Choices: Emergency Contraception

Let's attend this great event, Sponsored by 3 different organizations

Wednesday, February 25, 2009
6:30pm - 8:30pm
NARAL Pro-Choice NY
470 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor

SAFER is partnering with NARAL Pro-Choice New York, the National Institute for Reproductive Health, the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, and Harlem Health Promotion Center to talk about access to emergency contraception in New York. Come find out why EC might not be available on a campus near you - and what you can do about it!

Posted by,
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)

Meeting

We have a special meeting, with Secretary Steven Beard chairing.

Hunter Women's Rights Coalition Meeting Agenda

February 25th, 2009, 1-2 PM
Thomas Hunter 309

I. Check in
II. Review of Calendar/schedule for the remainder of Spring Semester
III. Discussion of the Washington D.C. Trip
IV. General Discussion (ie: current events, new ideas, etc)
V. Old Business
VI. New Business

Meeting minutes from second round of negotiations before the CUNY-wide sexual-assault taskforce was formed

CUNY Central- 80th Street
CUNY-wide Sexual Assault Policy
Preliminary Meeting
Thursday, July 24, 2008

Persons in attendance: Elischia Fludd, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Jerin Alam, Hunter College, Nicolas Kanellopolous, University Student Senate Vice Chair, Frederick Schaffer, General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs

Called to Order: 2:30pm

Topic: Validity of a University-wide policy
Discussion:
• Policies for the University are currently addressing some programming, but are not addressed by CUNY as a mandate throughout all of its schools.
• Vice Chancellor Schaffer would like to see where each CUNY school’s sexual assault policy is located, if available. Currently, those schools that have a sexual assault policy have it hidden beneath erudite language and other distractions on the web. Therefore, the argument could be made that students from their respective schools are not knowledgeable on their rights or the process once they report. Furthermore, the policies are not prevention focused.

Resolution: A CUNY-wide sexual assault policy is warranted and further research would be useful to obtain so that the University is better able to assess the scope of the problem as well as what services are desired by students. Orientation curriculum should be tweaked, and a possible central location for monitoring, implementing and the offering of student services is an option on the table for negotiations.

Topic: Process to obtain a CUNY-wide policy
Discussion:
• A taskforce should be formed first instead of a survey taken to assess the needs of the students so that there is a group of people that are collating the same information to use when a policy is drafted by them.
• The taskforce should contain Presidents or more than likely VP’s from the Student Development/Student Affairs offices (2), a representative from CUNY Legal (1), David Crook from Institutional Research (1), a representative from VC Moore’s office (1), and around five students, including Jerin Alam and Elischia Fludd (5).
• At least one representative from the coalition of women’s centers is necessary (1) and perhaps a representative from the LGBTQ community within the current number of persons agreed to be on the taskforce (11).
• The nomination of students to the taskforce will be filtered by USS in collaboration with the two current student taskforce members and Senior VP Schaffer. Students would be considered based on geographic location, community and senior college status.
•
Meeting minutes 2

• The CUNY-wide policy should be prevention-focused rather than solely focusing on disciplinary procedures following an assault.

Resolution: The taskforce would be formed first, with a maximum of 11 members. An outside advisory role is up for negotiations, perhaps from ACLU or NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault. The next meeting will take place in two weeks, on August 7th at 2pm via conference call. Senior Vice Chancellor Schaffer will email a conference calling number. The goal
for the next meeting is to continue negotiations on the names of persons to participate on the taskforce.

Adjournment: 3:40 pm

Minutes submitted by: Elischia Fludd

The Original CUNY-wide sexual-assault policy Proposal with Adjustments after two negotiations before the taskforce meeting

Memo
To: Vice Chancellor Frederick Schaffer, Vice Chancellor Garrie Moore, Senior Vice Chancellor Jay Hershenson

From: Jerin Alam, Hunter College and Elischia Fludd, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

CC: USS Chair Robert Ramos and USS Vice Chair Nicholas Kanellopoulos

Date: July 24, 2008

Re: CUNY-wide Sexual Assault Policy

Statement of the Problem: Since federal law requires colleges to have policies on sexual assault, we investigated the policies of various CUNY colleges. We found that there are significant differences among these policies that could lead to disparate treatment of both victims and perpetrators of sexual assault from one campus to another. Some policies do not address such matters as saving evidence, and most concentrate on what victims should do and not the standards of behavior expected of students and the penalties for perpetrating sexual assault.

We also found an underlying assumption that students who are victims of sexual assault should pursue the matter through the criminal justice system, a course of action some victims may not wish to pursue. Colleges need to take action to insure the safety of students in cases of sexual assault.

