A message from President Conner: We Hear You

Dear Skidmore Community:

I write today to all of you, and particularly to our students, to say clearly where we stand on sexual and gender-based harassment and violence. 

I hear the voices of our students who have in recent days raised a genuine and impassioned outcry about the impacts of sexual misconduct on our campus and your lived experiences. I share your concerns and your commitment to a campus environment that is safe and welcoming.

We stand together on this issue. There is no room for sexual violence, harassment, and interpersonal violence at Skidmore, and we all deserve to live and learn in a safe environment. The pain, anger, and fear that our students have expressed is heartbreaking. We commit to doing everything we can to listen, learn, and address this challenging issue.

Our Dean of Students, Adrian Bautista, will soon share information about steps we are taking, including reviewing all policies and procedures, bringing in external subject matter experts, and establishing listening sessions and forums for our students to share their experiences and concerns.

The changes in the federal Title IX regulations over the past several years have been challenging – for campuses and students. We understand the barriers to reporting misconduct to the College given concerns about the federal framework. We stand ready to help individuals who contact the office to report sexual and gender-based misconduct (SGBM). The Title IX office can provide access to supportive measures and share important information about procedural options.

As we have seen most keenly over the past several years, many of our nation’s systems are imperfect. We are all deeply invested in how we as a community prevent, confront, and respond to sexual and gender-based misconduct. As a society, we can and must do better. Skidmore is committed to listening to and supporting all of our students as we work to find the best ways to address sexual misconduct within the legal frameworks in which we are situated.

Please look for a communication from Dean Bautista in the coming days. In the meantime, please take care of yourselves and each other, stay safe, and thank you for caring so much about your fellow Skidmore students and indeed our entire community.

Sincerely,

Marc C. Conner
President