Letter to the Editor 1 – Issue 11

To the Editor,

We, the undersigned faculty, staff, and other allies stand against the serious problem of sexual assault at Bucknell and at other university and college campuses. Sexual assault causes pain and suffering for survivors, and is in direct opposition to our work of teaching students the knowledge and skills for personal and civic well-being.

We call upon the Bucknell administration and all other university and college administrations to continuously monitor and update current policies to model best practices in preventing sexual assault on campus. The best policies and practices are those that are based on the interests and concerns of survivors. These include, but are not limited to, those practices that encourage but do not require survivors to report sexual assault to campus employees, a fair and equitable adjudication process, use of strong sanctions to deter offenders, and demonstrably effective prevention practices.

The epidemic of campus sexual assault can only be effectively addressed if it is fully acknowledged as both a local problem here at Bucknell, and as part of the national and worldwide pandemic of sexual violence. In order to effect change at both local and cultural levels regarding norms of health sexuality, we also call upon Bucknell and all colleges and universities to fully embrace and enforce an affirmative consent standard based explicitly on the verbal, signed, or otherwise clear and unambiguous communication of a non-coerced and enthusiastic “YES.”

We stand with the survivors of sexual assault at Bucknell and elsewhere. Responsibility for sexual assault lies with perpetrators, with those who actively or tacitly endorse their actions, and with those who maintain and promote the cultural values that foster the perpetration of sexual assault. Intoxication and/or the failure to understand what constitutes sexual assault and rape are no more excuses for committing assault than they are for committing any other crime.

We are committed to changing the culture of sexual assault that is endemic at Bucknell and elsewhere, with the goal of eliminating sexual violence once and for all. Nothing less is acceptable, and our commitment will continue until this goal is achieved.

In Solidarity with Survivors,

Katelyn Allers, Physics & Astronomy

Karen Altendorf, Anthropology & Sociology

Christiane Andersson, Art & Art History

James Baish, Biomedical Engineering

Susan Baish, Engineering

Ashli Baker, Classics

Erdogan Bakir, Economics

Nina Banks, Economics

Adrienne Beaver, Publications, Print & Mail

Sarah Bell, Career Development Center

Laura Beninati, Mechanical Engineering

Morgan Benowitz-Fredericks, Biology

Mark Bettner, Management

Neil Boyd, Management

Margaret Brody, Chemistry

Elizabeth Capaldi, Biology & Animal Behavior

Dan Cavanagh, Biomedical Engineering

Paula Closson Buck, English

Stephen Buonopane, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Janice Butler, Office of Civic Engagement

Molly Butzer ’80, Development & Alumni Relations 

Glynis Carr, English

George M. Casper ’02, Library & Information Technology

Karen Castle, Chemistry

David Cipoletti, Mechanical Engineering

Greg Clingham, English & University Press

Logan J. Connors, Languages, Cultures & Linguistics

Kim Councill, Music

Margaret E. Cronin, Writing Center

Gretchen Croteau, Development & Alumni Relations

Isabel Cuñado, Spanish

Kim Daubman, Psychology

Coralynn Davis, Women’s & Gender Studies

Paula D. Davis, Theatre & Dance

Emily Dietrich, Career Development Center

Erica G. Delsandro, Women’s & Gender Studies

Michael Dock, Spanish

Aleece Drumm, Parents Fund & Family Programs

Emily Dryden, Mathematics

Philippe Dubois, Languages, Cultures & Linguistics

Beth M. Duckles, Sociology

Katie Faull, Comparative Humanities

Abe Feuerstein, Education

Bill Flack, Psychology, Social Justice Residential College, & Bucknell Feminist Front

Patti Struble Flannery ’86, Alumni Relations

Abby Flynt, Mathematics

Nancy Frazier, Library & Information Technology

Rabbi Serena Fujita, Campus Jewish Life

Sharon Garthwaite, Mathematics

Julie Gates, Biology Department

Kevin Gilmore, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Gary Grant, Theatre