The National Crime Victimization Survey found that about 3% of college women are raped each academic year, usually by someone they know. The National College Women Sexual Victimization study estimates about 20 to 25% of college women are victims of sexual assault and attempted during their college years. According to research on urban commuter students conducted by professors at John Jay College, approximately 27% of female students reported having been sexually assaulted in the past year. The 19 CUNY schools, serving 400,000 students, reported only four sex offenses in their 2005 reports to the Department of Education. We know there are more incidents of sexual assault happening on campus. We want to address why they are not being reported and have a CUNY-wide policy that makes it easier for the victims and the colleges to report incidents.



Our Proposal: A CUNY-wide policy on sexual assault is clearly needed. We propose to model this policy on CUNY’s highly successful sexual harassment policy, and use a similar mechanism—campus-based boards that implement and monitor the policy. We believe this structure will be most effective, and we believe it can be implemented within one academic year.

The most important thing we would like to stress on is having input from all different communities within CUNY, from the administrators and faculty to the staff, students and alumni. We believe the most effective policy will address the needs and concerns of all the different groups within CUNY, of which students make up the largest portion. We would love to help you gather opinion from different students, such as student governments, different ethnic and religious populations, and the LGBTQ community. Many different people from the groups mentioned above would also love to offer assistance.

The chart below illustrates what we propose. We based this on successfully implemented policies at SUNY Albany, Case Western Reserve, and the University of California.

CUNY-wide Sexual Assault Policy Timeline Proposal

Community Assessment
November 1st
Schools from across CUNY would be surveyed to assess what services students would like to see implemented.

Community Input
November 1st
1. At least 3 town hall meetings hosted by a different CUNY campus in different boroughs would be held to solicit feedback from the diverse CUNY population.
2. Each meeting would be moderated by a student leader and include a panel consisting of at least one SGA representative, and a representative from the coalition of CUNY Women’s Centers.

Policy Drafting
December 1st
1. A taskforce consisting of a maximum of 8-10 persons would draft a policy that adheres to the legal standards of the Clery Act, Title IX and any other relevant legal standards, in conjunction with the expressed needs of students.
2. The taskforce will consist of a student representative from each Borough (5) and be Chaired by an expert on Title IX and Clery Act compliance (1) within school sexual- assault policies. The taskforce will also include two at-large student members (Ms. Jerin Alam and Ms. Elischia Fludd, or a representative designated by them) and a representative from the CUNY women’s centers. The taskforce will make decisions by consensus.

Public Review & Submission of comments
February 1st
Draft of policy would be placed online and distributed throughout each college’s SGA’s and faculty senates for review and recommendations for revisions.

Policy Revisions
March 1st
1. Taskforce will make all necessary revisions and prepare document for submission to the Board of Trustees.
2. Taskforce shall meet at least once to revise policy.

Policy Submission
April 1st
Final version of the CUNY-wide Sexual Assault Policy is submitted to the Board of Trustees.

CUNY-WIDE sexual-assault policy survey results

Purpose of the survey:

Student taskforce members Jerin Alam and Elischia Fludd re-designed the Student Development staff survey created by the taskforce into a student-friendly version on the Internet. The survey link was mass distributed to CUNY students via student, faculty and administrative contacts throughout CUNY in order to garner an inclusive-range of voices throughout CUNY about student knowledge and accessibility of CUNY campuses sexual assault policies.

The anonymous survey yielded the following key results:

Background data:

• 542 total survey responses were received from all CUNY campuses except the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, CUNY School of Law, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, Kingsborough Community College and Hostos Community College.
• 386 students chose to identify their status in school (156 students skipped the question). In order of highest to lowest response rates, Seniors make up 23.8%, Juniors 22.0%, Graduate students 19.9%, Sophomores 10.4%, Doctoral students 7.5%, Freshmen 7.3%, Other 6.0% (CUNY alumni, staff, faculty, upper and lower status of current students and an exchange student to CUNY from Paris), and BA/MA students 3.1% of the data.

Knowledge of campus sexual assault information:

• Overall, 60-86% of students are not aware of the information their college has pertaining to sexual assault. Such information includes knowledge of NYS penal law, where to report a sexual assault, available counseling services for those affected by sexual assault, prevention education about sexual assault, the rights of complainants and accused and on-campus disciplinary procedures and clear sanctions for committing sexual assault.

Student satisfaction of campus information on sexual assault:

• 53.6% of students do not feel that their college provides adequate information about sexual assault.

Preferred information source for sexual assault information:

• 50-80% of students preferred information about sexual assault to be given on their college website, student handbook, in pamphlets, orientation seminar and workshops. Other specifications included emails, flyers, mandatory classes, awareness raising programs and rape crisis services.

