To:  All Students

From:  Melissa Van Der Wall, Dean of Students & Marie-Danielle Attis, Asst. Director CSI

Date: March 31, 2023

Dear Student:

Ramapo College recognizes April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. During the month, the Office of Violence Prevention, in collaboration with both on and off campus partners, promotes  programs, resources, education, and support networks in order to continue to foster a community that aims at eradicating sexual violence.  According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, we dedicate this time in April to call on all individuals, communities, organizations and systems surrounding us to do whatever it takes to end sexual harassment, assault, and abuse.  The menu of offerings for the month of April are designed to engage you in understanding the prevalence of sexual violence, the importance of survivor-centered programs and trauma-informed support, and to reinforce that we are all responsible for condemning sexual harassment, assault, and abuse alongside advocating for victims and survivors.

The College’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month Proclamation will take place on Monday, April 3, 2023 at 1pm in the Grove/Arch area (Alumni Lounges as rain site).  Please join us as President Jebb reads the proclamation and announcements related to programming events for the month.

Training Development
All students, upon arrival at Ramapo College, are required to complete sexual violence, bystander intervention and affirmative consent training via in-person and remote learning opportunities.  We want you to continue to have the tools at your ready to promote a healthy and safe environment for all.  A free training tool is available by clicking here: Consent Culture Refresher.

Resources and Support
During the month of April (and beyond), certain messages may trigger the need for emotional support.  Any student in need of emotional support should call Counseling Services (24 hours) at 201-684-7522 and request to speak to a confidential counselor.  Student may also call upon the below referenced resources for reporting or support:

• healingSpace: Bergen County’s Sexual Violence Resource Center, call or text 201-487-2227 (24 hours)
• Title IX Office at Ramapo College (Kat McGee, Director of Title IX, ADA, and Compliance Training), Call 201-684-7220 (business hours)
• Public Safety, Call 201-684-6666 (24 hours)
• Mahwah Police 9-1-1 (24 hours)
• Office of Violence Prevention, Call 201-684-7430 (business hours)
• Alternatives to Domestic Violence, Call 201-336-7575 (24 hours)
• The New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault, 1-800-601-7200 (24 hours)
• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline, Call 1-800-656-4673 (24 hours)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline, Call 1-800-799-7233 (24 hours)

It’s On Us Sexual Assault Climate Survey

Today is the last day to complete the It’s On Us Sexual Assault Campus Climate Survey and take a stand against sexual assault and interpersonal violence. Please see your Ramapo College email (search “It’s On Us”) for more information. Participants can enter for a chance to win $50 in Ramapo Dollars. Four (4) students will be randomly selected for this drawing and all students who enter will receive a small gift. The survey will only take a few minutes to complete and responses are confidential.  The survey is sponsored by the Title IX Committee and is a project approved by the Ramapo College Institutional Review Board (Application #662). Questions? Please email titleix@ramapo.edu with any questions.

We are all responsible for upholding a healthy and positive community and to object when one witnesses activity that runs counter to our values of mutual respect and dignity for all.  As April approaches, we are grateful for the teams of faculty, staff, students, and external partners who will join us in programming to erase all forms of violence from our campus.