Report 2013-124 Recommendation 19 Responses

Report 2013-124: Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence: California Universities Must Better Protect Students by Doing More to Prevent, Respond to, and Resolve Incidents (Release Date: June 2014)

Recommendation #19 To: San Diego, California State University

All universities should provide their education on sexual harassment and sexual violence to incoming students as close as possible to when they arrive on campus but no later than the first few weeks of their first semester or quarter. Further, universities should provide periodic refresher educational programs, at least annually, to all students on campus to ensure that they are aware of how to handle and report incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2016

SDSU's WebPortal is an online portal where our students register for classes and check their grades. Every student must utilize WebPortal. We have programmed WebPortal to require students to read and acknowledge receipt of resource information and refresher training information relating to sexual violence awareness and prevention every six months. Students who do not acknowledge that they have reviewed the information will be unable to access the WebPortal (and in turn will be unable to access information relating to their grades or to register for classes). SDSU will change the content of the refresher information every six months to cover various topics relating to sexual violence awareness and prevention so that students will review different content every six months.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2015

San Diego State University administrators are currently working with a cross-divisional group of campus officials to determine how best to ensure that all students complete a refresher program on sexual violence awareness and prevention. This is a complex discussion given the number of students and the limitations of our student system. We are committed to finding a sustainable and effective solution and we anticipate a decision and plan to be implemented by January 2016.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented

1-Year Agency Response

All incoming students are now required to view a 30 minute presentation on sexual harassment and sexual violence during New Student Orientation. SDSU hosted a series of awareness and prevention programming for all students during the beginning of the Fall semester and during Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April). SDSU will provide educational programs each year.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

San Diego State provides education on sexual harassment and sexual violence to incoming students close to the time they arrive on campus. In addition, San Diego provides refresher programs to all students. However, San Diego State has yet to determine a method to ensure students are attending the refresher programs.

6-Month Agency Response

All incoming students are now required to view a 30 minute presentation on sexual harassment and sexual violence during New Student Orientation. This was implemented to new students during Fall 2014. In addition, SDSU will send an email to all incoming students at the start of each semester that provides resource information and refresher training on the issue.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

All incoming students are now required to view a 30 minute presentation on sexual harassment and sexual violence during New Student Orientation. In addition, SDSU will send an email to all incoming students at the start of the semester that provides resource information and refresher training on the issue. Further, incoming students are required to complete the Sexual Violence online training, as part of the e-Checkup to Go program, during their first semester.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

San Diego State provided education on sexual harassment and sexual violence to incoming students close to the time they arrive on campus. However, San Diego State has not yet implemented a refresher educational program for all students on campus.

All Recommendations in 2013-124

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.