CUNY-wide sexual-assault policy taskforce Members

Here are the current taskforce members as of February 12, 2009:

1) Jerin Alam, Hunter College student
2) Vanessa Anderson, Institutional Research
3) Eija Ayravainen, Dean of Student Affairs, Hunter
4) William Barry, University Director of Public Safety
5) Kristen Bowes, Associate General Counsel
6) Gilen Chan, Counsel to the President, City Tech
7) Elischia Fludd, John Jay College student
8) Katie Gentile, Director of the Women's Center, John Jay
9) Nicholas Kanellopoulos, Former Vice Chair, Univ. Student Senate
10) Garrie Moore, VC of Student Development
11) Lisa Montgomery, VP of Student Development and Enrollment Management, Hostos
12) Zina Richardson, University Director of Student Affairs
13) Frederick Schaffer, General Counsel and Sr. Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs

CUNY-WIDE POLICY MOVEMENT GAINS MOMENTUM: COFOUNDERS REVEAL SURVEY RESULTS TO TASKFORCE

Our second press release was sent out on October 31, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Students for a Greater CUNY
October 31, 2008

CUNY-WIDE POLICY MOVEMENT GAINS MOMENTUM: COFOUNDERS
REVEAL SURVEY RESULTS TO TASKFORCE

Sexual Assault policy taskforce to improve student information on sexual assault

New York, NY- The CUNY-wide sexual assault policy movement is gaining momentum. Student taskforce members and co-founders of the movement, Jerin Alam and Elischia Fludd, have kept the taskforce accountable to the students of CUNY, the largest stakeholders in the policy. Their efforts are finally paying off. The dynamic duo revealed the results of a survey of student knowledge of campus sexual assault policies that was widely distributed throughout CUNY via the Internet to the taskforce at their first meeting on October 21st.

Alam and Fludd received a total of 542 responses from 18 of the 23 CUNY campuses by distributing the link to their contacts throughout the University. Survey responses were received from Freshmen through Doctoral students, as well as a few alumni, faculty, BA-MA students and an exchange student to CUNY from Paris.

The most salient results of the survey are that 60-86% of students indicated that they are not aware of the information their college has pertaining to sexual assault, including counseling services, prevention education and disciplinary procedures for when a sexual assault occurs. Over half of students indicated that their college is inadequate in providing information about sexual assault. Moreover, 50-80% of students prefer to receive information about sexual assault through conventional measures such as in the student handbook and on the college website, but also through rape crisis services and mandatory classes.

In response to such overwhelming results, the taskforce unanimously decided to make a strong commitment to adhere to student opinions by including prevention education and training in the system-wide policy. Alam and Fludd remain optimistic that the initial draft of the policy that will be introduced in December will reflect the best interest of all stakeholders within CUNY and meet federal standards.

The taskforce will meet again in December to polish the draft of the policy before scheduling town hall meetings at CUNY campuses in different boroughs to gather feedback from the CUNY community. Alam and Fludd are collecting letters of support for the components of the policy to include the services and information students have asked for.
###

STUDENTS DEMAND, CUNY RESPONDS: CUNY TO CREATE PREVENTION-FOCUSED, SEXUAL-ASSAULT POLICY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Students for a Greater CUNY

October 17, 2008

STUDENTS DEMAND, CUNY RESPONDS: CUNY TO CREATE PREVENTION-FOCUSED, SEXUAL-ASSAULT POLICY

Students Survey Despite Taskforce Opposition
New York, NY

College sexual assault is a major concern for colleges and universities around the country. Institutions of higher education address how they care for the psychological wellness and physical safety of their students through their sexual assault policies, thereby meeting federal government requirements under Title IX and the Jeanne Cleary Act. Surprisingly, the City University of New York (CUNY) does not have a system‐wide sexual assault policy. In a unprecedented move, Elischia Fludd, a BA/MA student at John Jay, and Jerin Alam, a CUNY Baccalaureate student with home college at Hunter, negotiated with CUNY Vice Chancellor of Legal Affairs and General Counsel, Frederick Schaffer, for a democratic and transparent process to create a comprehensive, prevention‐focused policy for the more than 300,000 members of CUNY.

A task force has been assembled to create this comprehensive, prevention‐focused sexual assault policy with a commitment that it will be readily accessible to all CUNY members within one academic year. Fludd and Alam make up two of four student leaders on this dynamic, all‐inclusive, taskforce of 12 that represents CUNY’s community and senior colleges, Student Development personnel, faculty and staff researchers, the Department of Public Safety, General Counsel staff, and the Council of Presidents.

