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The Association of American Universities has published a new report detailing how its member colleges and universities are combating sexual assault.
This report follows an AAU climate survey from 2015 -- more than two dozen universities associated with the organization declined to participate in the project that would have anonymously interviewed students about sexual assault. Federal officials at one time had urged such surveys.
But 55 of the group’s 62 member institutions engaged in the most recent study that asked colleges how often they were surveying their students about sexual assault and how often they’re changing their practices.
All 55 institutions surveyed students on sexual assault at least once since 2013, the report states -- and 87 percent, or 48 institutions out of 55, said it stimulated fresh conversations about sexual assault.
Every college or university also changed, or was in the process of altering, their training surrounding sexual assault for students and faculty in the last three academic years.
Even if an institution did not formally join in the most recent study, 61 out of 62 provided examples of “activities” regarding sexual assault, AAU said.
“University leaders understand the seriousness of this issue. While the report is not exhaustive, we hope the case studies and resources in this report will be useful not only to AAU universities but to all colleges and universities as we work to reduce sexual assault and misconduct on our campuses,” Mary Sue Coleman, AAU president, wrote in a letter included in the report.
