X
Apply // HEERF // Careers at Cobleskill // Report an Incident

Sexual Violence Prevention: Campus Climate Survey Report

2023 SUNY Upstate Campus Climate Survey

 

Executive Summary

Consistent with New York State Education Law 129-B and policies of The State University of New York, SUNY Cobleskill participated in the 2023 Sexual Violence Prevalence (SVP) Campus Climate Survey.  This confidential survey was administered to students and employees and is required to address, at minimum, student and employee knowledge about:

 

In reviewing the overall results, the survey indicated that students and employees are generally aware of campus sexual and interpersonal violence-related policies and resources and that students and employees are generally aware of how to report formal complaints of sexual assault on campus. 

The survey also indicated that more information, outreach, and follow-up are needed to share resources and reporting options with students. 

If you have any questions about the survey or the results included in this report, please contact Amanda Clark, HR Advisor / Title IX Coordinator, at clarkar@cobleskill.edu. 

 

Background

The SVP survey is administered every other year by all SUNY campuses, who work closely with SUNY System Administration to coordinate the survey administration itself.  An effort is made to keep the questions from one administration to the next as consistent as possible to allow for reliable and meaningful longitudinal data.  System-wide IRB review takes place for each survey administration.

Our campus administered the student survey between March 20 and April 10, 2023, and the employee survey between April 10 and May 1, 2023.  An invitation was sent to all eligible survey participants followed by several reminder emails.  Excluded survey populations were individuals under 18 years of age, all incarcerated individuals regardless of age, and all students concurrently enrolled in high school regardless of age. 

 

Results

SUNY Cobleskill had 250 students and 122 employees submit a survey response, for response rates of 16% and 35%, respectively.  Both are a decrease from participation rates in 2021, where response rates were 38% for students and 40% for employees.  Unlike previous administrations in 2019 and 2021, incentives were not offered for completion of the survey to students.  This was likely a factor in the lower response rates for 2023. 

Students Respondents

Student Demographics

Most of the student respondents indicated living in campus housing (66.9%).  Over a quarter (25.6%) reported having a disability or chronic health condition and less than a quarter (20.0%) were first generation students.

Respondents identified their gender as follows (students were able to choose multiple responses):

The sexual orientation of respondents was as follows:

 

Title IX Policies & Resources

The following section relates to students’ knowledge and awareness of SUNY Cobleskill’s Title IX Office, policies and procedures, as well as campus and community resources.

 

Experiences with Sexual/ Dating/ Domestic Violence and/or Stalking

Respondents reported the following incidents having occurred without their consent within the year preceding the survey:

For the respondents who reported an incident, 38.4% of the perpetrators were affiliated with the campus community.  27.4% of respondents filed a formal complaint about the incident with the college.  64.4% of respondents who reported an incident did not tell anyone.

For those who decided not to report the most recent incident to SUNY Cobleskill, the top 6 reasons/concerns were (could choose all that applied):

 

 

Intimate Partner Violence

Students were asked about experiences with intimate partner violence (intimate partner was defined as “a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, or anyone [the respondent] was in an intimate relationship with or hooked up with, including exes and current partners”) within the past year.

56.7% of students told someone about the most recent incident of intimate partner violence and 5.9% filed a formal complaint about the incident with the college. 

 

Stalking

12.7% of students reported that a stranger/friend/current or ex-partner repeatedly followed, watched, texted, called, emailed, or communicated with them in ways that seemed obsessive and made them afraid and concerned for their safety.

54.2% of students told someone about the most recent incident and 41.7% filed a formal complaint about the incident with the college. 

 

Overall, students were asked if incidents of sexual violence, dating/domestic violence and stalking made them change their educational plans, and reported:

 

College Response

Students were asked about their perceptions of how their fellow students would respond and how SUNY Cobleskill would respond, in various situations.  The following results indicate if a student answered “Very Likely” or “Likely” or “Strongly Agree” or “Agree.”

 

Students’ perceptions about how the campus would respond to a formal complaint of sexual violence:

 

 

Employee Respondents

Employee Demographics

Most of the employee respondents indicated having worked for SUNY Cobleskill for six years or longer  (68.9%).  The respondents were equally divided between Faculty (49.6%) and Staff/ Administrators (50.4%).   The vast majority were employed full-time (89.3%). 

Respondents identified their gender as follows (employees able to choose multiple responses):

The sexual orientation of respondents was as follows:

 

Title IX Policies & Resources

The following section relates to employees’ knowledge and awareness of SUNY Cobleskill’s Title IX Office, policies and procedures, as well as campus and community resources.

 

Experiences with Sexual/ Dating/ Domestic Violence and/or Stalking

Respondents reported the following incidents having occurred within the year preceding the survey:

Of the employees in which a student disclosed that they were a victim, 71.4% stated they reported the disclosure to the Title IX Coordinator, University Police/Public Safety, Student Affairs, or another office on campus. 

 

College Response

Employees were asked about their perceptions of how their fellow employees would respond and how SUNY Cobleskill would respond, in various situations.  The following results indicate if a student answered “Very Likely” or “Likely” or “Strongly Agree” or “Agree.”

Employees’ perceptions about how the campus would respond to a formal complaint of sexual violence:

Employees’ perceptions about how they would personally respond to a formal complaint of sexual violence:

 

Recommendations

Following a review of the survey results, the Offices of Title IX (Amanda Clark) is recommending the following:

Finally, while the MeToo movement has helped more people talk about their experiences with sexual assault, the survey underscores that more work has to be done to destigmatize sexual assault reporting.  

More information about the survey is available at https://www.suny.edu/climatesurvey/