Photo Courtesy of Boston University
Every Hofstra student has heard the term “Title IX.” Whether it is seen on posters plastered around campus or heard while learning about the most recent person accused of sexual assault, students know the term. Although Hofstra has detailed information available describing the university’s policies for victim safety and danger prevention, the few repercussions that accused students face shows that the university doesn’t take victim safety as seriously as it should.
As detailed in the mission statement on Hofstra’s Title IX About Us page, the Title IX office handles allegations of harassment related to gender, specifically sexual harassment and sexual violence. One of Hofstra’s Title IX resources is the Student Bill of Rights, which details the powers a student has in dealing with a case of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or sexual assault.
In this bill, there are fortunately many protections for victims, such as making sure they are safeguarded from whomever they have accused and have to speak about what they endured with as few people as possible. The second of the 11 rights says all students have the right to “have disclosures of domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault taken seriously,” but based on the way in which Hofstra handles individuals who have been accused, this statement doesn’t feel entirely accurate.
In the event a student does endure one of these traumatic incidents, they can report it either online or in person. On the online how-to-report sexual misconduct page, there is a bulleted list further describing victims’ rights, including the aid and assistance the university will provide to someone making a report. The last bullet point states, “The on-campus conduct process may result in sanctions including disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion of an accused student found responsible for a violation.” These potential ramifications sound reasonably severe and just, but for many accused students on campus, they are often not enacted.
Individuals, primarily men, who have received accusations remain in campus clubs, in on-campus housing and even in university employment positions.
A freshman student who chose to remain anonymous said, “A kid in my building has many accusations [against him]. [Hofstra’s] not doing anything if he’s still living there. No action has been taken by the school; only students have done something about it.”
When asked if she felt safe on campus, she responded by saying, “I do feel safe because I travel in groups. However, when I saw him out –– even though I was with people I knew who would protect me – I was still nervous and uncomfortable around him.”
An anonymous sophomore student employed on campus shared a similar sentiment, stating, “I work with someone who has confirmed allegations against them, and it makes the workplace very uncomfortable sometimes because they have a history with more than one person in our office.”
She continued, saying, “I constantly feel like I have to look over my shoulder both at work and on campus in case that person is around.”
When asked if she thought Hofstra should remove accused students from campus involvement, she replied, “Students who have multiple cases filed against them shouldn’t be allowed to work campus jobs. Not only does the student receive no repercussions for their actions, [but] by working at the university it reinforces that Hofstra doesn’t care if they’re associated with these kinds of people. Right now, it seems like having a Title IX [violation] filed against you means nothing.”
She discussed that the student body holds each other accountable, but the university refuses to do so. She said, “Obviously if people find out, your reputation will be ruined amongst your peers, but Hofstra should instead strive to make campus safer by removing these students rather than keeping dirty little secrets.”
Hofstra promotes organizations such as It’s On Us, which focuses on the importance of accountability from not only the offenders, but bystanders and community members as well.
On their webpage, it says, “Raising awareness. Holding ourselves and each other accountable. Looking out for someone who cannot consent. It’s on us, Hofstra. All of us.”
This notion sounds pleasant but does little to help or force accountability when those who commit these acts receive little to no repercussions.
These students are enabled to repeat these actions until measures are finally taken to stop them. At that point, removal from clubs, employment or campus residency, while still entirely necessary, is far too late. More students are victims than they should be; even one is too many. The lack of punishment for harassment and abuse at Hofstra allows offenders to repeat their behavior consequence free.
