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How Can the Cornell Community Fix What We Know is Broken?

This past Monday, the Association of American Universities released the results of a survey that included students from 27 universities. Overall, more than 150,000 students detailed their experiences with sexual assault on college campuses.

The full report (which can be found here) includes responses from both Cornell’s undergraduate and graduate population. Our campus had a 19% response rate, which is consistent with the percentage of other student bodies reporting at other universities. More women completed the survey than men, and 1.5 times more undergraduates responded than graduate students.

Data from the survey revealed the following information:

The information presented in the AAU study presents our student body with a harsh reality: this campus is not immune to the nationwide issues surrounding sexual assault. In fact, the data representing Cornell aligns with that of the 26 other universities surveyed from around the country.

To combat this serious problem plaguing college campuses, we must focus on developing an atmosphere of social responsibility among peers. Because alcohol use increases the risk of sexual assault, this social responsibility can be fostered through an emphasis on safe and responsible alcohol consumption.

Cayuga’s Watchers believe that through student-led, non-confrontational training, we can encourage a community that supports Cornellians looking after Cornellians. Since our founding three years ago, we have trained over 1300 students in recognizing when to step in before a situation can escalate to something more serious. We understand that problems detailed in the AAU report will not be solved by ignoring or abolishing Cornell’s drinking culture. Because sexual assault is an issue that ultimately affects everyone on our campus, we must focus on peers looking out for one another. With an increased understanding of what to look out for, a safe atmosphere will be created for each member of our community.

As President Elizabeth Garrett’s stated in response to the published report, “even one instance of sexual assault on our campus is one too many.” The trainings that Cayuga’s Watchers provides, operating in tandem with administration initiatives such as the Council for Sexual Violence Prevention, propels this campus towards its goal of making sure every Cornellian is protected. Through a cohesive, coordinated effort between students, different organizations, and the administration, we can reach the goal of making our community safe.

— Julie Gokhman, PR Manager

Welcome Back!

Welcome back! The Cayuga’s Watchers team is excited to spend another semester serving the Cornell community and keeping the party safe. I’d like to introduce a few new and exciting additions that we have in store for the upcoming fall semester.

The first? This blog itself. On our blog, you can expect monthly updates about our growing organization and how we are advancing our commitment to mitigate the risks of high-risk drinking. Additionally, these organizational reviews will be accompanied by various posts from employees, parents, student leaders and administrators who wish to join our discussion.

Similarly, our “Press Release” section will cover more newsworthy and serious announcements. These will include statements on broader, more contentious issues about alcohol safety or sexual assault that often spark national debate. Other press releases will regard important organizational updates.

Another exciting development is the launch of our second GiveGab fundraising campaign, in partnership with GiveGab’s “Giving is Gorges” initiative. Be sure to support our organization when the campaign launches on August 28th. Send the link around to friends, family, or whoever you know that might want to promote student safety here at Cornell.

Finally, calling all freshman! Sometime in the next few weeks, Cayuga’s Watchers will be posting up on North Campus, playing some water pong and talking to freshmen who might be interested in becoming Watchers. This year, we’re accepting applications for first semester freshmen, so that they’ll be ready to Watch at events come second semester. If you are a freshman that wants to apply, please fill out an application on our website.

Here’s to another great year of keeping the party safe.

— Drew Lord, VP Development