The University Judiciary Committee is looking to revamping its sexual misconduct subcommittee, signifying a push to become more involved in sexual assault prevention on Grounds. The reconfigured subcommittee will seek to keep the organization more involved in University efforts to prevent sexual assault.
The University has made greater investments this year in sexual assault prevention awareness and programs to reduce sexual misconduct. One outcome of this push has been the Hoos Got Your Back campaign, which aims to combat sexual assault by increasing bystander awareness and fostering supportive responses to misconduct when it occurs.
University Judiciary Committee Chair Timothy Kimble, a fourth-year College student, said he hopes the sexual misconduct subcommittee will bring the Committee closer to the work of the University.
"I would love for the sexual misconduct subcommittee to be a way for the UJC to stay involved with issues of sexual misconduct," Kimble said in an email. "I [want] to make sure that our subcommittee [will] be able to positively contribute to the work already being done."
Kimble said he thinks the University has already made great strides and said there is a range of ways UJC can pitch in.
"The Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition has been doing great work, and I would like for the chair of the subcommittee to serve as a liaison, connecting the UJC to the [Sexual Violence Prevention Council]," Kimble said. "I think that this will facilitate a closer, more involved relationship between our groups. That could take a variety of forms, but the goal is to work with the efforts already being made."
Kimble said he has been working to form a new sexual misconduct subcommittee since the beginning of the semester, in conjunction with University administrators and members of the SVPC.
Associate Dean of Students Nicole Eramo said she was excited to work with the Committee more extensively; the group has previously assisted in misconduct-related planning and campaign development.
"In the past, this subcommittee has assisted with the planning of the Sexual Misconduct Board mock hearing," Eramo said in an email. "Some UJC leaders were also involved in the development of the Hoos Got Your Back campaign this summer."
Kimble said the direction of the subcommittee is still very much undefined. Kimble said he hopes to select subcommittee leaders this week.
"I'm looking for someone to head up the subcommittee and will be selecting that person this week," Kimble said. "This is still in progress."
Eramo said UJC's movement to become further involved with sexual assault issues underlines the common cause felt by the University community.
"I believe that we all have a role to play in ending sexual violence on Grounds and I'm excited that this UJC subcommittee wants to take a more active role in working on prevention in addition to education about response," Eramo said. "I think their involvement solidifies the message that, whether or not this is an 'official' roll of your organization, every organization — every person on Grounds — has a role to play in ending sexual violence here at U.Va."
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