Fludd and Alam’s first challenge as members of the taskforce arose this month when some members of the taskforce decided to conduct a survey of Student Development office staff at each CUNY school to assess what services and information students are currently receiving pertaining to sexual assault. The decision of the taskforce was made without a formal meeting of all the members, and despite urgent student requests to maintain the integrity of the proposed transparent process by including a survey of students. Few task force members expressed similar concerns. Fludd and Alam believe that the task force needs to know what services and information students are actually receiving more than what the various schools believe they are doing. Students are the largest stakeholders in gaining a uniform sexual assault policy, and their
opinions need to be heard. So Fludd and Alam are surveying CUNY students themselves.

As part of their commitment to keeping the taskforce accountable to the students of CUNY, Fludd and Alam re‐constructed the originally dense survey to create a student‐friendly version on the Internet. Fludd and Alam will voice the student opinions that they gather through this process at the first taskforce meeting. To access the survey, go to:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=CFmGoE44OXJ96y3E9_2f3ebw_3d_3d

The taskforce is scheduled to have its first meeting on Tuesday, October 21st, at 3pm.
###

Our Meeting with Feminist Majority Foundation

Women's Rights Coalition
Meeting with
Feminist Majority Foundation


WEDNESDAY, February 11th, 1pm
TH 105

Hunter College, City University of New York
695 Park Avenue, Thomas Hunter 309
New York, NY 10065

FREE FOOD!

Emily Kadar and Patrice Guillroy of Feminist Majority Foundation is coming to NY from DC to meet us. FMF has always been great to us, and we can't wait to give them a warm Hunter welcome. Please join us!

http://www.feministcampus.org/leadership/default.asp
2009 National Young Women's Leadership Conference: FROM CAMPUS TO CONGRESS

Sponsored by the Feminist Majority Foundation, the 2009 National Young Women’s Leadership conference will focus on the impact young women have when it comes to domestic and global issues.

Key issues discussed will include: reproductive rights, the environment, LGBTQ rights, violence against women, communities of color, war, and the economy.

Speakers and presenters will include: Members of Congress, feminist student leaders, and national experts and activists.

V-Day Hunter College 2009 presents: A MEMORY, A MONOLOGUE, A RANT AND A PRAYER

Friday, February 20th, 7pm
and
Saturday, February 21st, 2pm
and 7pm

Hunter College
City University of New York
The Lang Theater,
424 Hunter North
69th Street between Lex & Park Avenue
New York, NY 10065

A MEMORY, A MONOLOGUE, A RANT AND A PRAYER
Writings to Stop Violence Against Women & Girls
is a groundbreaking collection of monologues by world-renowned authors & playwrights, edited by Eve Ensler & Mollie Doyle.

Tickets: $10

All of the proceeds go to The Women's Resource Center in Armenia and The NYC Anti-Violence Project, as well as V-Day 2009 Spotlight Campaign: Power to Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

***V-DAY 2009 HUNTER COLLEGE IS HERE!***
V DAY IS A GLOBAL MOVEMENT TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS WWW.VDAY.ORG

This year’s V-Day celebrations are extra special, with 3 different programs, including a play with parts for women and men! Please come join us, and help support an end to violence worldwide.

Contact 2009vday@yahoo.com


Posted by,
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)

V-DAY FAIR

V-DAY FAIR
Tuesday, February 17th, 12pm – 5pm
3rd Floor Hunter West

Hunter College, City University of New York
3rd Floor Hunter West
68th Street & Lexington Ave
New York, NY 10065

FREE and open to the public!

Meet local organizations working to end violence against women and young girls, as well as provide them with important resources. Food, art, prizes, raffles, bake sale, drumming circle, open poetry mic and more.... BRING your creativity, & a percussion instrument!
Tickets for A MEMORY, A MONOLOGUE, A RANT AND A PRAYER: Writings to Stop Violence Against Women & Girls

***V-DAY 2009 HUNTER COLLEGE IS HERE!***

V DAY IS A GLOBAL MOVEMENT TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS WWW.VDAY.ORG

This year’s V-Day celebrations are extra special, with 3 different programs, including a play with parts for women and men! Please come join us, and help support an end to violence worldwide.

