Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There are 14 comments on Sexual Misconduct Trainings Roll Out

  1. ” Starting today, current faculty and staff will also be asked to complete the program, and all students will do the same in the early part of spring semester.” So… where’s the link to this online program?

  2. Hi David,

    You should be getting an email from an outside vendor, hired through Human Resources, that will invite you to complete the training. A link will be provided within that email.

  3. It seems to address women as the only victims of sexual assault. Although not as common, men are sexually assaulted too. It’s an issue that should also be addressed by programs like this one.

  4. As a non-traditional undergrad this training is insulting. I’ve made it this far in life without violating anyone’s personal space, nevermind assaulting someone and now I need to sit down like a kindergartener and learn the rules for recess. Given the social decay and deprecation of personal responsibility and conduct that has occured over the last 30 years I have no doubt that there is a problem on college campuses with sexual assault, but this mandated corporate liability reducer will do little to stop any predator from assaulting someone else.

    1. Good for you for not violating someone’s boundaries, but sometimes offenders don’t believe that they have violated boundaries. This is normally pertaining to harassment instead of assault, but it can still occur.

      There is nothing wrong with garnering a bit more knowledge about sexual assault. And while you may not have played a part in harassment or assault, have you been an active bystander who tries to prevent other situations from happening?

      I also believe that this is not due to social decay. If anything, people have been harassed or assaulted all along, but it was kept very quiet in decades past. You have read horror stories of what happens to girls who expose their rapists, have you not? They are victim blamed, in cases, and the men are defended as “nice guys” and “gentlemen.” No one wants to see their son or a friend turned into a rapist, and will go so far as to blame the victim of lying or asking for attention. This occurs with both sexes and all genders, I might add.

      Boston University is known to have a history of these events on campus. Anything that a school can do to even try to reduce these events is wonderful. If you can stop someone from harassing or assaulting by educating them a bit- to avoid bad decisions while drinking, or to read body language better- then it would be foolish to miss that opportunity.

  5. I am shocked they refuse to even mention the possibility of something happening to someone who is male. Obviously women are just as liable for nonconsensual sexual situation as any man is, and although it may be more common for women, it is terrifying they fail to mention it. In addition, considering BU has one of the largest Biddie
    homosexual populations I have seen on a campus, males could also be at risk from other men. This is an unfortunate decision the heads of BU have come to. It does help many women who are at risk, but it is 100% saying that male cases of sexual assault are unimportant.

    1. CMK!!!! I honestly thought I was the only one who believes Cosby should be stripped of his honorary degree! I’m so uncomfortable with the FACT that not one support organization or outlet of communications and media on the BU campus is even talking about BILL COSBY!!!!!

      1. Also, just last week on 04 DEC 2014: THE US NAVY stripped Cosby of his honorary title and rank: CHIEF PETTY OFFICER!!!! BU NEEDS TO STAND UP AND SPEAK UP!!!!! Is this not the Alma Mater of Dr. MLK Jr??? A man remembered for his voice and cry for a civil revolution????

  6. I am absolutely disgusted that I have reached out to SARP, SARP’s Director, BU daily newsletter online, BU radio, and Facebook and no one at BU has responded to anything relating to Cosby. BU’s online newsletter hasn’t said anything about Cosby. I reached out to them too! BU isn’t even talking about it, they continue to remain even more silent than Cosby himself on the subject. Where is Dean Hardiman? He’s the one who presented Cosby with the Honorary Degree in 2014? And in 2013 Cosby told the graduating class: “Go out and find the next Bill Cosby!” BU should at least address the situation and let students know that Sexual Assault is taken very seriously and every voice will be heard! Did you know that 2 weeks ago, BU and SARP announced the roll out of their new campaign to bring awareness to the very much under-reported crime of sexual assault and rape on campus. We as BU affiliates will all be required to complete an online training course to acknowledge we understand this new protocol. On the BU Bus to the med campus they’ve got ads of women holding signs saying, “I was too afraid to come forward,” “My therapist believed me even when my own friends didn’t believe me.” I guess I’m still in disbelief that all this time has passed and BU still isn’t making any mention of it.

  7. What was the Reason William Cosby was given this “Honarary Degree”? If he did not even attend school there I imagine it’s for being some sort of role model. I know he hasn’t been proven guilty of anything yet but some things should be known that maybe some of your students, faculty, and alumni don’t already know.

    William Cosby alhough never found guilty in a court of law yet it is NOT because no one ever brought it forward. In 2005 one of his victims did come forward and to her dismay the DA WOULD NOT prosecute. She wanted a prosecution.So yes, after she did what she could and he ended up paying her, a large settlement out of court.

    Now you can say well he wasn’t found guilty in court. Some people will say rich people just pay to make problems go away. While yes that is usually true you do NOT do that with rape allegations!!! If you are truly innocent, and you are Bill freaking Cosby, You hire the best lawyers money can buy and fight that tooth and nail. Then you go after the accusser for defamation of character, but none of that happened!

    It doesn’t look good for him. Well over 30 women now have accused him. Could some be lying? SURE! But he did pay that one off…… The year of the first allegations he made a comedy album with a skit about Spanish Fly. It was about him basically drugging girls to disorientate them and take advantage of them sexually. That is what Spanish Fly is supposed to do. Almost all the cases of these women he pushed alcohol and pills on them and they became disorientated and were sexually abused. Here is that disturbing clip! Have a listen and remember this is who you choose to stand hand and hand with by giving this man an honarary degree. At least that’s how it appears to everyone. Why is BU so slow to act on this??

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx6KAd_Su3I

    This is the creep you let walk around representing your “great” university. Bill Cosby Might as well be your spokeman. He didn’t graduate from there. People aren’t saying strip him of academic credentials he earned. We are saying strip him of this “Honarary Title”. I wonder how your other Honarary Degree holder feels about being lumped in with Bill Cosby. Perhaps I should start a chain email letting them all know how they are now looked upon. Maybe it will take all of them speaking up to get you guys to wake up!

Post a comment.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *