ASUI passed legislation Wednesday supporting a move to include continuous consent in the student code of conduct and introduced a resolution regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
The current UI Student Code of Conduct does not include language outlining continuous consent. UI Dean of Students Blaine Eckles has submitted an addition to the code’s current definition to include the phrase: “Consent can be removed at any time without cause.”
ASUI Director of Safety, Health and Wellness Abbey Rode stated that the addition could better allow students to report rape when consent has been revoked or otherwise violated and fall in line with Boise State University and Idaho State University, both of whom include continuous consent within their student codes of conduct.
“Adding continuous consent creates a culture of accountability on campus,” Sen. Ellie Erickson said. “This is about protecting ourselves, our peers and the victims of sexual assault. This is a matter of safety and solidarity … making our campus a safer place for everyone.”
In light of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, ASUI introduced a resolution to show support for the people of Ukraine. According to the resolution offered by Rode, the resolution was inspired by both the escalation of the conflict over UI’s spring break as well as the number of corporations that have stopped serving Russia in a show of solidarity with Ukraine.
To build off this action, a variety of fundraising events will be hosted by several clubs and student organizations on campus to help raise money for the Ukrainians that are displaced and have been harmed by the conflict.
“I’ve been working with various student organizations including MAS, International Affairs, International Amnesty and Kiva club,” Rode said. “Each of these clubs will table next week on a different day, and they will each have different fundraising activities to donate to the Ukrainian organization of their choice.”
Despite the distance between Ukraine and Idaho, Wednesday’s meeting highlighted that even Vandals were directly impacted by the conflict. Sen. Nathanial Trachimowicz noted in his comments on the resolution that the conflict has uniquely affected him, as someone who has family in Poland.
“My family’s from Poland … I’m very close to people that have Ukrainian refugees in their house,” Trachimowicz said. “The hard part about it is that it was just so sudden, and they don’t really know what’s going on.”
Trachimowicz added that the situation is complicated further by challenges refugees are faced with when trying to communicate with relatives who may remain in the country, leaving both parties unaware of the other’s circumstances.
“We just need to sit here and be grateful,” Trachimowicz said. “Sit here and be grateful and just hope for the best for Ukraine.”
Royce McCandless can be reached at [email protected] or Twitter @roycemccandless