All of the proceeds go to The NYC Anti-Violence Project, as well as The Women's Resource Center in Armenia and V-Day 2009 Spotlight Campaign: Power to Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sponsored by The 2009 Hunter College V-Day team, Women & Gender Studies Program & The Hunter Women’s Rights Coalition (HWRC)

Contact 2009vday@yahoo.com


Posted by,
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)

V-Day Hunter College 2009 presents: WORLD DANCE SHOW W/WORLD RHYTHM

V-Day Hunter College 2009 presents: WORLD DANCE SHOW W/WORLD RHYTHM

Friday, February 13, 2009 , 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Hunter College, City University of New York
The Lang Theater, 424 Hunter North
69th Street between Lex & Park Avenue
New York, NY 10065

Come join us for a night of unforgettable dancing, world music & fun! The Vday Team at Hunter College & World Rhythym Dance Troupe join forces to support the fight against violence against women and children. All of the proceeds from this show go to the The Women's Resource Center in Armenia and The NYC Anti-Violence Project as well as Vday 2009 Spotlight Campaign: Power to Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Live drumming! Middle Eastern & modern fusion dance! Make a difference! Support change through the Arts!

$10 tickets
All of the proceeds go to The NYC Anti-Violence Project, as well as The Women's Resource Center in Armenia and V-Day 2009 Spotlight Campaign: Power to Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

World Rhythms in
association w/Groove Fit & Cortes Entertainment
Jannelle Cortes, Artistic Director
Andriette Holmes, Production Manager

Vday Hunter College
Milena Abrahamyan - Organizer
Jerin Alam- PR organizer
Vanessa Codorniu-Collaborator

One Night Only!
Friday, February 13th at 7:30pm

Join us at the after party! Live DJ, drinks & dancing!
Admission free w/World Dance show tix or donation at door!

www.groovefit.com
www.cortesentertainment.com

***V-DAY 2009 HUNTER COLLEGE IS HERE!***

V DAY IS A GLOBAL MOVEMENT TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS WWW.VDAY.ORG

This year’s V-Day celebrations are extra special, with 3 different programs, including a play with parts for women and men! Please come join us, and help support an end to violence worldwide.

Sponsored by The 2009 Hunter College V-Day team, Women & Gender Studies Program & The Hunter Women’s Rights Coalition (HWRC)

Contact 2009vday@yahoo.com


Posted by,
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)

Hunter Women's Rights Coalition, an introduction

The Hunter Womens Rights Coalition (HWRC) is an undergraduate student club dedicated to furthering gender equality and reproductive rights, and fighting sexual violence. Our mission is to raise awareness, promote student-lead activism, and empower students on campus. Membership is open to all Hunter College students, faculty, and alumni.


Our achievements include:
• Helping organize the historic Freedom on Our Terms: A New Agenda for Women and Girls 30 Years after the National Women’s Conference, Nov 10-11, 2007, on campus, with Gloria Steinem, Rosie O’Donnell and others
• Marching in Washington, DC for reproductive rights, 2004
• Getting gender-neutral bathrooms on campus, located on the 2nd Floor of the North building.
• Screening & discussion of eating disorders, 2006
• AIDS awareness activities, 2007
• Women in The Torah lecture, November 1, 2007
• Helping with Midnight Run to help the homeless, 2007
• Helping with V-day Fair, February 14, 2008
• Helping with The Vagina Monologues in both 2007 and 2008
• Asking people to fill out the sexual assault survey during International Women’s Day, March, 2008
• Working with SAFER, Students Active for Ending Rape, (various dates and events)
• Moderating panel at the Feminist Majority Foundation's National Young Women's Leadership Conference: What's at Stake in 2008? in Washington, DC, March 8, 2008
• Helping with the Clothesline Project, in both 2007 and 2008
• Introduced Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer during event honoring the release of historic publication, Women’s Rights: Historic Sights: A Manhattan Map of Milestones, March 26, 2008
• Love Your Body Day, October 15, 2008
• National Organization for Women NOW-NYS convention in Seneca Falls, NY, Nov 8-9, 2007
• Sexual assault and sexual health awareness, including:
1. Bringing in the Bystander Program, March 19, 2008
2. Men Can Stop Rape, (working with men to prevent violence against women), April 9, 2008
3. Promoting USG Self defense class, April 16, 2008

UPCOMING EVENTS (Currently on the agenda):
• Many more anti-violence efforts, including

1. helping create the CUNY-wide sexual assault policy, which currently does not exist

2. Helping with V-Day 2009, including:
• World Dance Show, February 13
• V-Day Fair, February 17
• The play, A MEMORY, A MONOLOGUE, A RANT AND A PRAYER, February 20 & 21

3. Helping with Wellness Education Office’s Clothesline Project

• Helping with Women & Gender Studies Program’s International Women’s Day
• Fun Movie Nights
• Vent fests with food: vent about feminist issues in a safe space while eating yummy food
• Getting other gender neutral bathrooms in each building: in progress
• Open Mic Night, May


Posted by,
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)