For example, while the coalition says a full-time advocate is necessary because "this crucial support cannot be found with [Avery] or the senior tutors," Lewis says it is important for the College to remain impartial in handling cases of alleged assault and to provide both parties involved in charges of sexual assault the same amount of support.

"It is important to understand this proposed role better," Lewis wrote in an e-mail message. "Victims of sexual assault do need support...we take these needs seriously."

"Of course we will react quickly to protect the safety of an individual or of the community when we have reason to do so, but prior to any judgement or finding or other form of assessment, I am not clear why one student should get an advocate of a kind that the other student would not get," added Lewis, who attended both meetings with coalition members.

Lewis also expressed concern about another of the coalition's demands: the inclusion of questions about sexual violence on mandatory student surveys.

"My first concern is pragmatic--it is very hard to get reliable information from surveys on personal issues," Lewis wrote. "Second...I agree with the coalition's statement that a single rape is too many; so I'm not sure what importance we would attach to the number of reported rapes being one thing or another, especially given the doubts about the reliability of the responses."

Regardless of how feasible it will be to implement the proposed change, coalition members say that by issuing their demands, they have raised eyebrows, voices and questions across campus.

"I think that students have become much more aware of rape as an issue on Harvard's campus--not something that's just such an isolated incident," Baldwin says. "Anytime you have something that encourages honest, real dialogue on campus, it's a positive thing."