President's Office

The past week has been a tough one for the Corps of Cadets. The day after you returned, I met with you by class and discussed the problem of respect within the Corps that has manifested itself in many ways including sexual harassment and sexual assault. I know that this was a surprise to many of you. The survey taken last spring was not the only indicator of this problem. Climate surveys, alcohol surveys, incident reports and conversations I had with many people including cadets and families convinced me that we had issues that we had to address.

Though this information is internal, The Citadel is a public institution and, as such, is subject to laws that require us to be open with our data. Sooner or later, someone would have requested this information. That is why we made the decision to release it proactively so we could move ahead in addressing these issues.

I also know that you have been disappointed by the media attention that followed our release of the data. Many of you heard from friends or relatives in distant places asking about the stories. Others have had unpleasant encounters downtown, being called names or given cold stares when you circulated among the general public. In your own minds, you have done nothing to deserve this scorn. You have never sexually assaulted anyone – a true statement for the overwhelming majority of you. As I said in our meeting, the people who perpetrate these acts are very small in number and operate under the radar. But because you wear the uniform of a college where we have dared to openly confront a problem prevalent in all colleges, you feel unfairly labeled by outsiders as something you are not. As I said, you have had a tough week.

In releasing this data, I attempted to describe our statistics in comparison to national data but those statistics were not publicized. These numbers reflect the scope of sexual assault nationwide:

• 20-25% of college women experience a completed or attempted rape during their college years (U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2000)
• In 89-90% of college sexual assaults, the victim and assailant knew each other (U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2000)
• In about 75% of college sexual assaults, the victim, offender or both were drinking alcohol at the time of the assault (National Crime Victimization Survey, 2002)
• Fewer than 5% of college students report completed or attempted rapes to campus authorities or law enforcement (Fisher et al., 2000)
• 62% of college women and 61% of college men report experiencing sexual harassment (AAUW 2006)

I have heard from many constituents. Most have praised us for openly acknowledging that this type of behavior is simply not acceptable at The Citadel. But the constituency I care most about is you because you are the ones who define The Citadel today. You can decide that sexual assault, sexual harassment and disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated within your midst.

The discussions that this issue and related media attention have generated within the Corps are healthy. You must understand the range of behaviors that encompass sexual assault and sexual harassment before you can take action to eliminate them. Sexual assault is everything from unwanted touching – acts that may be intended as playful or harmless – to rape. Sexual harassment ranges from sexually-oriented jokes to deliberate and derogatory name-calling. All of these actions stem from a lack of respect for one’s self and others. The Citadel expects that we are above such behavior. Principled leaders are above such behavior. Your future employer expects you to be above such behavior.

And that brings up another concern that many of you, particularly the seniors, have discussed: your employment prospects in view of the recent news about The Citadel.

Some have expressed the fear that the recent news may jeopardize their chances of getting the job they want. I do not believe this is true because employers will recognize that the behaviors we are attacking are ones that occur on all college campuses. As I wrote to alumni, honesty requires openness and openness requires courage. The fact that The Citadel is being open and honest in dealing with these issues is a sign of leadership.

You can tell prospective employers that because you have been a part of our Values and Respect Program, you will bring with you knowledge and training that will make you a better employee and an example for others. Furthermore, I will take steps to ensure that employers are given our statistics in comparison to national data and that they hear about the benefits that Citadel graduates offer because of the training you have received in an area that is of great concern to all employers.

I would like to leave you with one last thought. Looking in the mirror is the hardest part of what we must to in order to create a culture of respect at The Citadel. As we go forward with the education phase of our Values and Respect Program, I challenge all of us in The Citadel family to re-examine our behavior both on and off campus. The best way to combat negative opinion is with a positive example. Finally, help your classmates and The Citadel by intervening when you see a member of The Citadel family setting a bad example. I have faith in your ability to take up this challenge and make The Citadel a better place.

John W. Rosa
Lt Gen USAF (Retired)
President