An email to the student body announced that WashU is conducting a survey into sexual misconduct (Bri Nitsberg | Student Life)

Washington University is conducting a survey examining sexual misconduct and awareness among the student body that will be available to students on March 4, according to an email from the Office of the Provost Feb 29. 

This will be the third time WashU has conducted this survey since 2015. Sexual misconduct remains a widely-discussed issue on campus after the publication of allegations of misconduct against Nobel Prize-winning Professor Phillip Dybvig as well as a story detailing the impact of alleged misconduct on a graduate student at the medical school. 

In Dec. 2023, WashU Med School (WUSM) also presented a report following a year-long investigation into workplace climate and culture, which revealed inequality on the basis of gender and discussed sexual misconduct.

WashU is one of more than 30 different colleges and universities who are participating in this survey administered by Westat a social science firm that conducts surveys focused on improving education, health, and social policy.

According to the email that was sent to the student body, this year’s report will help the school “understand the prevalence of sexual misconduct and awareness of the available resources.”

According to the AAU Campus Culture survey conducted in 2019, more than 25% of female and 10–15% of male undergraduate respondents to the survey reported having experienced any non-consensual sexual contact since entering the university. 

By conducting the survey the email states that administrators hope to evaluate the current programs offered by the University aimed at creating a healthy, safe, and nondiscriminatory environment.  

This builds upon the mission laid out in WashU’s 2023-24 Safety and Security guide which states, “The University proactively addresses these issues through our prevention and awareness programs and educational campaigns for students, faculty, and staff, including bystander intervention training.”

After receiving an email invitation, students will be able to access and complete the survey which, based on the release dates of previous reports, will likely be published as a report later this year.

This article was updated on March 5th by Avi Holzman.