At MUNSU’s board of directors meeting on October 7th, the board voted to review its sexual violence response plan.
Executive Director of Finance Nathan Gillingham stated that the recent situation at Cornell University has renewed discussions regarding MUNSU’s response and responsibility to address sexual violence, ensuring the safety of its 11,000 members.
The motion outlined a plan to review both internal policies and external campaigns.
All four MUNSU executive directors have been given a role in this undertaking—Finance, External Affairs, Advocacy, and Student Life.
Internally, the Policy Review Committee will “review MUNSU’s sexual harassment policies and recommend any potential changes.”
Externally, the Campaign Committee has been instructed to “review the End Gender-Based Violence campaign, and recommend any potential changes to campaign messaging, campaign materials, and budgeting to the Board of Directors.”
Gillingham will organize mandatory paid sexual violence training for all part-time and full-time staff members of MUNSU.
Executive Director of External Affairs, Taqi Yeasir, has been tasked with using “social media [and] other appropriate communication channels” to “promote resources available to survivors of sexual violence.”
Executive Director of Advocacy, Sanaa Mrad, will “prepare a report on the frequency and outcomes of sexual violence and harassment matters brought forward to MUNSU, to the extent that such information is available, and make recommendations to address any identified gaps in MUNSU or Memorial University’s processes and resources for responding to sexual violence and harassment.”
Executive Director of Student Life, Blake Colbran, will “consult with relevant community stakeholders to investigate avenues of direct support for survivors of sexual violence.”
The four Executive Directors will then “report to the Board of Directors at the last meeting of every month for the Fall 2026 semester.”