University of Regina reacts to D+ grade for sexual assault policy

A recent D+ grade given to the University of Reginafor its sexual assault policyby a student group has left the school with a lot to consider, according to the president of a project aimed at reducing gender violence on campus.

Roz Kelsey, president of the Gendered Violence Prevention Project, was responding to a report released by Our Turn, a student group that analyzed more than a dozen provincially mandated sexual assault policies on university campuses across the country.

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The University of Regina formally adopted a policy to combat sexual violence in 2015.

Last year, the school launched a project to examine how to improve its responseto reported instances of sexual violence. That project resultedin eight recommendations.

Responding to the recent student-produced grade, Kelsey acknowledged the university has room to improve its existing policies, but believes it is on the right track and schedule to better its response.

"As an institution, universities don't normally move very quickly and this stuff is changing so rapidly, and we're discovering so many new things so quickly so we're trying to keep up the best we can and that takes a lot of work and a lot of effort," she said Friday.

• Gendered violence a complex issue on University of Regina campus

One of the recommendations from the university's review wasfor the school to make a declaration about the prevalence of rape culture, which Kelsey believes the University of Regina is in the process of addressing.

"My argument, from my perspective in my job, is that I would suggest that rape culture is everywhere. The idea that we normalize sexual assault and sexual violence, and the idea that we blame victims for that, is rape culture," she said.

"So I think, not unlike all other parts of society, the university has to address that for sure."

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Processes need to be clearer

Jill Arnott, a professor in the U of R's women's and gender studies department, said she's heard concerns about the policies from students.

She said the policy is vague and is not clear enough on the procedural process of lodging a sexual assault complaint with the school.

"I feel like it was a really good first draft, right? The intention was to be reviewing it regularly and we're now in the process of figuring out how to do that."