Richmond Addresses Campus Safety

Dear HSU Student: I want to tell you how sorry and concerned I am that a student member of our community was a victim of a rape this week. Each of you is important to the University, and it hurts us all when one of you is harmed. I support our students, faculty, and staff who organized a rally on the quad on Thursday and demonstrated solidarity with the survivor and condemned the use of violence in our community, especially sexual violence. Let me assure you that the University is reconsidering how it tries to protect all students on our campus and that our police, the Arcata police and the Department of Justice are working diligently to try to find the person who committed this crime.

There are several things you can do to help us make our campus a safer place for all. First, plan to attend the Take Back the Night rally which begins at 6:00 PM on Friday April 14th on the HSU quad. This rally is organized to demonstrate to our community that sexual violence and domestic abuse are not tolerated here. Check out www.humboldt.edu/~hsuwomen/tbtncalendar.html for a full schedule of events. Second, look at the Women's Resource Center web site (www.humboldt.edu/~hsuwomen/index.html) and learn what support and information sources are available for you. Third, if you are a woman, consider taking the Rape Aggression Defense class offered by the University Police (www.humboldt.edu/~studaff/police/rad_training.php). If you are a man, please work with other men you know to end violence against women in our community. A men's group committed to this work meets every Wednesday at 6:30 PM in the South Lounge.

We at Humboldt State University take these issues very seriously. It is a violation of Humboldt State policy and federal and state law to commit rape or any act of sexual misconduct, violence or stalking. Students at Humboldt State have been expelled when found guilty of sexual assault. We urge you to talk with someone if this has, or should ever, happen to you, whether it be by a stranger, friend, or acquaintance. You can'talk to someone in confidence and report confidentially, or report formally to University Police, Ext. 5555, and ask for an investigation. The campus Policy Against Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault may be viewed at www.humboldt.edu/~hsupres/exec_memo/em05-02.html.

Fourth, we encourage students to become active in our various campus organizations addressing violence, such as the Sexual Violence Assault Committee, our Women's Resource Center, and our governing committees. Fifth, let's all recommit ourselves to watching out for each other on campus and in the broader community. Finally, all of us should reconsider our support for the glorification of violence of all kinds in our entertainment media.

Additional details, including the full text of the campus Crime Alert flyer, may be found at http://studentaffairs.humboldt.edu/police/bulletins/2006-04-06.php, along with a special program link for submitting anonymous tips, http://studentaffairs.humboldt.edu/police/crime_tip.php.

Humboldt State can become a remarkably safe community. Let's all work together to achieve this goal.