September 24, 2009

Dear President Hefner:

We, the undersigned students at SUNY Fredonia, are writing to express our
concerns about a growing problem that threatens students' safety at college
campuses across the nation. This problem is the sexual victimization of college
students, and we call on you to implement all necessary measures to reduce the
risks at our school.

While we appreciate that you want to make our campus a safe haven for all
students, research suggests that institutions of higher education are by no means
crime-free. According to a December 2005 report by the U.S. Department of
Justice, a college with 10,000 students could experience more than 350 rapes per
year, and administrators at many colleges and universities are not doing nearly
enough to curb the risks of on-campus sexual assault.

We are pleased to note, however, that not all of the research is cause for concern.
According to this same government report, eight of the nation’s institutions of
higher education are leading the way in promoting student safety through the
adoption of "promising practices" in the areas of rape prevention, sexual assault
policy, reporting, investigation, adjudication, and victim support service.

We respectfully request that, if you have not already done so, you adopt the
"promising practices" adopted by these eight schools in the above-mentioned
U.S. Department of Justice report. For guidance in implementing these practices,
please consult the report, which is available online at
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/205521.htm, or contact the Rape, Abuse
& Incest National Network at 202- 544-3064.

Sincerely,
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