A Message from President G. Gabrielle Starr on the 2018 Higher Education Data Sharing (HEDS) Consortium Survey

Dear Pomona College Community,

Each day, we work to foster a safe and healthy campus community. Our participation in a survey on issues of sexual assault and campus climate is one of the ways we assess our progress, and work to understand issues that require additional commitments. I appreciate all the students who took time last spring to share their experiences in the survey administered by the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS), an organization of colleges and universities committed to sharing data, knowledge, and expertise to advance undergraduate liberal arts education, inclusive excellence, and student success. We are deeply committed to learning from the HEDS survey, in which thousands of college students participate every year. The 2018 results are now available for Pomona and the consortium.

I have included links to a letter from The Claremont Colleges Presidents Council highlighting consortium findings and an FAQ.

We encourage you to discuss the survey findings, share information and ask questions at two upcoming meetings for Pomona students, faculty and staff. Vice President and Dean of Students Avis Hinkson, Title IX Coordinator/Clery Officer and Associate Dean Sue McCarthy, and Director of Institutional Research Jennifer Rachford will host these meetings, scheduled for 7 p.m. on November 1 in Hahn 101, and 5 p.m. on November 7 in Hahn 101.

It is important to know that HEDS took great care in providing for students’ comfort, support and confidentiality in this survey effort, allowing students who have been sexually assaulted to share their experience without risk of further victimization. Students had access on every screen of the survey to links to information about campus, local and national resources for unwanted sexual contact, sexual assault and relationship violence.

Thank you again to the Pomona students who participated in this important survey. We will continue to work as a community to make Pomona a safer and healthier place for all.  

 

Sincerely,

Gabi