Course outlines across Carleton now include information about accommodations for sexual violence survivors.
This accommodation resulted from an initiative by the Carleton Academic Student Government (CASG) and OurTurn Carleton, the Carleton chapter of the OurTurn National—a student-led action plan working towards the prevention of sexual violence, and support for survivors at Canadian postsecondary campuses.
Carleton’s Sexual Violence Policy (SVP)—a policy approved by the university’s Board of Governors in December 2016—included clauses for academic accommodations of sexual violence survivors. But, clauses from the policy were not included in course syllabi for Carleton students until this year.
A new section called “Survivors of Sexual Violence,” now included in course syllabi across facultuies, informs students about the accommodations available to them through the SVP.
Suzanne Blanchard, Carleton’s vice-president (students and enrolment), said the new section in syllabi creates an important framework that prevents misinformation across the university.
“It is a great opportunity for us to not just look at the SVP, but the accommodations on their own from many different areas, and really standardize it so that every faculty member has something to refer to,” Blanchard said.
She added the collobaration with OurTurn and CASG has been beneficial for the university to “make sure everything and everyone’s voice is represented.”
Emily Grant, CASG president, said OurTurn first approached CASG last year with the idea of including accommodations in course outlines.
“There was already kind of a framework for it through the SVP–it just wasn’t conveyed very publicly that it existed,” Grant said.
OurTurn Carleton’s president Caeleigh Wannamaker, said the new section allows students to access information more easily in an email.
“Students aren’t aware of the supports readily available to them. If they or someone they know have been survivors of sexual violence, they should be able to get that support, and that starts with knowing they’re there [and] where to get them,” Wannamaker said. “Now, the real test will be if these accommodations are actually implemented.”
But, Grant said Equity Services does not guarantee accommodations to students, adding that the department guarantees a conversation about whether they are appropriate in a certain situation.
Grant said she thinks this method works well because it limits the amount of people a survivor has to disclose their experience and personal information to.
She added information regarding accommodations is especially important in the “red zone period”—the first few weeks of school when the rate of sexual violence on university campuses is the highest.
“It is very important for them to know this information at the start,” she said. “This way, they’re able to carry it with them for the next three or four years.”
Alicia Murray, a second-year law student, said her professors read the section when going through their course outlines.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” Murray said. “Especially since the last couple of years there has been a lot more attention in the media about sexual violence, so it is definitely something that people care about more and more.”
According to the SVP, survivors may disclose their experience to a designated, trained official at the Sexual Assault Support Centre at Carleton through Equity Services—the department responsible for the SVP.
Students are not required to make a formal complaint to receive accommodations, and their personal information will not be disclosed.
“No one should be afraid of asking for help,” Grant said. “It’s not uncommon unfortunately, and it is not something that is just going to be waved away. It will be taken seriously.”
—With files from Serena Halani and graphics from Paloma Callo
