All front-line university staff will be trained to deal with disclosures of sexual assault or harassment with compassion and care, as a part of 10 guidelines set out by Universities Australia.
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La Trobe University and Charles Sturt University, who both have campuses on the Border, said the guidelines would complement the policies they have already implemented.
A spokesman for La Trobe said the university was committed to ensuring all campuses, including Wodonga, were safe places for students and staff.
He said work had already been ongoing around campus consent, assault and harassment.
“We’ve introduced a centralised support and referral service for all students and staff including on the Wodonga campus, called Speak Up,” he said.
“We’re already been working for some time, if this con complement what we’ve got underway it’s a good result.”
CSU Vice Chancellor Andrew Vann said student welfare and safety was one of the universities chief responsibilities, particularly as many move from home to a new city to study.
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He said CSU had already adopted all nine recommendations from the Human Rights Commission report.
“We join all Australian universities to keep building our values of safety, respect and inclusion in our communities,” he said.
“Sexual assault is a crime. It is not acceptable. It has no place at Charles Sturt University.”
“We want every student to be supported through their trauma and recovery — and know that their safety and wellbeing will be at the centre of their university’s response,” she said.
Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said the guidelines build on many years of work by frontline staff, students and university leadership.
“These guidelines are not intended to replace institutional approaches to dealing with these unacceptable behaviours, but rather provide further advice,” she said.