A safe and secure campus environment is essential for Brown University to fulfill its mission of education, research and service. A fundamental component of safety is protection against sexual assault. Sexual assault can not be tolerated on campus and must be addressed in the context of all forms of sexual harassment and misconduct. Brown must put into place the strongest possible prevention programs, supports for victims, and procedures for handling cases of sexual assault when they occur. These resources should reflect sensitivity to and awareness of the diversity of our student population. Our goal is to become a national leader in this area.

The Task Force on Sexual Assault is charged with undertaking a comprehensive review of Brown's current practices, policies and procedures around issues of sexual assault and sexual misconduct.

The task force will examine:

Sexual Assault Prevention: Are we following best practices for the prevention of sexual assault, and do we have appropriate staffing for effective implementation? The Task Force should consider the prevention of sexual assault among undergraduate, graduate, and medical students.

Student Support and Advocacy: Are the resources currently in place to provide support and advocacy for students adequate? The Task Force should consider resources made available to students with complaints of sexual assault as well as students against whom complaints are made.

Policies and Procedures for Sexual Misconduct: The University has established policies and procedures for receiving, investigating and resolving complaints made by students of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. The Task Force shall review these policies and procedures, assess their effectiveness, and identify areas for improvement consistent with best practice and the University's goal of being a national leader in these matters.

The Task Force will be informed by an external review of our policies and practices around sexual assault to be conducted in the summer of 2014. The assessment of the external review will inform the work of the Task Force, although the Task Force is free to make additional inquiries and receive additional information and may reach different conclusions. The Task Force will actively seek broad campus-level input and feedback on how well our current policies and practices are working, and where they need to be improved.

The Task Force will deliver a report to the President, with recommendations, no later than December 1, 2014.