Paul Smith's students to protest harassment and bigotry on campus

By Emily Russell, Adirondack Reporter. Reprinted with permission from NCPR.

Oct 19, 2021. Students at Paul Smith's College in the Adirondacks say the school isn't doing enough to address sexual harassment and bigotry on campus. A group of students plans to walk out of class on Thursday in protest.

Sexual harassment survey

Earlier this spring, students at Paul Smith's were surveyed about sexual harassment and assault on campus. Out of 112 students, 35% said they've experienced some kind of sexual violence which is higher than the national average.

Nearly 60% said they had been sexually harassed by other students at Paul Smith's and 42% said they had been sexually harassed by a faculty or staff member at the college. The survey defined sexual harassment as "unwanted and unwelcomed words, actions, symbols, gestures, and behaviors that are based on sex or gender and characteristically repetitive."

A current student at Paul Smith's who is nonbinary, and bisexual said they did not feel safe on campus. They didn't want to use their name for fear of being targeted, but they said they often carry a key or something in their hands to protect themselves. "I try not to walk at night," the student said.

The Campus Safety Office at Paul Smith's provides a service to escort students on campus at night, but the student said they didn't feel safe even using that service. Campus Safety is also on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and there are emergency phones outside every dorm.

Paul Smith's provost Nicholas Hunt-Bull said he felt Paul Smith's was a "pretty safe part of the world to be in," but acknowledged the fear some students feel.

Nicholas Hunt-Bull is the provost at Paul Smith's College. He says he plans to attend the student walkout to hear students' concerns. Photo: Emily Russell

"We live in a society with a ridiculously high rate of sexual assault and the college is aware of these challenges and we try to make the students as safe as possible," said Hunt-Bull.

Protesting bigotry on campus

Thursday's walkout is also in response to what some students say is pervasive bigotry on campus. "There's a definite culture here of bigotry and hatred among a sizeable chunk of the student body and faculty," said Nick Sliter, a sophomore at Paul Smith's.

Sliter is bisexual and uses he/they pronouns. Sliter said he, too, does not feel safe on campus and recalled a time in his dorm when he said he overheard students using offensive language.

"Friends of my roommates and my roommates themselves, I could hear in the living room of our suite on multiple occasions using ethnic slurs, homophobic slurs, particularly the word faggot."

Sliter said he spoke to faculty at the college about the incident and eventually moved out. He hasn't filed a Title IX complaint about this or anything else and said he doesn't trust the college to handle those complaints.

Paul Smith's College sophomore Nick Sliter says he doesn't feel safe on campus and doesn't trust the administration to handle complaints of sexual harassment and bigotry. Photo: Emily Russell

Title IX and Confidentiality

The president of Paul Smith's Collee, Scott Dalrymple, sent out to all students last week in response to the planned walkout. "Since my arrival, any Title IX issues have been dealt with swiftly and fairly, I assure you," Dalrymple wrote. "I promise you we are both compliant and vigilant regarding Title IX."

On claims of racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia on campus, Dalrymple said multiple times in his email that no student had ever approached him "with any concerns or complaints about these issues. Not one."

Sliter said he thought the president's email was inappropriate. "It was minimizing of the issues that are being brought up, it was gaslighting, and victim-blaming," said Sliter.

Sexual harassment and Title IX cases have led to protests and real outrage at other North Country colleges as well, most recently at SUNY Potsdam. School administrators say their hands are tied, that Title IX complaints and cases are completely confidential.

"If you've made a complaint against someone, and you don't know whether they've been sanctioned, well there's no way you would or should," said Nicholas Hunt-Bull, provost at Paul Smith's College.

The same is true for human resources issues with faculty and staff, all of that is dealt with in private said Hunt-Bull. On the issue of bigotry and sexual violence, he acknowledged it's an issue at Paul Smith's and everywhere else.

"I am well aware of the fact that we can be better than we are," said Hunt-Bull. "I wish we were better than we are, and I'm more than willing to work with anybody across campus to try and make us better."

Next steps

The student who said they carried keys to protect themselves said they wanted campus safety and the college to do more to protect students. "Blue lights, just constant reassurance from campus safety and faculty on campus and holding people accountable."

Sliter said the key to holding the college accountable is getting students involved.

"Personally, I would like to see a real organization set up for actual student representation to have our voices heard and have our needs met that is independent and not under the supervision of the college administration."

College provost Hunt-Bull and Dean of Students Courtney Bringley have said they plan to attend Thursday's walkout to hear from the students. The event starts at 9 am at the Great Lawn at Paul Smith's College.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story said that 42% of students surveyed said they had been sexually assaulted by faculty or staff. The story has been corrected to reflect that 42% of students surveyed said they had been sexually harassed by faculty or staff.