Threepenny Opera set to
dazzle a sold-out crowd
Living, page 6
THE BEACON =
Vol 109, Issue 23
UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND
PHOTO BY THOMAS NGO
/
THE BEACON, ILLUSTRATION BY AUTUM DIERKING
/
THE BEACON
Sex policies criticized
Campus groups worry
sexual assault victims
could face punishment
By Anna Walters
News Editor
The University’s “Sexual Assault
Policy” and “Consensual Relationships
and Sexual Misconduct Policy” came
under fire recently for failing to ensure
that rape and sexual assault victims would
be protected from punishment or judicial
reprimand.
Members of the Sexual Assault
Prevention Education Team (SAPET) and
the Feminist Discussion Group voiced
concern earlier this semester that, as it is
written, the Sexual Assault Policy, found
on pages 131 through 133 in the Student
Handbook, does not grant immunity to
victims of rape or sexual assault for UP
policy violations that occurred during the
sexual assault, like underage drinking and
intervisitation violations. And because
sexual assault and alcohol abuse often go
hand in hand, some students are calling
for a policy change.
“I can say, pretty confidently, that
the whole group thinks (the policies)
are confusing and worries about what
sort of dangerous places this sort of
policy-making may lead,” said junior
Emily Douglas, president of the Feminist
Discussion Group.
Members of SAPET also have raised
concerns over the policies via internal
discussions.
“It’s something that is undergoing
discussion, but SAPET is not the group
that determines policy,” said Kristy
Baker, Health Center counselor and chair
of SAPET. “We’re hoping to open up a
discussion among those who do direct
policy to seek what’s best for students.
The people who do direct policy have
very good intentions and want the best for
students, but there’s bits of disagreement
as to what is best.”
Victims further victimized?
Furthermore, some students and
professors think that when the sexual
assault policy is read in contingent with
UP’s Sexual Misconduct Policy, it is
conceivable that rape victims could be
punished for the sex act itself.
The Consensual Relationships and
Sexual Misconduct Policy on page 123 of
the student handbook states that “sexual
union and other acts of sexual intimacy
outside of marriage are considered
antithetical to the community of the
University of Portland. Individuals who
choose to disregard the university’s
principals of respect, or being perceived
to be disregarding them, risk losing the
privilege of being part of the University
community.”
Jeff Gauthier, philosophy professor
and adviser to the Feminist Discussion
Group, thinks the policy should be
changed due to the connotations of
“misconduct.” Gauthier is also chair of
the Academic Senate.
“This kind of policy generally tends
to suppress reporting of sexual assault
and rape,” Gauthier said. “Whenever you
include all sexual intimacy outside of
See Policies, page 5
_ the-beacon.net
Sexuality
club
faces
backlash
Administration receives
letters decrying the Gay
Straight Partnership
By Maureen Inouye
Senior Staff Writer
The UP administration has recently
received several letters questioning the
Gay Straight Partnership’s (GSP) inclusion
among clubs at UP. The GSP’s officers and
adviser are unconcerned, focusing instead
on the club’s future activities.
“The letters don't bother me. (The letter
writers) don’t know me or this group,” senior
Valerie Sil liman, GSP president, said.
The Rev. John Donato, C.S.C., one of the
club’s advisers, and UP President the Rev.
William Beauchamp, C.S.C., have received
several letters of protest. The letters have
come from a variety of sources, including
a few alumni, and all the letter writers
believe they have a stake in the state of the
University, according to Donato.
"There’s always going to be people who
have a different opinion, who question
whether such a group supports the Catholic
character we promote at UP,” Donato said.
Donato and Beauchamp have both
responded to these letters, which have come
through the mail and through e-mail, some
anonymously.
“I think some of these people, who
have sent letters out of anger, have a lack
of knowledge. The most important thing is
that we respond with more information,”
Donato said.
The administration, specifically Vice
President of University Relations the Rev.
Thomas Doyle, C.S.C., has formulated
a letter that outlines both the Catholic
Church’s teachings on homosexuality as
well as the process the group went through
to be included as a UP club. This letter
has been sent to all those who expressed
concern.
“We tried to describe the history behind
See GSP, page 2
University launches revamped Web site
By Autum Dierking
Design Editor
The University completed
a year-long interdepartmental
collaboration yesterday with the
debut of the newly redesigned UP
Web site.
Jenny Walsh, UP’s Web and
administrative services director,
said the new design is an attempt
to better serve the needs of all
Web site visitors and make it more
comparable to other universities’
Web sites.
“We wanted to bring the Web
site up to speed so that it could
grow with the University,” she
said. “The last time it was updated
was seven years ago. That’s
almost an eon in Web time.”
The new features of the
Web site take into account the
changing technology from its
initial creation in 2001. The old
site was 800 pixels across (taking
up only about half of the available
screen space) and did not account
for wider screen formats,
whereas the new site will fill the
whole screen no matter what size
monitor or display you have and
also shrink or expand depending
on the size of the browser window
so no part remains hidden, Walsh
said.
The new site also includes a
prominent search engine at the
top right of the screen, which
Walsh said reflects students’
need to be able to type in exactly
what they want instead of surfing
through links to find it, as they
were forced to do when using the
old site, which had a more limited
See Web Site, page 2
COURTESY UP.EDU
The University recently redesigned its Web site, which now features a
prominent search engine, alternating photos and specialized tabs.
