The University of Oregon and Oregon State University are taking steps to quash sexual assaults on campuses, in the final week before fall classes start.
The Register-Guard reports that University of Oregon Interim President Scott Coltrane has agreed to move forward with two recommendations by the University Senate Task Force to Address Sexual Violence and Survivor Support.
The 19-person task force, consisting of UO faculty, students and a U.S. attorney, formed shortly after a police report of an alleged sexual assault involving four UO students was released to the media.
Coltrane said he will establish a $15,000 emergency fund to pay for sexual assault prevention and victim support. He will also send a message to university employees about their responsibilities in reporting sexual assaults under federal civil right law.
OSU administrators aren't feeling the same pressure for reform, but they are still taking seriously the recent national examination of sexual assault in higher ed.
The Corvallis Gazette-Times reports OSU President Ed Ray announced Tuesday that the campus would join President Barack Obama's national campaign to prevent sexual assaults, "."
The newspaper reports that the Corvallis school already has a number of programs available to sexual assault victims. OSU Vice President Steve Clark told the paper that, by joining the effort, the campus is challenged to further improve prevention efforts.
The national campaign comes out of the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, which previously created "," a website with resources to better inform school faculties and students on sexual assault.
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