UBCO students are frustrated with the lack of transparency and communication regarding the recent news that a psychology professor was placed under regulatory supervision due to 91裸聊视频渂oundary issues91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频渟exual harassment.91裸聊视频�
Brie Welton is the coordinating editor at The Phoenix, UBCO91裸聊视频檚 campus newspaper. Welton said she has been talking with students over the past few days since the news of professor Dr. Stephen Porter91裸聊视频檚 regulatory supervision was released, and students are beginning to worry since an official statement has not yet been released from the university.
According to a statement issued by the College of Psychologists, Porter was placed under regulatory supervision for 18 months, with a particular focus on boundary issues, power differentials, sexual harassment, professionalism and doing no harm.
91裸聊视频淪ome people knew rumours, but since there91裸聊视频檚 been no official statement from UBC, everyone91裸聊视频檚 been in the dark,91裸聊视频� said Welton.
UBCO implemented a sexual assault and sexual misconduct policy (Policy 131) last May and then in December hired a director to open a sexual assault and prevention office. That office is located in a building that houses student support services.
However, students say there has been little information released about the office91裸聊视频檚 location or that it was even open.
Jaclyn Salter, who is a coordinator at the university91裸聊视频檚 Women91裸聊视频檚 Resource Centre and a student, said she hadn91裸聊视频檛 received an official announcement that the office was open, nor that a director had been hired. She only had a rough timeline of the events which she called 91裸聊视频渇rustrating.91裸聊视频�
Welton has also spoken with students who say they were unaware that Porter was placed under supervision or that a sexual assault and prevention office is open on campus.
91裸聊视频淚 talked to a student yesterday who said 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 surprised this is still happening,91裸聊视频� especially since UBC made a big deal about last year and then had an external organization come in and ask Porter to step aside and then still make no comments. Students aren91裸聊视频檛 happy with the procedure and there91裸聊视频檚 a lot of unanswered questions,91裸聊视频� she said.
Related: UBCO creates offices to address sexual assault
Welton was unaware of the office91裸聊视频檚 opening until Wednesday.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 been no advertising, no one knows about it, it91裸聊视频檚 hidden in the bottom of one of the residence buildings and I91裸聊视频檓 not entirely sure which building it is,91裸聊视频� she said.
She was also not impressed with the lack of response from UBC or the university91裸聊视频檚 student union.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 really looking for a public statement, if not from UBC itself, at least from its student union. As our student union, it91裸聊视频檚 who we turn to in situations like this, silence from them is almost worse than silence from UBC.91裸聊视频�
Student Union of UBC Okanagan president Trophy Eliwa said a statement about the incident would be issued Thursday afternoon (past press deadline) and there has been delays in releasing a statement because UBCO has not released more information to the union.
91裸聊视频淥n a personal note, sexual assault, especially being in a position of power, should not be an excuse for wrong to happen,91裸聊视频� said Eliwa. 91裸聊视频淚 think it would be best if the student union would be more proactive in highlighting the services we have to prevent that91裸聊视频� the sexual assault prevention office I did not know about91裸聊视频� It91裸聊视频檚 not easy to come out and have the confidence to go out and report the incidents that are there.91裸聊视频�
Welton said there will be an information session on , but the announcement wasn91裸聊视频檛 made until after her interview with another media outlet.
However, Sara-Jane Finlay, associate vice-president for the equity and inclusion office for UBCO, said email notifications and announcements on the university91裸聊视频檚 website can be found regarding the sexual assault policy and prevention office.
91裸聊视频淭hroughout the time the policy has been in place, there has been clear information on where (students) can go to make disclosures and to receive assistance,91裸聊视频� she said.
A communication did go out at the beginning of the summer and in September about the policy and the office, she said. An information session was not held in December because it was during an exam period and January is Sexual Awareness Month, so raising awareness is important, said Finlay.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not the intention to hide it at all, we really want it to be something people can access and feel comfortable accessing,91裸聊视频� she said.
At the campus newspaper, Welton heard incidents first-hand with students who were potentially assaulted or harassed and didn91裸聊视频檛 know where to go.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 concerned because I talked to a lot of students who said they wouldn91裸聊视频檛 know what to do in that situation,91裸聊视频� she said
Porter is not allowed to supervise students, researchers, and volunteers and must provide letters of apology to unnamed complainants.
According to UBCO, Porter 91裸聊视频渉as agreed to step aside from his teaching duties. He will continue to be engaged in his other academic responsibilities.91裸聊视频�
And 91裸聊视频渇or privacy reasons, we cannot further discuss the details of individual personnel matters.91裸聊视频�
The details of the incident or incidents have not been released by UBCO. On UBCO91裸聊视频檚 website, Porter91裸聊视频檚 list of teaching includes forensic psychology, psychopathy, violence and personality theory.
Porter did not return Capital News requests for comment that were made through email and phone calls.
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