Updates on Wave of Change

October 23, 2017

Dear Tulane Community,

First, let us begin this update on our Wave of Change efforts with a thank you. Your willingness to share your thoughts, experiences and suggestions with us—from the USG Town Hall, to the #WeMatterTU petition and submissions on the Wave of Change website—is an immense testament to the urgency of addressing sexual assault on our campus and the work ahead. Your collective input reinforces the reality that has affected too many at Tulane. A single incident in which a community member experiences sexual assault on campus is a tragedy. A single incident in which that victim feels unsupported by our institution is a failure on our part.

As we acknowledge the value of your voices, let us be clear: we hear you. We need to do better. We need to ensure that our efforts are intersectional, addressing the particular impact that sexual violence has on marginalized communities. We need to make sure that we’re seeking out voices from across Tulane as we design prevention initiatives. We need to actively engage men in prevention efforts. Your criticisms and experiences are valued, and we’ll be reviewing them closely as we map the future of our changing culture and work together to elevate this university as a leader in addressing sexual violence on college campuses.

Adding to the insights of Tulane’s own renowned faculty experts, we are currently drawing together a panel of outside experts from across the country to produce innovative and effective recommendations for Tulane. We will be building on the years of work and dedication to these issues at Tulane by Sally Kenney, Gretchen Clum, Dennis Kehoe, and many others, including groups such as the Sexual Violence Prevention Education Committee.

To best assure transparency, the Wave of Change website content will soon include reports from our Task Force meetings, a calendar of campus events related to prevention work and video recordings of upcoming and past events. In addition to these efforts, we are planning a forum for students to design initiatives that best address student experiences. We hope these efforts demonstrate our commitment to an institutional Wave of Change, as we recognize that our efforts are as essential to affecting campus culture as the efforts of our students.

Wave of Change is a collective promise, a promise that has been at the center of our lives and professions for many years. We promise to stand up for those in our community who have experienced or live in fear of sexual violence. We promise to dedicate our influence to ensuring that your voices are heard. We promise to work harder so that every student feels safe and valued at Tulane. We hope that each of you will join us in our efforts.

Tania Tetlow​​
Senior VP & Chief of Staff to the President

Meredith Smith
Assistant Provost, Title IX