Drew University Hosts Summit to Prevent Campus Sexual Assault

Drew University, a private, liberal arts university in Madison, is taking a preventative approach to combat campus sexual assault and misconduct by hosting a forum for employees this Friday, Sept. 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Among the speakers at the forum will be the Dean of Student Life, on-campus counseling and alcohol-prevention services, and representatives from Morris County service groups including Morris Cares and Jersey Battered Women’s Services. It is the first time the university is hosting such a summit, which was organized under the leadership of Drew’s new President, Dr. MaryAnn Baenninger.

“Over the course of the last year, the federal government has focused unprecedented attention on sexual misconduct on college campuses and has imposed significant new responsibilities on staff and faculty, while re-emphasizing long-standing obligations,” she said. “It is critical that faculty and staff understand their role in addressing the prevention of, and response to, sexual misconduct and relationship violence.”

The topics that will be addressed include: sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, stalking, alcohol use, intervention, resistance skills, retaliation prevention and reporting, campus reporting and employees’ role in reporting.

In addition to hosting the forum, Drew University also posts online several resources for students, including information about sexual assault reporting on its Health Services page, a victim’s Bill of Rights in its Student Handbook, and prevention tips and guidelines on its Counseling page. In addition, Drew provides 24-hour campus security services through its on-campus public safety department.

First-year students in the College of Liberal Arts received sexual assault education and awareness training in person during orientation, utilizing the SCREAM Theatre from Rutgers University and members of the Drew University counseling center. If members of the news media have questions about the forum, please contact Elizabeth Moore, Drew Media Relations at 973-641-1732. Note that the forum is open only to Drew faculty and employees, not to off-campus guests.

About Drew University
Drew University is a private, liberal arts university located in Madison, N.J., just 29 miles west of New York City. Ranked among the top liberal arts institutions nationwide by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and Washington Monthly, Drew is also listed in Princeton Review’s Best 379 Colleges.

The Drew promise—We Deliver Full-Impact Learning to the World—emphasizes the university’s commitment to borderless education that enables a student’s greatest success in a globally connected world. Drew has a total student enrollment of more than 2,300 in three schools: the College of Liberal Arts, the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies and the Drew Theological School. The undergraduate program offers degrees in 30 different disciplines, while Caspersen and the Theological School offer degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels.