Showing up to the open forum is half the battle

The Hopkins administration has proven to its students, both old and new, that it is inept at handing sexual assault situations. Therefore, it is essential that students hold the administration responsible and demand transparency and answers. There have been major improvements; the administration notified the campus swiftly after a sexual assault was reported in November. However, it still has not earned the trust of its students, and students must continue to demand better from the administration. Unfortunately, the low attendance at a recent Q&A panel on sexual assault shows a potential disappointing lack of interest from students.

The attendance at the Nov. 13 Hopkins Community Forum, which was hosted by the SGA and focused on Greek life and sexual assault after the IFC moratorium on open parties, dwarfed the attendance of the Jan. 28 Constructive Q&A Panel on Sexual Assault, which was hosted by CHEW, BIT and Charles Street News. The Q&A panel consisted of CHEW’s Sexual Violence Prevention, Education & Response Coordinator Alyse Campbell, Dean of Student Life Terry Martinez, Associate Dean of Student Life and Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Student Sexual Misconduct Dorothy Sheppard and Assistant Vice Provost and Title IX Coordinator Allison Boyle — the perfect people to ask questions to about the University’s sexual assault policies. What message does it send to the administration and the survivors of sexual assault and rape when the Greek forum was stuffed with students and 400 people live-streaming while the Q&A only had about 50 attendees? We as a student body must show our commitment to improving the sexual assault policies at Hopkins in every manner — not just when it comes to how it affects Greek life. Survivors must be prioritized over parties.

Even though I’m disappointed in the overall turnout at the forum, I am proud of my class. I estimate about 80-90 percent of the people who asked questions were freshmen. As a naïve freshman, it may not be my place to criticize the upper classes’ lack of participation, but it confused me as to why so few sophomores, juniors and seniors attended. Perhaps upperclassmen are jaded and cynical about the administration’s willingness to answer questions honestly, but the past has shown that the administration will only be transparent if transparency is demanded.

I do understand why people did not show up. Martinez, Sheppard and Boyle gave frustratingly circuitous and whitewashed answers. Martinez repeatedly stressed the importance of students being willing to work with the administration, a ridiculous request to emphasize given that the student body has no reason to trust the administration with anything concerning sexual assault. Sheppard gave me a much-needed laugh when she said the federal government “proposed” and “encouraged” certain changes to Hopkins’s sexual assault policy, sidestepping the fact that Hopkins is currently under federal investigation for failing to disclose a reported rape. That’s some impressive linguistic gymnastics.

However annoying their answers are, taking part in the forum is a step in the right direction, and I respect that they took time out of their schedules to speak directly to students. But if they show up, we must show up. The school has proven it cannot be trusted to ethically and legally deal with sexual assault issues. We must demand change and transparency, and not just when the administration’s decisions affect Greek life. Kwame Alston, a freshman senator, was previously quoted in The News-Letter saying, “As a part of SGA, I know that a lot of students on campus are upset about this issue. They missed a perfect opportunity to address this situation.” Hopefully people take Alston’s words to heart and take advantage of the next opportunity to speak directly to the administration about sexual assault.