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AMHERST, N.Y. – Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul praised ˿����Ƶ College as a leader in campus sexual assault prevention efforts at a discussion held Jan. 27 at the college about the new “Enough is Enough” law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Referring to a visit to ˿����Ƶ last year to talk about the sexual assault prevention policy, Hochul pointed to that discussion as an important factor in the conversation to implement uniform procedures and guidelines at all New York State colleges and universities.

“The conversation we had at a roundtable here really helped shape the debate in this state because it was the first one we held,” said Hochul. “The lessons we learned right here on this campus were very helpful.”

˿����Ƶ President Gary A. Olson said, “The Lt. Governor is very generous in crediting ˿����Ƶ College with being the leading college in the state in addressing campus sexual assault prevention. ˿����Ƶ has always made the safety and well-being of our students our highest priority.”

Hochul has been touring colleges across the state to raise awareness about the “Enough is Enough” legislation. Since being signed into law last July, the new legislation has spurred a culture shift on college campuses, she said, and is viewed as a major step forward in ensuring student safety at private and public institutions in the state.

“We have an obligation to protect our students on every campus, whether it’s a large or small college in a suburban, urban or rural setting,” she said. “I’m delighted that there are people across the state, including at ˿����Ƶ, who are having heart-to-heart conversations about the how the culture has got to change.”

Dr. Greg Nayor, vice president for student affairs, outlined ˿����Ƶ’s comprehensive sexual assault prevention efforts and recent measures to further strengthen its outreach.

“Our campus-wide engagement efforts and collaborations use a multifaceted approach to cultivate and sustain a campus culture that prevents and responds effectively to sexual assault,” said Nayor, who serves as co-chair of the Western New York Consortium of Higher Education Sexual Assault Awareness, Prevention and Compliance Task Force.

In partnership with Crisis Services of Buffalo, Nayor announced that starting this semester ˿����Ƶ will be one of only three colleges in the Buffalo Niagara region to have a campus-based sexual violence advocate available on campus.

“Through working with this vital community partner, we will have a confidential, trusted and accessible resource that will be vital to providing sexual violence advocacy services on our campus,” he said.  

Among ˿����Ƶ’s extensive proactive efforts highlighted by Nayor included the formation of a campus-wide Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Task Force, support services for students, bystander intervention training, an online education program for all students, and specialized training for campus security and other appropriate staff.

As part of an ongoing awareness campaign, the college created a video called “Do Something,” which was shown to those in attendance at the discussion, to communicate and mobilize the campus community to take action against sexual assault.

Student speakers at the discussion included Rebecca Dewitt, a biochemistry major; Gianne Gerena, a health care studies major; Zachary Kinnaird, an accounting major; and Kristen Perry, graduate assistant in the ˿����Ƶ Office of Student Affairs.