Students cannot be punished for violations of community standards, such as Biola’s contract, when reporting instances of sexual assault, under the directions of a new statewide bill. Proponents of the bill hope to encourage victims and witnesses to come forward by removing the threat of consequences from their university.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB967, the Affirmative Consent Standard bill, on Sept. 28 in an effort to clarify what constitutes as sexual consent and includes the stipulation that students who report sexual assault occurrences must be exempt from breaking conduct standards if alcohol or drug-use was involved at the time of the assault.

“An individual who participates as a complainant or witness in an investigation of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking will not be subject to disciplinary sanctions for a violation of the institution’s student conduct policy at or near the time of the incident,” according to the Affirmative Consent Standard bill.

Although Campus Safety and Student Development only receive a handful of sexual assault reports each year, several factors that contribute to these minimal numbers. Fear of admitting to breaking community standards, shame and confusion list among these impactors, said Katie Powell, director of student care.

Discussing Biola’s community standards and sexual violence proves a difficult conversation to facilitate, but it is essential, said Ron Mooradian, senior director of human resources.

“If I could look into the eyes of all the students, I would tell them, ‘Please come forward. Don’t worry about the contract. If you broke the contract, you broke the contract. That’s something we will deal with, but we want you to come forward. If something is wrong here then we need to fix it,’” Mooradian said.

Since alcohol and drug-use are known to partner in sexual assault situations, students might fear admitting to engagement in these actions. However, when reporting sexual assault incidents, Student Development does not focus on the repercussions for these actions, Powell said.

“The alcohol and drug, if there’s drug use involved, that’s really the lesser issue in our response to a sexual assault or a sexual harassment,” said Matthew Hooper, associate dean of students.

Student Development has held this posture toward sexual violences long before the recent evolution of federal and state action.

“If [community standards] really [are] deterring people then we need to be more intentional to communicate that this our policy,” Hooper said.

EVOLVING STANDARDS

Biola also must update procedures, including a compilation of Title IX, the Violence Against Women Act and the SB967 bill. Each of these legislative actions work to define sexual assault and calls universities to investigate reported sexual assault cases.  

“The exciting part about some of these new requirements is that it is moving us toward better preventative education,” Powell said.

IMPENDING ACTION  

In addition to walking students through the care process, Student Development also participates in a push for more education about sexaul assault and other sexually violent actions. Beginning later this semester, all new incoming students and employees will be required to complete a mandatory training module called Campus Clarity. In addition, non-mandatory training and education will become available throughout the year to continuing students and employees, Powell said.

This training and preventive education are among the required policies that Biola must establish before July 1 2015, although the university has already complied with almost all of the legislative orders, said Chief John Ojeisekhoba of Campus Safety.

To promote national conversation, the White House also launched the It’s On Us Campaign on Sept. 19.