What Comes Next: A Response to Public Safety Withholds 2015 Incident Reports

 

By: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell

In 1986 at Lehigh University a young woman named Jeanne Clery was raped and brutally murdered by a fellow student in her dorm room on a campus her parents say she adored. Jeanne Clery was the youngest of three children, she was a talented tennis player, she planned to study communications, and she never lived to be twenty.

Why is Jeanne Clery’s story important? In the aftermath upon discovering the university’s crime record and the negligence, they felt contributed to their daughter’s death her parents sued. The Clerys were ultimately awarded 2 million dollars, but that wasn’t enough.

They wanted more, they wanted campuses to be safer.

“Jeanne didn’t have a chance. She didn’t have a chance.” That’s what Connie Clery said about her daughter. Feeling that too many colleges cared more about money than the safety of their students the Clerys used the money awarded to found the Clery Center and lobbied for the Clery Act. As a result of this law every October universities both private and public are required to release a report of all crimes and incidents that took place on campus in the past three years.

When Chatham’s yearly report was released this fall, some students on campus were dubious of the numbers reported. So the Communique investigated. Despite a reporter asking for the 2015 records more than once this investigation only provided more questions than answers. Why doesn’t Public Safety know they were required to release the logbooks to any interested party within 48 hours? Why aren’t members of the Chatham administration clear on what crimes must be reported and what it takes to deem them unfounded?

This is deeply problematic and unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Chatham University has been criticized for its handling of such matters. Last Spring Chatham students expressed frustration with Public Safety’s delayed action in informing the student body about a number of sexual assaults that took place near the University of Pittsburgh’s campus. In October at the “We Are Steubenville,” theatrical performance during the audience participatory portion of the event several students texted in that they felt unsafe on Chatham’s campus and questioned how much the administration cared about victims of sexual violence.   

Parents and students look at Clery reports before choosing a university, they should never have reason to question the authenticity of the crime statistics. Jeanne Clery’s own parents said if they had known the true history of violence on Lehigh’s campus she would never have attended.  

Chatham can offer crime prevention classes. It can host Take Back The Night rallies. And pass out “It’s on Us,” stickers until there’s no tomorrow. But if the administration isn’t willing to follow through when it really matters all of this is lip service. And let’s be clear.  A bad date is being stood up. A bad date is spending hours with someone who won’t shut up about their ex. A bad date is something you’ll eventually be able to laugh about. Sexual assault, however, causes damage that can last for years. How can we deal with that damage while using outdated euphemisms and platitudes? So here are a few recommendations:

  1. Use the words: They’re ugly and awful because the crimes they describe are ugly and awful. Don’t downplay that.
  2. Release the logs: Seriously, the law says that you’re required to.
  3. Be transparent: In the absence of transparency, we can only assume the worst. See recommendations number two.

It would be pointless to speculate about the intentions of those involved without mindreading abilities and a time machine. But as the year has unfolded unfortunately it seems clear that many of those most responsible for enforcing the Clery Act on Chatham’s Campus lack a complete understanding of what is required of them. This is very dangerous. Chatham needs to do better. To do anything less would be a disgrace to Chatham University’s mission and Jeanne Clery’s memory.

For more information:https://clerycenter.org/policy-resources/

https://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/handbook.pdf

 

Science is Real!

Author: Maggie McGovney

After many a debate, I’ve said that I wish I could choose science as my religion.

That’s not to say science belongs in the same category as faith.  The good thing about science is that you don’t need to have faith in it; in fact, it wishes you wouldn’t.  It demands skepticism.  It says, “Please question me.  Please argue with me.  Please be as credulous as you can.  If you find something about me that isn’t right, let everyone know so that we can fix it.”  I want science to count as my religion because of the respect religion gets in our culture.

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Green Eats: Tres Ríos

Author: Destiny Reber

         Tres Ríos is the newest Mexican kitchen and tequila bar in South Side, Pittsburgh located at 1919 East Carson Street.  Tres Ríos celebrates “diversity, creativity, and uniqueness” by blending two iconic cultures together, offering a combination of Mexican cuisine and spirits and sentimental pieces of Pittsburgh history.  The atmosphere provided sensations of Pittsburgh, through steel work and Warhol inspired art, and Mexico, through a variety of warm and spicy smells in the air.

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Should The World Flatter A Maniac?

Author: Jamie Wiggan

So far diplomacy has not proven to be a strength for President Trump. This should not come as a surprise given his blueprint for diplomacy derives from his self-acclaimed command in aggressive deal-making. Nevertheless, since taking office less than a month ago the President has already managed to antagonize Beijing by muddling in its sensitive relation to Taiwan, and upset Australia’s Prime Minister in what appears to have been a thoroughly unproductive, shortened exchange. Similarly his first telephone conversation with Mexico’s President was cut short amidst inflammatory discussion over his proposed wall. These are just the highlights.

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Green Eats: Chatham Parkhurst

Author: Destiny Reber

Green Eats: A series of restaurant reviews with a perspective in sustainability

Dining locations across Chatham’s campuses, such as Anderson Dining Hall and Café Rachel, in collaboration with Parkhurst Dining Services, aim to serve a wide variety of healthful and delicious meals to students, staff, and guests within the Chatham community.  By implementing a series of strategic sourcing techniques, Chatham’s kitchens strive to provide options that accommodate the wide range of diets and tastes that accompany the diversity that comes along with a college campus.  Chatham’s Parkhurst prides itself on the quality and freshness of their foods, which is why produce is sourced from within 125 miles from the university, and a large amount of Chatham’s meal items are made from scratch right on campus.

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Movie Review: Moonlight (2016)

Author: Iyanna Armwood

“Moonlight,” is a film that all moviegoers should see. Released in 2016 and written and directed by Barry Jenkins “Moonlight,” is an excellent exploration of race, sexuality and isolation that gives face to American harsh realities. The coming-of-age drama follows Chiron, the main character, through three stages of his life as he tries to figure out his identity while fighting the expectations of Miami and the world at large. Chiron is played by Alex R. Hibbert as a child, Ashton Sanders as a teenager and Trevante Rhodes as an adult.

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In Response to Steelers as SVU Characters

Author: Kaitlyn Shirey

Recently I saw a video in my feed of the “Law and Order SVU,” intro where the characters were replaced with players for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  It was meant to be a fun watch for fans, seeing our city’s football stars compared to the often triumphant police officers and detectives depicted in the television show.  Those images of big beefy men in costume-like suits were also meant to be intimidating, the sepia harkening back to old Hollywood detective aesthetic.  A well-made video for a city that loves its team…

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Chris Musick: A World Traveler

Author: Edymar Hurtado

Living in a small town in Indiana, Chris Musick developed his love for adventures while he was having a Tom Sawyer childhood. With a river beside his house, he spent most of his time building forts, making fires and camping. These were only the first steps for later becoming a world traveler and later being the Assistant Vice President of International Affairs at Chatham University.

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The Case for Thanksgiving

Author: Ross Hsu

Thanksgiving is complicated. In its modern form, the holiday is almost entirely secular, and pretty indistinguishable from other harvest festivals around the world, aside from the distinctly American food and football. Thanksgiving is also a historical account, and an amalgam of different holidays and traditions, and, on the whole, is a myth. But it’s a good myth.

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