Students groups have not given up their fight for a coordinator of sexual assault and relationship violence prevention and support. Student Union welcomed the Committee on Sexual Assault (COSA) on Wednesday to update senators on their progress.

The COSA presenters included representatives from the Sexual Assault and Rape Anonymous Hotline (SARAH), the Committee Organized for Rape Education (CORE), and the all-male sexual assault education group One in Four.

“Within the last month, we’ve been getting down to the nitty-gritty,” said Lauren Keefer, co-president of CORE. “We’ve been working really closely with several people to get this done. It’s been really positive.”

COSA announced that it is currently compiling a binder that will include a copy of Student Union’s (SU) resolution in support of the position, a list of the University’s specific needs, information about how comparable universities have responded to this issue and personal letters from community members who are dealing with sexual assault or relationship violence.

Copies of the binder will be distributed to administrators at the beginning of next semester.

“We want to make sure that administrators are the first ones who are seeing this material,” said senior Lauren Bernstein, president of SARAH.

SU senator Grant Barbosa, a sophomore, compared the prospect of a sexual assault coordinator to the LGBT coordinator who was recently hired.

“Even in the first semester of transition, having a full time staff is almost immeasurable. Honestly, it’s completely different,” said Barbosa.

Following COSA’s presentation, many SU senators asked questions clarifying how exactly the position would change the University’s current response to sexual assault and relationship violence.

COSA stressed that even though the University already has a variety of resources such as the Washington University Police Department (WUPD), Student Health Services and several student groups, there is currently a lack of coordination among the groups.

Senior Dan Tilden, co-president of One in Four, said that because so much of sexual assault support and prevention is left to student groups, there tends to be a lack of continuity.

The Date, which constitutes the University’s greatest attempt to educate undergraduates on these issues, is currently completely student run.

“The problem with that is that from year to year we basically have to reinvent everything. People recycle every four years, the turnover just kills you [because you] are trying to look forward and create something new,” said Tilden.

SU President Neil Patel, a senior, agreed with Tilden.

He mentioned that unlike other universities, the University’s Women’s Resource Center was completely student-run.

The Women’s Resource Center is no longer extant, but Patel said that in his freshman year, he remembered that it was difficult to even locate on campus.

“When such critical issues are put completely on the backs of students you find a scene like that,” said Patel.

Senior Jeff Segal, a member of SARAH, raised the issue that the process of reporting a sexual assault to WUPD or to a Judicial Administrator can be intimidating-especially if survivors do not have a clear sense of what will be done with the information after it is reported.

“A survivor going through the judicial process has no advocate,” said Segal.

Toward the end of the discussion, Jill Carnaghi, assistant vice chancellor of students and director of campus life, made a comment prompting a discussion on the monetary component of the proposal.

“The resolution made a commitment to put money where your mouth is and to financially fund some part of this,” said Carnaghi. “Just so that everyone who is new understands, that was part of the resolution, and I think it’s an important and compelling piece.”

CORE members reported that they have had positive interactions with administrations and that they consider Alan Glass, director of health services, Karen Coburn, assistant vice chancellor for students, and James McLeod, vice chancellor of students, their allies.

“The issue now, we hope, is finding the position a home,” said Bernstein. “It’s trying to find the best place for the position, and having a complete job description. The position is a big deal. We want to make sure it’s done correctly.”

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