On the Sexual Harassment Survey Report

To the University Community As part of the University's continuing effort to evaluate and improve the quality of campus life, the Committee to Survey Harassment-co-chaired by Dr. John de Cani. Professor of Statistics (Wharton), and Dr. Philip Sagi, Professor of Sociology (School of Arts and Sciences)-recently completed a comprehensive Sexual Harassment Survey of Penn's students, faculty, and staff. The survey expanded upon studies conducted earlier at Harvard and other institutions of higher education. Following submission of the Committee's Report to Dr. Barry Cooperman. Vice Provost for Research, who established the Committee at the request of the University Council, we sent the Report to our colleagues on the University Council Steering Committee. Because of the importance of the survey and its value to the University in formulating policies, in planning programs. and in improving University resources and procedures, the full Report is being published in Almanac. Next month, the Report will be discussed at a University Council meeting, and we are sure that it will receive the attention of other University groups. The University is dedicated to achieving an environment free of sexual misconduct. In the last five years we have taken significant policy steps towards that goal. These include: The University's policy statement on sexual harassment was adopted. defining standards ofconduct and penalties as well as specifying the Ombudsman, the Penn Women's Center, the Office of Student Life, and other resources to which possible victims could turn. The statement on conduct and misconduct was issued, which includes a presumption of misconduct on the part of the faculty member in the event of sexual relations between an instructor and student. New mechanisms for handling reports of sexual harassment have been established, including a Staff Relations unit, a counseling service for the faculty and staff, expansion of the Student Counseling Service, and complete revision of the staff grievance procedure. Existing mechanisms, including the Penn Women's Center, the Ombudsman, the Judicial Inquiry Office, the Office of Affirmative Action, Public Safety's Victim Support Specialist. Student Health Psychiatry, and Gay and Lesbian Peer Counseling, have focused attention on sexual harassment. A two-day workshop on sexual harassment attended by 75 faculty and staff in June 1983 resulted in the formation of a University Task Force on Conduct and Misconduct, to advise the University on harassment and related matters. The Women's Center's staff and volunteers have provided counseling, advice and referrals to women reporting sexual harassment, and the Center has worked with faculty, staffand students to increase and improve the resources for educating the community about sexual harassment and providing support for those who have experienced it. Information concerning the policies addressing sexual harassment and resources available to those who have been harassed are regularly published. All new students and employees receive a copy of the sexual harassment policy. Supervisors are instructed to reiterate the policy to staff. All residential staff, both students and professionals, receive training on harassment issues before and throughout the academic year. Last year the Department of Residential Living held a mandatory workshop for its staff. Human Resources staff who deal with sexual harassment issues have received special training. College House educational and training programs have addressed the problem of sexual harassment. The Office of Student Life coordinates group discussions on the problem of sexual harassment, and films dealing with sexism and sexual harassment are shown. A two-part workshop on sexual and racial harassment was sponsored last year by several student, academic, and administrative groups. Sexual harassment issues are covered in a new five-day training program for non-academic supervisors. Although the data ofthe survey and the Committee's independent analysis confirm the need for the significant policy actions taken by the University during the last five years in trying to eradicate sexual misconduct, the Report also shows that we still have more to do. To assist us in further efforts, we ask that you review the full Report of the Committee and send your comments to any of us. Finally, we underscore that the term "sexual harassment." as used in the Report, is substantially broader than the term as defined in the current University policy (reprinted on the final page of the Report). First, the term in the Report covers a much wider spectrum of misbehavior than the current University policy, ranging from "(a) unwanted teasing, jokes, remarks, or questions of a sexual nature," to "(g) actual or attempted rape or sexual assault." Second. the term in the Report covers all relationships among peers, some of which are not covered by the current University policy. In fact, the largest single category of relationships in which misbehavior was identified in the Report was among undergraduate peers. We stress this point to ensure that the findings in the Report are neither dismissed as trivial nor exaggerated. In short, we urge that the Report be read in its entirety and with care. On behalf of the University, we thank the faculty, staff, and students who were members of the Committee, particulary Drs. de Cani, Sagi, Michelle Fine. Assistant Professor (Graduate School of Education). Mark J. Stern, Assistant Professor (School of Social Work), and Ms. Judith Gerstl. Project Coordinator, for the preparation of the Report, and the 2,229 faculty. students and staff who took the time to complete and return the detailed questionnaires.