Duane Griffin, Geography

Judy Grisel, Psychology & Neuroscience

Rob Guissanie, Library & Information Technology

Andrea Halpern, Psychology

Mark Haussmann, Biology

Phil Haynes, Music

K.A. Hays, English

Doug Hecock, Political Science

Jamie Hendry, Managing for Sustainability

Carmen Henne-Ochoa, Sociology

Richard Henne-Ochoa, Education

Sue Ellen Henry, Education

Alexis Henshaw, Political Science

Ellen K. Herman, Geology

Tammy Bunn Hiller, Managing for Sustainability

Elaine Hopkins, Languages, Cultures, & Linguistics

John Hunter, Comparative Humanities

Erin Jablonski, Chemical Engineering

Ann James, Geography

Michael James, Political Science

Michelle Johnson, Sociology & Anthropology

Dave Kelley, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Carl Kirby, Geology & Environmental Geosciences

Sabrina Kirby, Writing Center

David Kristjanson-Gural, Economics & Social Justice Residential College

Bernhard Kuhn, Languages, Cultures & Linguistics

Laura Lanwermeyer, Teaching & Learning Center

James Lavine, Linguistics

Jason Leddington, Philosophy

Denise Lewis, English

Sheila Lintott, Philosophy & Women’s & Gender Studies

Barry Long, Music

Chris Magee, Economics

Rita Malick, Library & Information Technology

Michael A. Malusis, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Janice Mann, Art & Art History

Vanessa Massaro, Geography

Molly McGuire, Chemistry

Collin McKinney, Spanish

Karline McLain, Religious Studies

Peter McNamara, Mathematics

Kathleen McQuiston, Research Services & Information Literacy

Matt McTammany, Biology & Environmental Studies

Xiannong Meng, Computer Science

Karen Morin, Geography

Helen Morris-Keitel, Languages, Cultures & Linguistics

Arris F.E.N. Moser, Information Services

Adrian N. Mulligan, Geography

Kevin Myers, Psychology

Rebecca Meyers, Film/Media Studies

Deirdre O’Connor, Writing Center

Seth Orsborn, Markets, Innovation, & Design

Leslie Patrick, History

Carrie Pirmann, Library & Information Technology

Harriet Pollack, English

Susan A. Reed, Women’s & Gender Studies

Roger Rothman, Art & Art History

Nathan Ryan, Mathematics

Andrea Stevenson Sanjian, Political Science

Robin Schaech, Bucknell Student Health

Abbey Scheckter, Development & Alumni Relations

David Schoepf, Physics & Astronomy

Edmund (Ned) Searles, Sociology & Anthropology

Martha Shaunessy, Women’s & Gender Studies

James Shields, Comparative Humanities

Deborah Sills, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Jennifer Silva, Anthropology & Sociology

Matthew H. Slater, Philosophy

Ron J. Smith, International Relations

Staff name withheld at behest of signator

Staff name withheld at behest of signator

Andrea Leithner Stauffer, Office of Financial Aid

Gary Steiner, Philosophy

Atiya Stokes-Brown, Political Science

Andrew Stuhl, Environmental Studies

Steve Styers, Writing Center

Joseph G. Susan Jr., Head Football Coach

Jennifer Thomson, History

Ruth Tincoff, Psychology, Neuroscience & Linguistics

Kris Trego, Classics & Ancient Mediterranean Studies

Martha H. Verbrugge, History

Richard Waller, History/International Relations

Claire Vaye Watkins, Creative Writing

Joel Wade, Psychology

John Westbrook, French

Elaine Williams, Theatre & Dance

Rebecca Willoughby, English

Lea Wittie, Computer Science

Megan Wolleben, Career Development Center

Amanda Wooden, Environmental Studies, Bucknell Feminist Front

Thelathia “Nikki” Young, Women’s & Gender Studies

Virginia Zimmerman, English

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