Dear Randolph community,
In September of last year, I convened a Task Force on Campus Culture to review current campus programming regarding consent and respect among members of the Randolph College community. The task force was composed of current and former students, faculty, parents, and staff. Its direction was to recommend practical measures the College could take to promote respect and improve campus culture.
This is an important issue, not just for our college but for all colleges nationally. We are committed to improving the atmosphere of trust and respect on our campus as well as ensuring that our programming regarding sexual assault prevention and awareness is modeled after best practices and is relevant and effective. The task force has met consistently for months to study, research, and recommend ways for us to improve our efforts at Randolph.
Earlier today, the task force provided me with the promised recommendations. I would like to thank all of the members for their hard work and dedication. This was not an easy task, and I am grateful for the energy and effort they poured into this responsibility. As I mentioned previously when I announced the task force, it is the College’s goal to implement measures to reduce incidents of assault and harassment, while continuing to provide a broad range of support services for our students, faculty, and staff, and cultivating a culture of respect for the Randolph College community. While we will always follow the law in regards to Title IX issues and cases, we also know how important it is to maintain and improve the sense of transparency and trust that exists on campus. This is one of the reasons we have been sharing progress updates through emails and monthly posts on our Title IX website. This is an issue that requires ongoing attention and discussion, and Randolph is committed to continuing its efforts for the long term.
I am pleased with the report from the task force, which is linked below. We will begin examining the recommendations and creating an implementation plan. In addition to other changes, the external review of our Title IX program started several months ago continues, and we are in the midst of working with a national firm to conduct a campus climate study that will launch shortly. All of these efforts will help us continue to make changes and improvements, both in regards to prevention measures as well as support services. I am pleased with our progress so far and look forward to sharing future updates with our community. By working together, we can ensure that our students are provided the best possible college experience in a community where they always feel safe and respected.
Respectfully,
Bradley W. Bateman
President