After more than 20 meetings during the course of this year, the task force to revise the University’s sexual assault policy has almost completed its responsibility.
“What we all are very committed to is having something in place for the fall,” said Christi Hurt , chairwoman of the task force. “I’m hopeful that we’ll have recommendations going forward to the Chancellor and the cabinet this summer, mid-summer, probably, by the time we tighten all of these pieces up.”
Hurt said the task force will pass the completed policy to Felicia Washington, vice chancellor for workforce strategy, equity and engagement, and Winston Crisp, vice chancellor for student affairs, who will then present it to Chancellor Carol Folt and her cabinet.
“The chancellor will get to choose exactly what to do with it in concert with her cabinet,” Hurt said. “I mean, it’s a group decision — I shouldn’t put it on the chancellor. It’s the whole cabinet.”
In the view of the task force, the entire process will be finished for the fall semester, but Folt said she might have other plans.
“Like any recommendation, you have to bring that back to a working group and say, ‘How will you put this in place?’” Folt said in a separate interview.
The introduction of another working group would presumably slow the process. But Folt said it was a key step that would allow members of her administration to gather different perspectives on how the recommendations could be implemented across the University.
Sarah-Kathryn Bryan , an undergraduate member of the task force, said she is especially proud of the definitions section of the policy.