Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Alcohol Education Programs

Division of Student Life, University of the Pacific

The University of the Pacific has a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual misconduct and engages in a broad array of developmental efforts to provide prevention education regarding sexual misconduct and alcohol awareness. These efforts include comprehensive sexual misconduct awareness campaigns, tailored educational programs, personalized counseling, specialized adjudication procedures to encourage victim reporting, and strong advocacy and support to crime victims.

University Policies

The University has outlined clear policies in the Student Code of Conduct that define and prohibit sexual misconduct and alcohol and drug abuse. These policies are found in Tiger Lore, the student handbook presented annually to Pacific students. Applicable polices are also described in full online: http://web.pacific.edu/x3957.xml.

During the spring semester of 2009 a workgroup was convened to review and update policies related to sexual misconduct. This group included representation from Public Safety, Counseling Services, Athletics, Judicial Affairs and both graduate and undergraduate students. As a result of their work, the sexual misconduct policy has been rewritten to provide students with clear definitions of prohibited behaviors, available resources and procedures for adjudication.

Sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, is expressly prohibited on campus and in the University community. The University Department of Public Safety's website also provides detailed information for students that believe they, or someone they know, has been a victim of sexual misconduct including crime definitions and a number of resources available both on and off campus.

Acquaintance rape accounts for the majority of rapes committed and includes situations in which a victim is physically or mentally unable to consent (often the result of alcohol or drug intoxication). Violators can be arrested, charged with a felony crime, and may face University discipline.

Educational Programs and Presentations

Introduction Beginning with Student Orientation

At student orientation, new students participate with trained student leaders in facilitated discussions regarding University policy. They also attend an educational presentation called "The Way We See It," which addresses alcohol, sexual misconduct and other challenging situations facing college students. Participants have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion with the student leaders. These topics are also addressed with parents during family orientation sessions.

Classroom Presentations

The Student Victim Advocate, Counseling Center staff and other professionals from the Pacific campus and Stockton community regularly conduct educational presentations in classrooms throughout campus.

Campus Presentations and Events

Nationally recognized speakers on the effects of alcohol and drug use, sexual misconduct, and other risk factors for college students are regularly included as a part of the event and speaker series provided for the campus community, as well as for specific student groups such as members of fraternities and sororities or student athletes. In spring 2009, "Nonviolent Sexuality" speaker Bob Hall addressed the athletes. The featured campus speaker in fall 2008 was Summer Stephan, JD, a Pacific alumna and the Deputy District Attorney in San Diego County for over eighteen years. From 2005 to early 2008, she was the chief of the Sex Crimes and Stalking Division before being promoted to chief of the North Branch of the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.

Pacific's annual Women's Leadership Conference has included sessions that address sexual misconduct, the effects of drugs and alcohol, and other challenges facing college and community women.

Training for Student Employees and Leaders

All Resident Assistants (RAs), Graduate Residence Directors (GRDs), Student Academic Advisors, and Peer Health Educators receive specialized training to address alcohol, drugs and sexual misconduct. RAs are required to host educational programs on these topics for their student residents.

Awareness Programs

Pacific's Director of Judicial Affairs conducts presentations in residence halls and Greek houses that involve information on state and federal laws regarding alcohol consumption, blood alcohol levels, norms misperceptions, recognizing signs of alcohol poisoning, sexual misconduct and strategies for reducing students' risk of harm if they choose to drink.

Pacific's Student Victim Advocate makes several sexual misconduct prevention presentations throughout the year. She has presented during rallies, Resident Assistant trainings, to fraternities, to the Human Sexuality class, and during student conferences, including the Women's Leadership Conference.

Two alcohol education/intervention programs were developed for the 2008-09 academic year. The first course is designed for first-time, low level alcohol related violations. The intervention includes an online personalized behavioral assessment and feedback program paired with a three-hour course that integrates alcohol skills, norms correction and self-reflection.

The second intervention program is designed for high-risk and repeat offenders. This program utilizes an evidence-based intervention strategy identified by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as successful with college students. Students receive a personalized assessment during their first session with a counselor, are required to complete several assignments including the online assessment, meet again with their counselor to receive personalized feedback related to their drinking behaviors and finally discuss ways to reduce their alcohol consumption level and other strategies for reducing the potential for harm.

Fraternities and Sororities

Social Greek members regularly attend educational programming to address alcohol, drugs, sexual misconduct and hazing. All new members of social fraternities and sororities must go through event monitor training, which focuses on managing risk at events as well as identifying individuals that might need medical attention due to alcohol consumption. New members also attend a presentation on numerous issues, including risk management and liability, alcohol consumption, and sexual misconduct.

Social Hosts

All students planning to host events with alcohol are required to attend social host training, which includes strategies for reducing risks for both hosts and guests. Members are required to attend social host training each year. During the 2008-09 academic year more than 600 students were trained.

Student Athletes

Each year, the Director of Athletics meets with every athletic team to address issues related to alcohol, drug use and sexual misconduct. Each semester, our student athletes attend an educational presentation on vital topics including alcohol, drugs and sexual misconduct.

Athletics also regularly hosts nationally recognized experts on the effects of drug and alcohol use, sexual misconduct, and related issues among college students and requires that all student athletes participate in these presentations. These speakers have included Bernie McGrenahan, Lori Hart Ebert, Will Keim, Bobby Petrocelli and Mike Green.

Campus Responses

Incidences of Alcohol and Substance Abuse and Sexual Misconduct

Judicial Affairs

Students who choose to come forward and file a complaint with the Office of Judicial Affairs can utilize specialized hearing procedures for cases of harassment, coercion, discrimination and sexual misconduct. The hearing procedures seek to minimize the direct contact between the alleged victim and the accused, while ensuring the rights of all parties to a fair hearing.

Student Advocate

Student victims are provided support and advocacy from Pacific's professional Student Victim Advocate, a former police officer, who is on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days per week.

Campus Police

Public Safety officers conduct self-defense classes for students, make awareness presentations to classes and conduct an annual safety walk with members of student government (Associated Students of University of the Pacific) to spot areas of campus that require better lighting or should be improved in some other way. Emergency phones connected directly to Public Safety are located throughout the campus. In the event of a report of sexual assault, Public Safety works closely with the Stockton Police Department, which handles sexual assault investigations on campus.

Community Forums

Campus-wide community meetings are held on a regular basis to provide opportunities for the campus community to communicate information relevant to all community members; reinforce shared values, expectations, and standards of behavior; and to process and collectively respond to campus issues or incidents.

Revised May 2009