Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 6: Action Planning and Dissemination
Chapter 6: Action Planning and Dissemination
Center on Violence
Against Women and
Children
1
A primary function of campus climate assessment is to guide for information about resource audits).
provide information that can be used to improve both the
Once researchers have a listing of the resources that are
prevention of, and the response to campus sexual vio-
already of available on campus, researchers in they can
lence. In order to effectively improve the institutional re-
collaborate with campus administrators to compare such
sponses to sexual violence, researchers should engage in
resources to best practices and state and Federal man-
a collaborative and comprehensive assessment process
dates regarding campus sexual violence. This comparison
and consider, at the onset of the project, who should be
will help officials to identify gaps in institutional responses
involved in discussions about subsequent action planning,
to sexual violence on campus. Identifying these gaps is an
as well as discussions about the best methods for dissem-
important first step that officials can take to begin deter-
inating such information.
mining what action steps are necessary to address stu-
The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidance to col- dents’ needs on campus.
leges and universities on developing an action plan based
on findings of campus climate assessments and on dis- Integrating knowledge and Action
seminating such information to the campus community. In order to create improvements on campus that are evi-
Throughout this document, we outline general steps for dence informed and meet students’ needs, it is essential
developing an action plan that can be tailored to campus- that researchers work in equal collaboration with both
es’ unique student bodies and climates. In gray boxes you campus administrators and campus service providers to
will also find examples of decisions the authors made ensure that improvements made on campus are based on
when action planning and disseminating information at assessment findings.4 Researchers are encouraged to
Rutgers University–New Brunswick. meet regularly with administrators, Advisory Board mem-
bers, and other key stakeholders on campus to share the
HOW TO ACTION PLAN AND DISSEMINATE
results of the assessments, as well as offer recommenda-
INFORMATION tions for possible improvements on campus. Researchers
Researchers are encouraged to engage in a collaborative may want to utilize a continual process, meeting with key
research process from start to finish. By involving key stakeholders multiple times during data analysis to pre-
stakeholders, community members, and researchers sent both preliminary data and final assessment findings
throughout all aspects of the research process, campuses to give stakeholders both the time and the data necessary
may be better equipped to effectively use assessment to effectively draft campus improvements.
results to create sustainable action and eventual social Any improvements made on campus should focus on
change on campus. There are several principles to keep eliminating barriers to services as well as eliminating barri-
in mind when utilizing a collaborative research process ers to reporting, increasing students’ awareness of cam-
that results in subsequent action planning on campus pus resources, increasing students’ understanding of how
which are based in part on a Community-Based Participa- to report sexual violence, as well as on improving preven-
tory Action model,1 as well as on the research team’s ex- tion programming, such as increasing active bystander
perience at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. intervention. While researchers should be transparent with
Key principles outlined in this chapter include: building on all assessment findings, when presenting findings to cam-
the strengths and resources already available on campus, pus administrators and key stakeholders on campus for
integrating knowledge and action, and disseminating find- the purpose of action planning, researchers may want to
ings and knowledge gained to all partners and the campus focus on the following findings:
community. Victimization rates for the general student population
Building on Strengths and Resources Available on Cam- as well as specialty populations, including but not lim-
ited to students who identify as LGBTQ and as Greek
pus
life members
It is important that before researchers and administrators
Utilization rates for on-campus services
move forward with new initiatives on campus, they first
determine the current campus infrastructure and re- Students’ awareness of campus resources
sources already available on campus.2 Campuses are
encouraged to critically evaluate their current systems to Students’ understanding of the campus’ adjudicative
identify not only gaps in their sexual violence services, process
policies, and prevention efforts, but also areas in which Students’ perception of sexual violence as a problem
they are thriving in.3 A resource audit is one tool that can on campus
be used to provide this information (see chapter 3 of this
Center on Violence Against Women and Children
2
presenting this information to their multiple audiences. to demonstrate a willingness to address the issue and
Some questions to consider include: “What are the main raise students’ awareness of the scope of the problem, it
take home messages?” and “When is the best time to is important to consider which data are most vital to share
release this information?” It is best to disseminate infor- and to do so in a timely manner. In an effort to make find-
mation to the campus and general community as soon as ings of the campus climate assessment clear and easily
possible after the data are analyzed. understood, campuses should consider both a formal re-
port and an executive summary or key findings report.
