By LEAH WANKUM
Managing Editor
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — The university sent out a survey to all students this week in order to gauge the campus climate on Title IX issues at UCM.

The Title IX Campus Climate Survey opened Monday, Nov. 16, and will remain open for students until Dec. 4.

Amber Clifford, associate professor of anthropology and primary investigator for the survey project, said students received an email that provided a link to the survey, which takes approximately 30 minutes to complete online.

Clifford said the purpose of the survey is to get good indicators of UCM students’ experiences, specifically about sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking.

“We also want to get some information about how students think existing university policies and reporting procedures are working when those events happen,” Clifford said. “We really want to know what experiences students bring to campus so we can make sure the services we have on campus can help them in the best way and the right way.

“We want to make sure students know what services are available and that we understand if there are services that students believe they need that we don’t have, or if they believe that the policies and systems we already have on campus aren’t doing what they’re intended to do, then we want to know that so we can fix it.”

Clifford said that if students on campus have experienced things like stalking, sexual assault or relationship violence, that administration becomes aware of that and provide assistance where it’s needed.

“What we want to do is make UCM a place where everyone can be successful,” she said.

No information will be collected to identify those who respond, according to a university news release.

“There is absolutely no way that I or anybody on this campus has any way of identifying students,” Clifford said. “It doesn’t collect identifying information. It collects demographics, so things like your year in school, but it doesn’t collect your IP address, nothing personally identifying, and all the data goes into a cloud, so that’s where I get it.”

Amy Kiger, director of the UCM Office of Violence and Substance Abuse Prevention, said the university already has basic data regarding prevalence of experiences of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. The Title IX survey, however, is designed to give a more in-depth understanding of students’ experiences. It also assesses bystander intervention behaviors and perceptions of how the university currently handles these issues.

“It’s going to give us a much more comprehensive understanding of students’ experiences and perceptions and will allow us to be more nuanced in our prevention and response as a university,” Kiger said. “I think that maybe in time, we have more in-depth understanding of students’ experiences that allow us in our VSAP office to be more helpful and effective in providing students with what they’re looking for, or what they need. So I think it’s a good thing.”

Lindsey Adell, junior digital media production major, said she received the email and is planning to take the survey.

“I feel like it’s a long survey, but I feel like it’s pretty important,” Adell said. “People should take it because sexual assault happens. I don’t know what services the university provides, besides counseling. Maybe people just don’t understand what is available to them.”

Kiger said university administration wants to make sure every student has the opportunity to share their experiences and perceptions in the survey.

“I think sometimes people hear Title IX survey and they may think, ‘I’ve never been sexually assaulted or I don’t know anyone who’s been sexually assaulted,’” Kiger said. “If they haven’t experienced sexual assault or stalking for example, they may think they don’t have things to contribute to the survey, but there are lots of questions for students who have never experienced these kinds of issues, so we really hope every student will take the opportunity to participate.”

A group of students, faculty and staff will review the data collected from the survey and make recommendations to the Strategic Leadership Team, which is comprised of UCM administrators and chaired by President Chuck Ambrose.