MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rhodes College students say they want school administrators to change the way they handle sexual assaults and other complaints.
Wednesday, WREG reported how, despite it’s small student body, Rhodes College reported 21 sexual assaults in 2015, the second highest number of on-campus sexual assaults in Tennessee.
A group called Students Against Sexual Violence said it presented a list of demands to the Rhodes College Board of Trustees Friday.
Demands include mandatory expulsions for students found in violation of rape, changes to the school’s mandatory sexual assault reporting process as well as the creation of a Campus Advocate Center where students can take their concerns.
“Sexual violence at Rhodes is treated as a mere policy infraction rather than the crime that it is,” said Dani Garcia, a member of Students Against Sexual Violence.
Although Rhodes already has an anonymous online reporting tool for victims and witnesses of sexual assaults, students would like victims to be able to speak to their resident assistants and peer advocates without the information being subject to mandatory reporting.
“Especially when speaking with faculty members, they may divulge information that they don’t realize begins the reporting process with or without their consent,” said student Schaeffer Mallory.
Students said they’re also concerned about other incidents, like the sock monkey that was hung from a dorm window last week. They consider the monkey to be racist.
“It’s not just me. It’s other students. It’s other minority students,” said Merare Sanchez.
“I want [administrators] to publicly acknowledge that they have not done the most that they can do,” said Sanchez.
WREG left a message for the Rhodes spokesperson but hasn’t heard back.
Students are asking that their demands be met by August.