OUPD chief addressed student senate about sexual assault awareness campaign

Student Senate. Photo by Emily Zeiler.

Ohio University Police Department Chief Andrew Powers addressed Student Senate on Wednesday about programs the department implemented this year.

OUPD’s “Start By Believing” campaign started a few years ago to help empower and support survivors of sexual assault. The campaign was started after Ohio U student Brie Sivy, a survivor of sexual assault, spoke out in a documentary about her journey.

“Although (the campaign) is very important for us to do as a police department, it is also a message of support for everybody in the community to understand,” Powers said.

Additionally, OUPD plans to collaborate with the LGBT Center at Ohio U. OUPD officers and members of the LGBT community will work to help improve the department’s relationships with underrepresented communities, according to Powers. 

The Senate also passed a resolution to support the installation of solar panels on buildings constructed in the future on campus. The body actively sought to incorporate environmentally friendly initiatives on campus such as water-refill stations.

Concerning a one-year contract, signed by Ohio U and the City of Athens, the Senate passed a bill opposing the addition of e-scooters on campus and Uptown. Minority Affairs Commissioner Jordyn Zimmerman voiced concern over the fact that the e-scooters could produce an accessibility problem for students with disabilities across campus.

“It is our responsibility to advocate on their behalf,” Zimmerman said.

The Senate also passed a resolution to support Student Senate President Lydia Ramlo in signing a letter in favor of stricter gun policy in Ohio. The letter will be sent to members of Ohio’s congressional delegation like Sen. Rob Portman. It will advocate for college students’ concerns about safety on campus.

In past years, the Senate has been against concealed carry on campus. About 65% of students who participated in a referendum concerning campus concealed carry voted against it, according to a previous report from The New Political.

The letter was also signed by the Student Senate presidents of other universities in the state, including the University of Dayton, Case Western Reserve University and University of Cincinnati.