Buckeyes ACT

 

In 2015, Ohio State University agreed to take part in a climate survey on sexual conduct and relationship violence run by the American Association of Universities (AAU), along with 26 other universities (“Campus climate survey results released for nation, Ohio State”). Ohio State’s involvement in the survey was a result of its newly implemented Buckeyes ACT initiative to reduce sexual and relationship violence on campus. Under Buckeyes ACT, Ohio State also ran the survey in 2016 and 2017.

Buckeyes ACT was implemented after Ohio State was included on a list released by the U.S. Department of Higher Education of universities under Title IX investigation. The investigation reviewed the handling of claims since 2011, as well as reports of sexual harassment within the marching band. In order to be taken off of the list, Ohio State agreed to comply with the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as well as:

“establishing a one stop Title IX webpage and creating a centralized Office of University Compliance and Integrity, and forming a sexual violence consultation team, a group of first responders that meets bi-weekly to discuss and respond to all sexual violence complaints; developing online training modules for students on bystander intervention; making substantial improvements in documenting its sexual violence investigations” (“U.S. Department of Education. . . “).

Buckeyes ACT took up these initiatives in 2015:

-Action: through bystander intervention programs, such as Buckeyes Got Your Back, as well as the hiring of a new sexual violence prevention coordinator through SCE, a team for investigation of sexual violence reports, a university-wide task force to identify approaches to preventing and responding to sexual assault and sexual violence, and repeating the climate survey in 2016 and 2017

-Counseling: a partnership with the Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO), counseling through Counseling and Consultation Services (CCS), a greater number of advocates in the Office of Student Life, and strengthening its Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Harassment, and Relationship Violence policy

-Training: mandating sexual misconduct and relationship violence online training for all students, and first-year orientation sessions on sexual misconduct and relationship violence for incoming freshmen

(“Ohio State announces comprehensive. . . “)

To me, the implementation of training for all students is the most important change. The responsibility of stopping sexual assault from occurring must fall into the hands of faculty and students, not those who have been made victims.

I think that Ohio State needs to expand its staff in both CCS and SCE, but I think that the size of Ohio State poses a bigger mental health issue for students than the lack of counseling. There is a lack of support for many first and second year students who have not yet found a community on campus, which undoubtedly contributes to the overall mental health needs. Further, when students are able to access CCS, they are limited to 10 free visits, which, to me, poses a greater issue because there are students who might highly benefit from routine counseling appointments, but cannot afford to pay a copay that is almost always required when students are referred to counseling practices off campus.

Overall, the Buckeyes ACT initiative brought a lot of positive changes to Ohio State’s campus, but there is still a long way to go. I was in the first freshman class that was required to do the first-year sexual violence and harassment training.  I do not remember the extensive list of resources and information that was given to me, and I suspect that many of my peers do not either. Making resources more available and accessible to students (by furthering the expansion of SCE and CCS, etc.), as well as requiring refresher courses online would make a huge difference for both bystanders and victims of sexual assault.

 

Articles referenced:

“Campus climate survey results released for nation, Ohio State”

https://news.osu.edu/news/2015/09/21/campus-climate-survey-results/

 

“Ohio State announces comprehensive plan to combat sexual misconduct and relationship violence”

https://news.osu.edu/news/2015/09/17/ohio-state-announces-buckeyes-act/

 

“U.S. Department Of Education Reaches Agreement with The Ohio State University To Address And Prevent Sexual Assault And Harassment Of Students”

https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-reaches-agreement-ohio-state-university-address-and-prevent-sexual-assault-and-harassment-students