Tufts Attitudes About Sexual Conduct Survey small step forward

Recently, the study body received an email from President Monaco’s office preparing us for a second email containing a survey regarding sexual misconduct. The survey, developed by the Tufts Task Force on Sexual Misconduct Prevention, began with the usual questions collecting demographic data like the respondees’ race, gender and sex, and then went on to ask things like “Do you feel safe at Tufts?” and “Do you feel the administration treats you fairly?” and then asked students whether or not they were familiar with the university’s policies on the issue and available resources. The next section asked questions about any types of sexual misconduct the responder might have experienced; the survey specifically inquired about the details of these incidents — characteristics such as timing, location, whether or not it was reported and why it was or wasn’t. The survey ended by requesting suggestions for improvements the university could make in educating about and preventing sexual misconduct. 

Interestingly, this more empirical, data-orientated method of gaining awareness presents a compliment to some of the more arts-based work students have been doing to encourage the Tufts community to take action on this issue. Events like It Happens Here and Not Your Mother’s Monologues that took place this spring drew large crowds, building awareness of the realities of sexual misconduct and inequality. It seems as though a more open and honest conversation about sexual misconduct may be brewing on campus.

In light of this conversation, is the recent survey an acceptable response by the university? It depends on what they do with the information they receive. First of all, surveys aren’t entirely reliable, and many people will likely not respond, but the responses will give the administration a general idea of what it should be focusing on. We also urge students to take this seriously and to ask their friends to fill out the survey as well, so as to provide Tufts with accurate data.

Once the data is collected and analyzed, it is only right that, no matter what the results hold, it be made public for any student, professor or prospective student to see. Obviously, any personal information, or even personal stories that students choose to include should be private, but the general numbers and percentages generated by the survey are certainly tools that can help students understand the current climate of the university.

Currently, according to Tufts' Office of Equal Opportunity, results in aggregate are to be made public in Fall 2015. When released, these results will spark an important conversation for the Tufts community, a call for self-evaluation and action.