Natalia A.J. Truszkowska ’04, co-president of RUS, says the group felt sexual violence was one of the most pressing—and potentially overlooked—issues for women on campus.

“It’s one problem among many for feminists and it’s one problem among many for people who are socially conscious,” Truszkowska says.

Coalition members point to the discontent caused by Lewis’ announcement that the Ad Board would be investigating fewer sexual assault cases, beginning this fall, as one reason for increased interest in the issue.

“This is currently a crisis situation, because Dean Lewis has said the Ad Board can’t do anything with these cases,” Rosenfeld said at a panel discussion on sexual assault policy last night.

And because of the increase in membership from about 10 students to over 30, the coalition has been able to split its members into two groups: one to research other universities’ policies and one to deal with administrators and postering campaigns.

Besides the grant application, coalition members are working on a report to the administration outlining their full demands, as well as a compilation of testimonials from women who have been sexually assaulted at Harvard.

The most important new member of the coalition is undoubtedly Rosenfeld.

A former senior counsel in the Violence Against Women Office, Rosenfeld has said it is a priority of hers to help the coalition design and implement an ideal sexual assault policy for Harvard.

Rosenfeld says she is committed to creating a “model campus sexual assault policy” for Harvard within the next two years and would like to an see an improved education program for first-years in place by the time the Class of 2006 arrives in the fall.

“Universities have the authority to enact effective policies and certainly have a strong interest to do so,” Rosenfeld says. “We’re talking about the education opportunities of half the students. [Sexual violence] impacts [women’s] learning opportunities.”

Rosenfeld actually introduced the idea of applying for the grant to the coalition and has been helping the group deal with administrators, according to Levit-Shore.

Rosenfeld says she has already set aside time in her schedule next year to assist the coalition in pursuing reforms in sexual assault policy.

“At the dawn of President Summers’ administration this is a great opportunity to forge a leading role in this area,” Rosenfeld says.

Future Plans

If the University receives the grant, the coalition has no shortage of ideas about what could be done with $200,000.