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Office of the President

Sexual Harassment Taskforce

CSUSM Campus

Sexual harassment continues to be a pervasive and serious matter at colleges and universities across our country; and CSUSM is no exception. Despite efforts across our campus by many dedicated individuals to address sexual harassment through education, training and a variety of other efforts, there is more we can do to further foster a welcoming and inclusive campus environment where all students can freely and safely pursue their academic and personal objectives.

View the Taskforce Report

During the 2021-22 academic year, a taskforce comprised of students, faculty and staff will come together around the themes of accountability, safety, prevention and education. This includes:

  • Reviewing current sexual harassment policies, procedures and training;
  • Recommending strategies to improve the communication and transparency of these policies, procedures and training programs;
  • Recommending opportunities to expand and improve the effectiveness of training and prevention efforts; and
  • Considering how we can improve the way we care for our community members who are impacted by sexual harassment.

 Some issues and themes that the taskforce should consider include:

  • Understanding power differentials between students and faculty and how we need to guard against the abuse of that power through education and engaged training;
  • Recognizing that issues are structural, institutional, and statewide and need to be addressed at all those levels;
  • Understanding that recent events have created anger, distrust and polarization which calls for healing;
  • Understanding the need to work together to address these issues including bystander intervention and clear and concise language about mandated reporting;
  • Balancing transparency with students’ right to know;
  • Understanding the role of the media;
  • Include restorative justice practices in the discussion;
  • Discuss overall role of communication including a statement in the syllabus about where students can go if they experience sexual harassment;
  • Include LGBTQ issues and military affiliated issues.

Taskforce Membership

  • Ranjeeta Basu, Professor, Economics - Co-Chair
  • Gloria Pindi, Associate Professor, Communication - Co-Chair
  • Aswad Allen, Chief Diversity Officer, Office of Inclusive Excellence
  • Bridget Blanshan, Title IX Coordinator, Title IX Office
  • Amy Carney, Professor, School of Nursing - Faculty Rep
  • Richard Carpenter, ASI Veterans Representative – Student Rep
  • Lavonne Davis, ASI Diversity & Inclusion Representative - Student Rep
  • Erika Gravett, Associate Vice President, Office of Human Resources
  • Bethany Hargraves, Student Success Coach, Office of Success Coaching – Staff Rep
  • Michelle Hunt, Associate Vice President, Faculty Affairs
  • Cheryl Landin, Student Success & Equity Analyst, Office of Inclusive Excellence – Staff Rep
  • Yvonne Meulemans, Academic Senate Chair, Head of Library Teaching and Learning/Librarian
  • Paola Ometto, Assistant Professor, Management - Faculty Rep
  • Pamela Redela, Lecturer, Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies - Faculty Rep
  • Jason Schreiber, Dean of Students, Dean of Students Office
  • Codie Sterner, ASI Sustainability Representative – Student Rep
  • Lori Walkington, Assistant Professor, Sociology - Faculty Rep
  • Avery Bather, Sexual Violence Prevention Educator and Advocate, SHCS – Staff Rep