The Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence, a non-profit organization in Guam, met Wednesday with representatives of college campuses on- and off-island to discuss policies and procedures governing on-campus sexual assault.<\/p>\n
Executive director Cynthia Cabot said that about 10 campus representatives, including students, attended Day 1 of the two-day meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are here to look at policies and procedures that are in place to address sexual assault on campus,\u201d said Cabot.<\/p>\n
At least four campuses in Guam, two campuses on Saipan, and even campuses in American Samoa, Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia are taking part in the awareness activity.<\/p>\n
Citing national statistics, Cabot said there is great concern that college-age students, typically between 18 and 24, are at a higher risk for sexual assault.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to make sure that our campuses are ready and have policies, procedures, and programs in place to support students,\u201d said Cabot. \u201cWe are recognizing that each college campus is different. Most campuses have a one-liner that encompasses a generic policy that says sexual harassment would not be tolerated. Oftentimes, it is not enough,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Northern Marianas College dean of Student Services Leo Pangelinan said that NMC has had its share of reported sexual harassment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have procedures for handling such reports and to adjudicate it, including allowing students to go as far as a hearing on the matter,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Pangelinan also assured that there are policies and procedures in place at NMC, and that NMC\u2019s involvement with the GCASAFV is designed to strengthen their policies and procedures, not just to comply with federal law and regulations but also to address different groups of people in college.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolicies and procedures that work for different groups in the college, such as staff, faculty, or people who have a contractual relationship with NMC, or even visitors, etc.,\u201d said Pangelinan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a victims\u2019 advocate to advocate for victims and to support them in any way they need to be supported,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Northern Marianas Trades Institute director of student development and human resources Victor Mesta said that NMTI\u2019s goal is to bring NMTI up to par with the other campuses.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are taking a look at developing policies and procedures for protecting our students in the campus. Since [NMTI] is newly developed, we just want to make sure the NMTI is streamlined with everything,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The second day of the meeting was held yesterday at the NMC campus before moving on to the NMTI campus later in the afternoon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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