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Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul at SU Pushes Lawmakers to Approve Uniform College Sexual Assault Policy

Scott Willis
/
WAER

Syracuse University was the latest stop Thursday for Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul.  She's visiting colleges and universities in an effort to push lawmakers to approve Governor Cuomo's proposal for a uniform sexual assault policy at every institution in the state. The "Enough is Enough" campaign was originally part of the state budget before it and many other policy initiatives were dropped. Hochul says the policy begins with a uniform definition for consent.

"People could say she didn't say no. That's because she could be incapacitated, or unconscious, or drugged, or drunk. That's the reality, so to say that's the standard is just wrong. We're turning that upside down. We are saying that there has to be affirmative consent."

  Hochul says amnesty for survivors is also critical, especially if they're afraid to come forward because they were drinking underage. Her visit coincides with the appointment of a 30-member task force on sexual assault and relationship violence by Chancellor Kent Syverud.

"The members of this new task force representing students, faculty, staff, and the community will continue to look critically at our services, policies, and programs every semester. Importantly, it's members will also help to advance and implement further improvements in sexual violence prevention education and advocacy services."

Credit Scott Willis / WAER
/
WAER
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz (Senior VP and Dean of Student Affairs), and Tony Callisto (Senior VP Safety, Chief Law Enforcement Officer on Campus) take part in a roundtable discussion about sexual assault and relationship violence at Syracuse University's Maxwell School.

The task force is one of the recommendations made by a work group first convened last fall, and whose final report was delivered in December. Lieutenant Governor Hochul says the task force shows a level of attention and concern to the issue that she hasn't seen anywhere else. She says that's in contrast to an approach taken by college administrations not long ago to avoid acknowledging that sexual assault might be a problem.

"If I'm a parent and I'm choosing any state in the nation I want to go to send my child, I'm looking at New York state because I will know that New York state has the toughest laws on this. I will feel safer here where a place like Syracuse University, where it's out in the open, they talk about, they've embraced the Governor's policy and plans. Those are the campuses you want to go to."

Hochul says the uniform policy should be a no brainer, and she hopes lawmakers approve it by the end of session in June.

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.