Published since 1915 by the students
of Xavier University
Published since 1915 by the students
of Xavier University
Ann Tassone
Managing Editor
Xavier University is always striving to maintain a climate of respect. The belief that education leads to empowerment runs through campus. New programs are constantly being considered in order to better the school community. The Xavier Advocates Program is one way in which Xavier continues its quest for progress.
The Xavier Advocate Program exists to provide confidential support, information and advocacy to any member of the Xavier community who has been affected by any kind of harassment, discrimination, relationship violence, sexual assault or stalking. An advocate is available 24 hours a day to provide support and information to survivors and the friends and family of survivors. All information is confidential.
Advocates: Carolyn Jenkins (left) and Christine Anderson.
Anyone who wishes to consult an advocate can call the confidential hotline at 513-872-9259. Tell the operator that you are calling for a Xavier Advocate.
Anyone who wishes to arrange for advocate to call them can call the Xavier Police at 513-745-1000 or contact the Office or Residence Life or a Resident Advisor.
Questions can be directed to Dr. Jenkins at 513-745-3242 or Dr. Anderson at 513-745-4246.
The Advocate Program began in 2003 when two faculty members in Xavier’s Gender and Diversity Studies Program, Dr. Carolyn Jenkins from the social work department and Dr. Christine Anderson from the history department, heard stories of sexual and racial harassment from students in their classes.
“These stories were especially troubling because students did not seem to feel they could trust the university to deal with harassment effectively,” said Anderson.
Jenkins and Anderson reported these experiences to Provost Roger Fortin and requested university support to ensure proactive responses to harassment and assault and to restore confidence that the university lives up to its values. This resulted in the formation of the Advocate Program.
Jenkins currently trains advocates for the program. Jenkins and Anderson both assist in student matters and act as advocates for matters involving faculty and staff.
Three doctoral students from the psychology department have received special training and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take calls from students about any kind of racial, sexual or sexual orientation harassment or sexual assault. There are also trained faculty and staff advocates available for any situations that affect university employees.
Each advocate has received intense training. They meet with Xavier, Cincinnati and Norwood police and also visit University Hospital to become acquainted with forensic techniques used by nurses in cases of sexual assault. All advocates are debriefed by Jenkins after each case.
An advocate can provide anyone with emotional support, assistance in identifying options, help explaining processes such as reporting, university disciplinary procedures, obtaining a forensic exam, accompaniment to the hospital, police, etc., assistance in developing a safety plan, referrals to campus and community resources and follow-up support and advocacy.
The Xavier Advocate Program also has a 24-hour confidential hotline. “This was the idea of a member of the Xavier Board of Trustees who pointed out that most large businesses have 24-hour hotlines for employees to make anonymous complaints without fear of reprisal,” explained Jenkins. “The advocate is the only person in any instance of harassment or assault whose only concern is to empower the survivor.”
Colleen Bott
Contributing Writer
Sally Winn, vice president of Feminists for Life, will be the featured moderator at the pregnancy resources forum to be held on Wednesday, Nov. 15. The forum is sponsored by Xavier’s Students for Life Club and will be held at 7 p.m. in Cintas Center, conference room five.
Feminists for Life is an organization that works to reduce abortions by looking at the root causes and supporting alternative and practical options.
“Rather than just acting retrospectively, we feel that we should be pro-active in creating solutions to the root causes of abortions,” said senior Anne Feczko, Co-President of Students for Life. “Women can feel they really do have the choice to carry their pregnancies to term and to be both students and parents.”
“Both traditional and non-traditional students become pregnant on our campus every year,” she said. “Many more begin their academic careers as parents. Xavier needs to respond to the unique needs of this population in order to wholly fulfill their mission statement.”
“I believe that pregnant and parenting students’ needs are overlooked at Xavier,” said Xavier alumna Jenny Komos. “We do not have resources to help them make important decisions, such as regarding how to continue their education while parenting. Several students think they have no other option than to discontinue their college education or even to terminate their pregnancies because any resources that do exist are not made known to them.
Brian Bowsher 
Editor-in-Chief
Jennifer Downing
Senior News Editor
The Xavier Newswire
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