Nearly 24,000 students — those enrolled at Fresno State and incoming freshman and transfers — are required to complete Haven, an online training course aimed at improving campus sexual assault awareness, in order to register for classes the following semester.
With the passage of the Campus SaVE Act in 2013 and the recent establishment of the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, sexual assault is gaining much-deserved national attention, said a spokesperson for EverFi, the education technology company that developed Haven.
Students who plan to register for classes in the fall, as well as those who wish to enroll in Intersession and Summer Session courses, are required to complete the two-part online course module by March 20.
“Freshmen and transfer students are mandated by law to take the training. Fresno State extended the mandate to all students this year given the importance of the topic,” said Dr. Frank Lamas, vice president of student affairs.
“We need to educate students as an attempt to reduce or even stop these types of incidents. Through education we can learn how to best look out for each others’ safety and wellness,” Lamas added. “Bringing attention to these very devastating behaviors is a powerful way to make a difference in combating sexual assaults and sexual violence.”
The training provides information on sexual assault, bystander intervention and sexual violence education and prevention.
All the funding for the initiative was provided by the CSU Chancellor’s Office. No student tuition fees were used, Lamas said.
The training course takes about 45 minutes to an hour to complete. Students who complete the training before Feb. 28 will be entered into a drawing for a chance to receive priority registration for fall classes.
“I think we should not be blocked from registering for classes, but I understand a lot of people need to be aware of this issue,” said Fresno State student Ariana Rocha. “I hope I learn on what is the most effective way to report sexual harassment,”
Makoto Saito, an international student, said he completed the training in November, when the university first sent out a campuswide email with a link to the training.
“It was not what I expected; it was way too long,” he said. “I believe these things should be taught out in high school.”
Said Lamas: “We want to bring awareness, education and understanding of sexual assault in the hope of reducing these situations, not only at Fresno State, but throughout society.”