For additional questions and guidance that campuses can
These brief reports are able to convey the most important
consider when developing a dissemination strategy see:
information about the campus climate assessment quickly
http://cola.unh.edu/sites/cola.unh.edu/files/departments/
and in a digestible manner for those who do not have the
Prevention%20Innovations/
time or interest in reading a lengthier report.
Climate_Survey_Guideance_FINAL_10_24_14_.pdf.
Dissemination to students. It is essential that campuses
While all research teams will be faced with many ques-
provide students with comprehensive, easily accessible
tions when creating a dissemination plan, such as the
information regarding sexual violence on campus, which
ones outlined throughout the Preventions Innovations’
includes the findings from all campus climate assess-
document as well as throughout this chapter, the guid-
ments. Campuses should determine the best method for
ance and examples provided are meant to shed light on
relaying assessment findings to students, particularly fo-
how such questions can be addressed and adapted for
cusing on campus victimization rates, students’ percep-
campuses’ diverse environments and student bodies.
tions and knowledge of services and resources available
University Communications. Time to develop a coordi- on campus, overall perception of the campus’ response to
nated communications plan should be incorporated into sexual violence on campus, and improvements made on
the planning and schedule for the project. It may be help- campus based on assessment findings. Infographics, so-
ful for researchers to meet with key university leaders, cial media, and presentations for various student groups
including the university communications office, to develop are useful ways to disseminate this information. . For an
a communications plan that considers all important audi- example of a results infographic created that was created
ences (students, faculty, campus leaders, the public, for the results of the #iSPEAK campus climate survey ad-
news media, etc.). This includes the development of ministered at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, see
products for internal and external groups, briefings for key https://socialwork.rutgers.edu/centers/center-violence-
individuals, and preparing for possible media attention by against-women-and-children/research-and-evaluation/
creating a media release, drafting responses to questions understanding-and.
from media sources or the community, as well as publical-
Researchers may want to create a specialized dissemina-
ly releasing findings and the action plan. Building in time
tion plan for relaying information to the groups of students
to plan the steps to publicly share the results is something
who were actively engaged in the assessment process.
that is useful to consider when developing a timeline for a
This can be an important aspect of the campus climate
comprehensive assessment.
assessment process as it demonstrates that the university
Formal Reports. Researchers may want to consider values students’ voices as well as actively engages stu-
drafting a final report that is complete with all assessment dents in the change process.
findings from the survey and focus groups which can be
used as a resource for the general public, media, and the EVAULATING THE ACTION PLAN: CAMPUS
campus community. Researchers should meet with Uni- REASSESSMENT
versity administrators prior to releasing results to ensure The White House Task Force to Protect Students From
that the campus is committed to a transparent process Sexual Assault (2014) recommends that colleges and uni-
and prepare for any feedback that the university may re- versities plan for sustainable and effective changes on
ceive. Universities may choose to be transparent with all campus. In order to create such changes, colleges and
or the majority of their findings or to limit the information universities should reassess the campus climate in re-
released to the campus and public at large. While there gards to sexual violence to ensure that policy and pro-
may be good reasons to limit the information released to gram changes are producing desired results. This type of
the public, such as timeliness of completing all analysis, programmatic assessment may require a rotation of cam-
key information such as victimization rates should be pus climate surveys to measure victimization on campus
shared with the campus. This is important to negate per- over time. This rotation of campus climate surveys can
ception that institutions of higher education are conceal- also give colleges and universities the opportunity to
ing incidents of sexual violence from the public. In order measure additional forms of violence on campus, includ-
Notes