Presidential Task Force on Relational Violence
Meeting Minutes
Date: 11.20.15
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Erath County SO
Caris Thetford, SAVP
Meeting Participants
Darren Keith, Title IX
Stephanie Robertson, Counseling
Lisa Pence, CA
Marty Deckard, Military Sc.
Colton Driver, Tarleton SGA
Bobby Waddell, RLL
Chief Welch, TSU PD
Dana Moore, Judicial
Kathy Haynes, Stephenville ISD
Laurie Gillespie, AD’s office
Steve Steed, COBA
David Weissenburger, TSU COS
Topic
Discussion
Introductions
Recap
Update from Title IX
Office
Background to website
brainstorming
Brainstorming


Caris and Darren briefly reviewed what was discussed at the first meeting
Darren offered to meet with individuals with any follow-up questions about Title
IX, Clery, our processes, etc.
 A TAMU system Title IX coordinator has been hired
 Reporting at Tarleton is up 600%; there are 2x as many cases as last year
 There is a total of 27 cases thus far, 85-90% of which are reports of assaults that
occurred prior to coming to Tarleton
 Reports of prior incidents allow the Title IX office to encourage students to access
services on campus and, when appropriate, take protective action (barring an
abuser from campus, helping the student seek a protective order, etc.)
 Caris updated the group on Dr. Dottavio’s feedback about communicating with the
campus and his desire to see a website
 Showed the Title IX website and discussed how the new site might be different
 Darren explained that the Title IX site meets DOE and system requirements, but a
different site could be set up very differently and serve a different purpose, while
keeping the Title IX site for compliance purposes
 Caris discussed the approach of the SAVP office in interacting with students:
 Non-judgmental regarding consensual sexual behavior
 Assumption that the people in any given audience are non-violent and
interested in solving this issue
 Avoid using victim / perpetrator language in education because it
divides and alienates audience members
 Work toward creating “in group” of protective community members
 Caris asked that the TF keep these things in mind in considering how a website
would fit into our communication with our community
Vassar and UNC Models
-Good models to use when creating our website format
Include Content of Meetings in the website
-Questions, Ideas, Photos, Plans, People at the Meeting could also be listed as contacts for
further concerns etc.
Be sure info is in both Spanish and English
-An assaulted person could be more likely to use their native language in a traumatic
situation and we have a large population of Spanish speaking students.
Best practices – no need to reinvent the wheel
- Use other programs ideas.
Multimodal with both Videos and Infographics
- Students will remember more if they see something like a photo or video.
Web services can pilot and do analytics
- Track students’ use of the website and what they click on the most and least to strengthen
our weak points and enhance our strengths.
Permanent Back and Home Buttons
-Useful for the 3 click rule or being able to get anywhere easily without having the system
get bogged down or stop working.
How can I get involved?
- Individuals might want to be involved and need to know where to go / how to volunteer
Look into Kognito for Sexual Assault
- For training of faculty and staff
Look at Public Health Models (Seat belt, back to sleep and handwashing)
Simple and easy to navigate (3 click rule)
Icons
Mobile access
Easy escape button
Phone numbers
- Have hint for not saving the emails or phone number under “Police, Title IX or Counseling
Center but, as “Dominoes” or as another student in a “group project”. Have an email
address that is not called the “SAVP” email address.
Have search terms that are EASY on Tarleton Website!
-(Rape, incest, sex, stalking, violence, alcohol, substance, drugs, fight, threat, bullying,
bully, concern, worried about friend, help, trauma and do synonym search on all of these +
in Spanish.
User friendly
Graphic Representation
-Of the reporting options and process
Investigations
-Explain differences between Campus and Law
Bystander info
Quick Access from Home page of Tarleton
Timing of presentations
-Throughout T-week and certain other times
Various presentations
-Train presenters for all presentations
Peer Support Groups
Easily accessed
Permanent link on Tarleton’s Homepage
Gender inclusive
FAQ format
Resources for student both on and off campus
Who do I contact if I was assaulted off campus?
Who do I contact if I was assaulted on campus?
Do the police have to be involved?
Resources for past victims
Support groups
Resources for people who have been accused
How would you classify what I did?
Was this actually assault, rape?
Resources for faculty
A student came to me, what now?
Do I contact someone on behalf of the student, or is that their job?
Have TSU students/groups/organizations create the face of the website
Start with the students – Keep it simple
Have students create a video for Violence Prevention
Offer a reward for the winning group.
This also provides a way of mass advertising.
Make sure there are video links in the website.
Make sure the website is consistently updated and relevant.
Refer to Army’s SHARP website.
Discusses both sexual harassment and sexual assault
Discusses the definition, and identification of SA & SH, as well as resources
and links to help victims.