Upholding the administrative structure for reporting, investigating, and disciplining is an important part of the president’s role. The president must set the tone for thorough compliance with policies. As such, the president should only make investigative or disciplinary decisions if the president’s involvement is prescribed by the policy.

Take a close look at the trainings used for various audiences on your campus. Review the topics and training styles, then assess whether they are appropriate for each group. Are the trainings mandatory? How often are they required? Consider that many of the standard trainings (e.g. workplace harassment training for employees or Title IX training for students) may not cover important topics such as boundary violations, child abuse red flags, and employee obligations to report incidents of suspected sexual abuse.

Presidents must make sure they are fully versed in the administrative positions working to prevent sexual abuse and assist victims on campus. Student affairs professionals often lead these prevention efforts and can be a valuable liaison for the president. By developing relationships with staff who handle sexual abuse reports and manage prevention efforts, the president can also establish an expectation that he or she be informed of noteworthy events.

To effectively shape the campus culture, the president’s actions should include a no-tolerance philosophy for sexual abuse and strong support for reporting. By publicly voicing support for survivors and proactively addressing topics surrounding sexual abuse, the president can serve as a catalyst for cultural change. If the community learns to be alert and report all boundary violations, this may stop or deter predators from further abuse.

Providing appropriate, easily accessible resources on campus is critical for survivors' wellbeing. Review whether your institution's resources adequately serve the physical and emotional needs of victims and whether referrals to off-campus resources are provided. The institution's commitment to survivor wellness helps foster an environment that encourages reporting and supports those who make reports.

Institutional leaders must steer the campus culture toward an ethos that is alert about red flags, facilitates reporting, and supports victims. To do this, the president and trustees must understand the current campus landscape. A campus climate survey is an anonymous survey of students that assesses the prevalence of prohibited conduct, including sexual assault and abuse, and provides insight into students' perceptions about the environment on campus.

Presidents and trustees play an important role in protecting the campus community from sexual predators and should be well versed in the institution's reporting options, training programs, victim resources, and the administrative roles responsible for implementing these measures. Leaders who have a deep understanding of the institution's culture and engage in vocal support for reporting will help create an environment in which predatory behavior is unwelcome and boundary violations of any kind are not tolerated.

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