‘Transparency’ for thee, not for me
George Washington University must be more transparent about addressing sexual violence, according to Kalpana Vissa, a member of the school’s two-year-old Committee on Sexual Assault Prevention and Response.
As for the committee’s own transparency? Sorry – that’s classified.
The GW Hatchet reports that the committee, which is made up of students, staff and faculty who meet monthly, has refused to release any of its reports and all its members are bound by “confidentiality agreements.”
All the GW community knows about it is what Caroline Laguerre-Brown, vice provost for diversity, equity and community engagement, is willing to say on the record:
[T]he committee is coming up with ideas on how to remove barriers to reporting sexual assaults and improving training and communication.
“The committee continues to discuss ideas to improve the visibility of the Title IX office and other offices across campus that support GW community members affected by sexual assault and sexual violence,” Laguerre-Brown said.
The diversity official continued that “about” 35 people will serve, and four subcommittees (“faculty and staff, prevention, marketing and communications and response”) will produce secret reports:
Laguerre-Brown said the committee will use information from the University’s second campus climate survey on unwanted sexual behavior to develop ideas on how to “remove real or perceived barriers” to reporting sexual violence and improve education on the topic. She did not provide details on how the committee plans to remove barriers.
Committee member Vissa, co-president of Students Against Sexual Assault, apparently sees no contradiction in telling the GW administration to be “super open and transparent” and then citing her own confidentiality agreement when the Hatchet asked “questions specifically about the committee.”
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