualized violence. Our hope is that our students not only avoid the trauma of being involved in an incident of sexualized violence, but that they gain the skills to set and enforce boundaries and foster healthy relationships that enrich their lives. We view this ongoing priority as a part of the education we offer our students.
3. Awareness Campaigns: April was sexual assault awareness month and as a campus we participated in the “Paint the Campus/Town Teal” campaign by using window markers to draw teal ribbons on building and office windows across campus along with signs about raising awareness and ending the silence around sexual assault. We took the campaign on the road and helped the town of Hesston participate by taking signs to local businesses and offering to draw a teal ribbon for them as well. We also held a “Take Back the Night” rally to help support the right of every student to feel safe on campus, especially at night. Awareness campaigns tell the community we are paying attention and these issues matter to us. These simple messages can have a dramatic impact on campus safety and health.
4. Support Services: We continue to prioritize the provision of comprehensive support services for survivors of sexual harassment and misconduct. This includes confidential counseling, advocacy, and resources to help survivors navigate the reporting and adjudication process, as well as referrals to external support services as needed. This semester we saw an increase in student awareness of available services and, as a result, we were able to support students who may have previously not come to us.

While the Title IX Implementation Group has concluded their work after implementing most of the Cozen recommendations including the items listed above, as a college we plan to continue working toward full implementation of all recommendations. The following are projects currently in process:

1. Policy Review and Revision: In late April, the federal government released the final regulation changes to be implemented by August 1, 2024. Among other things, these new regulations mean Hesston College needs a new Title IX policy. This summer’s first big project will be getting a new trauma informed, user friendly, and legally compliant policy in place, followed by training on the new policy for all employees. This includes updating our policies on reporting and responding to incidents of sexual harassment and misconduct, as well as providing clear guidelines for investigations and disciplinary actions.
2. Addressing Historic Allegations: Though the scope of the Cozen O’Connor report looked at reports that came in over the last five years, there were concerns that surfaced related to historic situations of former employees prior to this five-year review. This summer, a group of to-be-determined individuals will gather with the goal of reviewing historic concerns that arose in the recommendations and implementing actionable steps to address them.

As we continue our work to strengthen Title IX compliance and promote a safe and inclusive campus community, we welcome your feedback and participation. Your input is invaluable in shaping our policies and programs to better meet the needs of our community members.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Title IX or our efforts to address sexual misconduct on campus, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at whitney.douglas@hesston.edu. Together, we can work towards a campus environment where all individuals are treated with dignity, respect, and equality.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in this important work.

Sincerely,

—
Whitney Douglas she/her
Title IX Coordinator
Title IX Implementation Group Chair
301 S. Main St., Hesston, KS 67062
Smith Center, Office 112
620-327-8342