Civic Works Celebrates 20 Years of Service in Baltimore City

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaks at Civic Works’ 20th Anniersary celebration. (Photo courtesy of Bmore Photography)

Shay Kettner
Co-Editor-in-Chief

Civic Works, an Americorps program and Baltimore’s leading urban service corps, celebrated 20 years of service on April 24 with a lecture presented by environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. titled, “Civic Works & The Green Economy,” held in Goucher College’s Kraushaar Auditorium.

“We need to rationalize our economy so we reward people for doing good things for our environment,” said Kennedy, President of the Waterkeeper Alliance and the Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper. “An investment in our environment is not a diminishment in our countries wealth.”

Notes from Senior Editors

Addie Maxwell
Opinion Editor

I’ve always thought its funny how I’m the opinion section editor. I always say I have no opinions on anything, except apparently drinking, because I’ve written about it several times. In high school I was voted Most Laid Back, I’m an uninformed optimist, so why the heck did they give me this gig?

Q baby with Q Barbie (Photo: The Quindecim)

What I quickly realized was that I didn’t have to write about the government or go on angry rants about the environment to run this section.  While these sorts of things are important and have found a place in my section, opinions can also be about our own, everyday lives.  During my tenure, this is the tone the opinion section has taken.  One of my favorite pieces I wrote was in those first issues.  I wrote about turning twenty-one, an experience all college students share.

I’d like to think that what I choose to write about connects with where the collective “us” is in our lives, that someone finishes my article, nods their head, and says “yeah man, that connects with me.”  I’ve been fortunate enough to, on a few occasions, have those people reach out to me.  The number of times I could probably count on one hand, but in a community that apparently “doesn’t read The Q,” it feels big.

As an editor, I’ve helped facilitate this experience for others.  My writers have had their articles shared in classes, and they’ve received emails from administrators wanting their help editing policies.  I am proud that my section has given students the voice they need and deserve.

As an athlete, this is the kind of work I want to be a part of.  This is why I sit in the office, writing what’s in my soul at four in the morning (it always feels far more profound at that hour).  Because, this matters to the people around me.  If I was writing a paper for class I would go to bed, but when the rush of the team effort, of your words in print, of the possibility of connecting with someone you don’t even know is out there, how can you not write?  It is immediate gratification at its most intellectual, and I hope I’ll be doing it for a long while.

Crossroads Task Force Addresses New Programs and Course Loads

Samuel Kessler
Staff Writer

The Crossroads task force offered presentations about a varied set of academic issues to the Board of Trustees in January. Though certain suggestions are already being introduced into the Goucher College’s working system, the task force, in conjunction with the Academic Strategic Planning committee, recommended large changes as well. These recommendations included creating a global liberal arts degree and making changes to course schedule format for students and professors, while continuing to value increasing academic mentorship and apprenticeship.

Julia Rogers Classrooms to Improve Academics

Maring Eberlein
Staff Writer

With an ever-expanding campus that has outgrown its various academic homes, class space can be difficult to come by. Whether the course requires a certain space with computers or studios or labs or a standard room, limited space has caused some interesting, if not inconvenient, class times.

“There are moments during the day – and evening – when much of the classroom space is utilized because a lot of faculty want ideal hours to teach,” said John Turner, Professor in the Communications department.

Sexual Misconduct Policy and Process Dialogue with Panel Members

Missy Ballinghoff
Co-Editor-in-Chief

On March 5, students, senior staff, and Public Safety gathered in Kelly Lecture Hall for a discussion about the sexual misconduct policy and process. Also in attendance were two members of the sexual misconduct policy panel, La Jerne Terry Cornish and Michael O’Leary. The discussion was one of many follow-up meetings following the SGA senate meeting on Feb. 20.

Cornish, Associate Professor of Education and TITLE, and Michael O’Leary, Vice President for Enrollment Management have served on the sexual misconduct panel for three years. O’Leary is the chair of the sexual misconduct panel, and Cornish is a member of the sexual misconduct panel.
Throughout the discussion, Cornish and O’Leary answered questions regarding the policy and process, clarifying misconceptions and highlighting areas within the policy that need to be revisited.

The sexual misconduct policy was created in 2003 and has been revisited in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The policy itself is viewed as a “living-breathing document,” that has allowed past revision each year, and will continue to allow future discussions to continue, according to O’Leary.

“I think part of the reason we are here, and revisiting the policy is because of the social media aspect we haven’t dealt with before,” said O’Leary at the beginning of the discussion, in reference to the social media uproar regarding two recent sexual misconduct cases at Goucher.

The basic process of reviewing a sexual misconduct case was reviewed during the meeting. After a complaint regarding sexual misconduct is filed by either a student, faculty or staff member, the complaint goes straight to the members on the panel. The next business day, a printed letter of notification is sent to the complainant and the accused from O’Leary regarding the accusation.

The letter contains a copy of the complaint, rights for the accused and complainant, and notification for both parties that they can go to the authorities. Two investigators are then appointed to the complaint: one male, and one female. The investigators write a detailed report with their recommended results for the panel. The sexual misconduct panel then meets and discusses the results. Both parties can request a meeting with the panel and are allowed to bring a third party for support.
“We keep this very confidential to avoid it spreading across the community and due to FERPA confidentiality laws,” said O’Leary.

All of the investigators and panel members go through special training in order to be part of the sexual misconduct policy process.

“When you think about the legal system, if someone is raped, call the police immediately…But our policy is not a legal system,” said Cornish. “If someone is violated during their freshman year and doesn’t feel comfortable making the complaint, then they can come back and make a complaint later…our policy allows you to make a complaint within four years,” stated Cornish.

There are no mandatory sanctions defined within the policy itself, rather, sanction guidelines are outlined. This allows the panel to decide on sanctions case by case.
“This is tough stuff. We are dealing with human beings, whatever occurred with two people occurred behind closed doors, with those two people,” O’Leary responded in regards to the panel members’ training. If there is any personal relationship between a panel member and party involved with the complaint, complainant or accused, the panel members excuse themselves from that particular case.

“We are asked to determine if the sexual misconduct policy was violated,” said Cornish. “Every case, our primary question is whether the policy was violated. If the answer is ‘yes’ then we go through the possible sanctions.” Both Cornish and O’Leary expressed past struggles with the wide range and flexibility in sanctions available.

Several people present helped clarify the difference between Goucher’s sexual misconduct policy and process, and the legal system and proceedings. Cornish and O’Leary both stressed that throughout the process, both parties are given the opportunity to go to authorities outside of Goucher.

“This is hard work and we do this for the love of students,” said Cornish. “When Michael and I started this we didn’t meet often. The policy is working. People are complaining. People are coming forward…We have the safety of every student at heart in our decisions.”

Another discussion with Professors Nsenga Burton, Seble Dawit, and David Zurawik will focus on social media frenzy and slander. The date and time for this panel has not been announced yet.