In a subsequent meeting, shortly before spring break, the focus shifted to advising and University Health Services (UHS) resources. UHS chief of nursing Deborah A. D'Avolio used the occasion to explain facilities available through University health care. Clancy praised D'Avolio's presentation and approach.

"We also discussed Harvard's procedures for responding to someone in crisis, particularly, the medical and emotional support which currently exists," Assistant Dean of the College Karen E. Avery '87 wrote in an e-mail message.

A Helping Hand

The second meeting of coalition members and administrators also focused on the issue of SASH advising and the group's demands that resident tutors receive more comprehensive training.

Those whom the University expects to give the most immediate attention to sexual violence issues are often the least trained, coalition members say.

Each House or each sector of the Yard has at least one tutor "to serve as a 'point of first contact' for students who have concerns about sexual harassment and assault," according to the 1998-1999 SASH advisers' handbook.

Coalition members charge that SASH training is inadequate for the amount of responsibility the University places on advisers. The coalition demands a one- to two-day mandatory training at the beginning of the year--training which would include "all material which up until now has only been covered at monthly optional meetings."

They also ask for mandatory meetings at the beginning of the year, in which SASH advisers could explain their positions to students. In addition, it is the SASH adviser who is responsible for organizing dialogue about issues of sexual violence, Coalition members say.

But not all SASH advisers agree on the means of making themselves more effective.

While Lowell House SASH adviser Kirsten D. Sword "gets nervous at wondering how much responsibility people want us to take," other SASH advisers say they are not trained as professional therapists and do not try to fill that role.

"Our job is to listen to students and to provide them with information about what's available within the University," Catherine J. Toal, who is the Dunster House SASH adviser, wrote in an e-mail message. "Therefore, I think the training we receive is adequate."

Mario L. Small, the Mather House SASH adviser, says a key part of his role is knowing where to refer students.

"Part of your job as a SASH adviser is to know when to take it to someone who has more authority, training and resources than you do, so you certainly don't try to 'play therapist,'" Small says. "It's not like someone's going to go to their SASH adviser and the SASH [adviser] is going to solve all their problems."

Small says he thinks his previous experience in the field contributed to his selection as a Mather House SASH Advisor, and many SASH advisers say they have had previous experience handling issues of sexual violence.

Currently, there are monthly training meetings for SASH advisers that feature outside experts speaking on different issues. But coalition members say that since not all tutors attend every meeting, SASH advisers miss valuable training sessions.

Avery, who is also dean of co-education, admits that it is difficult to gather a large group of graduate students in one room at the same time, even once a month. But SASH advisers receive regular handouts regardless of whether they attend the meetings.