How do you recognize a dangerous situation?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n How are you meant to protect yourself and your peers if you don\u2019t know where to start? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n These questions and concerns are exactly why there is an annual Title IX training at Pellissippi State Community College. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Title IX training course is based on the Title IX Act, which prohibits sexual discrimination in professional\/educational spaces. It goes over identifying harmful behavior, how to approach that behavior, and what options students have should they be the victim of said harmful behavior. It\u2019s not a new concept to students who have worked professionally with Pellissippi State or other colleges in the area; most students have seen the training on their Brightspace home pages. Every educational institution is required to partake in it \u2013 despite this, many students don\u2019t necessarily know why<\/em> Pellissippi State does Title IX training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked what the Title IX training meant to Pellissippi State, Meaghan Sullivan, the Deputy Title IX Coordinator & Investigator, had the following to say:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think, a lot of the time, students have this sense of \u2018oh, these things aren\u2019t going to happen to me\u2019 \u2013 and I hope that these things don\u2019t<\/em> happen to them \u2013 but at the same time, the more educated our community is, the more we can recognize these things that are happening to other people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While completion rates for the Title IX training are high amongst employees of Pellissippi State (92%), the completion rates for students are much<\/em> lower, resting at 58% for all students on campus. Of course, this number isn\u2019t horrible, but it still reflects that 42% of Pellissippi State students haven\u2019t had the proper training, leaving them unaware of what to do in a dangerous situation. Obviously, this is a problem for a multitude of reasons \u2013 specifically for the school, since the training must be done in order to keep the school funded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there are some solutions being workshopped. Discussion with Sullivan brought up the possibility of moving Title IX training into the College Success course that is required for all students to take. The hope, as Sullivan describes it, is that students are more incentivised to view the training as a resource than a requirement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause at the end of the day, we hope that these things don\u2019t happen, but we want our community to be informed so that they know how to get help even if it\u2019s not for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students should also feel encouraged to complete Title IX training to help both themselves and each other. As stated at the beginning of this article, the rate for students who have experienced assault during their time at college is much, much higher than it should be. Although that statistic does not belong to Pellissippi State specifically, it\u2019s an issue that should concern everyone, especially<\/em> college students. Not to mention, the Title IX training isn\u2019t just for sexual assault or harassment; it also covers signs of domestic violence, which is something that can be incredibly difficult to spot unless one has the personal experience required to notice it.\u00a0 Ultimately, with sexual assault being such a widespread issue at colleges, it is imperative that students understand their rights and how to protect themselves. If recognizing the signs is half the battle, then knowing<\/em> the rules is the other. The Title IX training is important for that exact reason. Campus cannot be a safe place if students don\u2019t know their own rights. It is the hope of our Administrative offices and the Title IX department that, in the next few years, students will have a better understanding of Title IX, the safety procedures, and that the completion rates amongst students will grow. As George Underwood, the Executive Title IX Coordinator, says: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf we can make the students feel safe, then they can concentrate on the other things they need to be concentrating on as a student. Title IX is part of keeping the students safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doing the Title IX training isn\u2019t just a means to keep your grades up or keep your scholarship \u2013 it\u2019s a method of protection. It\u2019s safety through knowledge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Olyver LaGabed, Staff Writer Campus safety is something that concerns everyone. Whether that be structural, interpersonal, or otherwise, students deserve to feel comfortable in their educational environments. 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