Are College Campus Administrations Really “Getting It”?…

Yeardley Love’s family is beginning their healing process of losing a child, a loved one.  George Huguely’s family is in the midst of trying to understand the devastating crime that their son has committed and supporting him with love.  Friends and students are trying to stay focused as the semester comes to an end with finals and day-to-day life.  The UVA lacrosse team members (female and male) move into tough practices filled with emotions yet knowing that Yeardley would want them to participate in the upcoming tournament. And, UVA Administration is in the midst of looking at ways that they can combat the possibility of ever experiencing such a tragedy again.  But…are the college administrations really “getting it”?

I say “no” the administrators are not totally “getting it”.

Putting into place the requirement of background checks, receiving alerts if a student has a “run-in” with the law and understanding, acknowledging and being proactive about intimate dating violence within the student body are totally different.
While I feel that proposed policies that UVA is looking into in order to protect the “liability of a college/university” is being proactive from a business stance; the “liability” of being proactive for the student body is not.

I do not believe that administrators are “getting it” when it comes to understanding intimate partner dating violence.  They do not understand that an abuser doesn’t necessarily have “run-ins” with the law nor any criminal history.  For God’s sake we have law enforcement and military personnel who are abusers – get my drift?  An abuser does not necessarily “fit a mold”.

College administrators do not understand that our young people do not know, are not educated nor understand the warning signs and red flags of abuse.  Administrations do not understand that it is imperative to require faculty members to be “educated” about signs of abuse. It should be stipulated within a faculty members contract that “abuse and assault continuing education is an annual requirement”.  And, if suspected it must be reported, acknowledged, investigated and must be held accountable.

So while they are putting into place all of the “business liability” precautions they are still doing nothing to assist the student body (females and males). They are not putting into place any “requirements” for education for students from a proactive stance.

Isn’t that what college is ALL about – the students, their education/life skills, their safety, their dreams?