Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response

Lafayette College is committed to providing a learning and working environment that emphasizes the dignity and worth of every member of its community. Sexual assault and sexual harassment in any form or context are inimical to these principles and will not be tolerated.

Sexual assault can threaten the safety, well-being, educational experience, and career of students, faculty, and staff and will not be tolerated in any form. Through procedures that address both prevention and remedy, the sexual assault policy aims to maintain a campus environment that is free of sexual assault. The policy provides for: (1) education and prevention programs that inform the College community about sexual assault; (2) procedures sensitive to victims in responding to reports of alleged sexual assaults, including informing victims of medical, counseling, and support services and available alternative remedies; (3) procedures for determining violations of this policy which assure fairness to the victim and the accused perpetrator; (4) existence of College disciplinary sanctions for those who commit sexual assaults; and (5) an ongoing Presidential Oversight Committee to review the effectiveness of the College's policy and relevant programs and procedures.

Sexual harassment subverts the mission and the work of the College and can threaten the career, educational experience, and well-being of students, faculty, and staff. Lafayette College is, further, committed to freedom of thought, discourse, and speech and the attainment of the highest quality of academic and educational pursuits.

Through procedures that address both prevention and remedy, this policy aims to achieve a campus environment that is free of sexual harassment. The policy provides for: (1) education and prevention programs that inform the College community about sexual harassment; (2) procedures sensitive to complainants in responding to reports of alleged sexual harassment; (3) procedures for determining violations of this policy which assure fairness to the complainant and the accused; and (4) the existence of College disciplinary sanctions for those who commit sexual harassment.

For additional information about how to obtain assistance from a variety of campus services, or how to contact one of the Sexual Assault Counseling and Education (SACE) Coordinators or a sexual harassment consultant, please refer to Sexual Misconduct: A Resource Guide for Responding to Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment.

CARE Committee

The Lafayette CARE (Community Advocating Rape & Relationship Education) Committee's primary purpose is to organize and support educational efforts for the campus community related to issues of sexual assault. CARE is comprised of administrators, students, and community educators and is one of the standing committees of the Division of Student Life. The committee was originally established in 2004 and adopted the CARE name and logo in 2008.

For several years CARE's annual programming and information dissemination has focused on 1) the behaviors that constitute sexual assault according to college policy and state law, 2) ways to avoid committing or becoming a victim of sexual assault, 3) how to report a sexual assault using on campus or off campus resources, and 4) how to intervene when there is the potential for a sexual assault to occur.

Based on the belief that a positive community is characterized by the concern and support its members show for one another, in the past two years the committee has expanded its educational efforts by sponsoring sessions about healthy relationships.

Each year, CARE organizes programs for the entire first-year student class, student athletes, and fraternity and sorority members. The committee also co-sponsors campus-wide events with a variety of student groups and organizations.

CARE distributes resource information to the entire campus community through magnets and wallet cards that contain important phone numbers and a reporting procedures flow chart.