The University of Rochester is making some changes to its policy on sexual misconduct. The changes are mainly a clarification of what is acceptable in certain situations.
Morgan Levy is director of equal opportunity compliance and Title IX coordinator at the U of R and she says the focus of these changes in the written policy is mainly to make it clear to students who may be involved in sexual situations when the relationship is consensual and when it is not.
Levy says one complicating factor in these kinds of situations is the use of alcohol, and instances where someone really can't consent to sexual activity because they are incapacitated.
"We're hoping that by having conversations about the policy and having the actual written policy itself it will start to spark some more communication and direct conversation about what it and isn't ok when you're in that situation with another student."
Levy says another reason these issues need to be spelled out more carefully is because of the many students at the U of R who come from different cultures and may have different ideas on what the concept of consensual sexual activity really means.
