A Call to Action
Somewhere buried in your inbox, there is a blitz from Provost Carolyn Dever urging you to participate in the American Association of Universities’ “Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct.” The deadline to complete this survey is this coming Thursday, Apr. 23.
Five dollar Amazon gift card — the “small token of appreciation” given upon completion of the survey — aside, we urge all Dartmouth students to participate in this survey. The AAU survey collects important statistics on sexual assault and misconduct — how often it is perpetrated, the kinds of assaults that occur, whether the perpetrator was a stranger, acquaintance, friend or partner. The survey is completely anonymous and confidential — no direct College or legal action will come from any information that you report.
The survey, however, will inform College policy — and when it does, it is in everyone’s best interest that the statistics are as accurate as possible. The more people that participate in the survey, the more accurate its results will be. If a majority of students spend the 10 or so minutes it takes to fill out the survey, then the College will have more precise information as to what the social norms on campus surrounding sexual assault and misconduct actually are. Though we cannot ever get a definitive answer when it comes to more nebulous questions of campus culture, statistics through mass surveys are about as close as we can get.
Do not fall prey to the bystander effect. Do not assume that enough students will take it without your participation. Your participation matters. This survey is important, and it will have an impact on our campus. Do your part to inform the College by participating in this campus climate survey.
