Robert Barker/University Photography

Students accompany representatives from Facilities and Campus Police looking for areas on West Campus with insufficient lighting during a Campus Life site lighting survey Oct. 25.

In response to a number of reports of sexual assault and bias on campus in recent months, students and administrators have been working together on new initiatives aimed at educating the campus and assisting victims.

"We take the concerns of the students and the entire Cornell community seriously," said Susan Murphy, vice president for student and academic services. "There are many people at Cornell who care, both professionally and personally, about these issues."

In October, the university's Incident Management Team created a task force organized around five project-based teams of staff and students that are focused on:

• education and training
• campus climate
• victim support services
• enforcement
• communication

"Each team has short-term deliverables. They will also pursue long-term objectives working with members of the campus community," said Peggy Beach, senior director of campus relations for University Communications and communications lead for the task force. "We expect their first reports shortly."

The task force is just one response to the incidents. In August, the university announced the creation of a new staff position to oversee diversity initiatives throughout the Greek system and the creation of a forum to allow ongoing, campuswide conversations among students, staff and faculty on diversity, multicultural awareness and intercultural dialogue.

In September, the Women's Resource Center sponsored the creation of the Sexual Violence Prevention Working Group to engage the entire Cornell community in designing solutions to the problems. Throughout the semester a number of forums and campus meetings have been held, including "Men Talking With Men: Creating a Safer Campus in Response to Sexual Assault" and a "Caring Community: Illuminate the Night" rally sponsored by the Student Assembly to promote mutual responsibility and respect among students.

Earlier this month, the Cornell Police reassigned three specially trained officers to investigate reports of sexual assault. In October they also worked with students on the annual Campus Lighting Survey to identify areas in need of additional lighting. CUPD Chief Kathy Zoner is sending out a Friday "Blue Light" email to campus that provides updates on ongoing investigations, offers reminders on behaviors to increase personal safety, and provides links to resources such as Caring Community and Blue Light phones, buses and escorts.

President David Skorton, who noted the many actions taking place across campus in an Oct. 4 statement to students, faculty and staff, has challenged the new teams to move promptly in making recommendations that can be quickly implemented.

"As we enter the next phase of our work, I look forward to receiving -- by the end of the semester next month -- concrete and workable proposals to change our structures and programs to address the issues we are tackling together," he said. "I am particularly grateful that our students will be participating in this second phase as I have already learned so much from listening to all those across campus who have given careful thought to these concerns that we all share."