The Faculty came one step closer to approving an overhaul in the way the College handles sexual assault—from prevention to discipline—at its monthly meeting yesterday.

In a discussion of the Leaning Committee’s report, professors expressed their support for the committee’s efforts and discussed broader social issues, including gender relations and alcohol use, that they say go hand in hand with sexual assault at Harvard and college campuses nationwide.

Yesterday’s meeting was an about-face from a Faculty meeting almost exactly one year ago, when Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 pushed through a rule requiring “sufficient corroborating evidence” before the Administrative Board would investigate allegations of sexual assault.

That policy change drew student ire in the form of a large rally and outspoken criticism. It also sparked protest from Faculty members who said they did not understand the consequences or scope of the rule they were passing.

But yesterday, the atmosphere was different both inside and outside University Hall.

As Faculty members filed into the building, a group of about 75 students rallied and leafleted professors, urging them to support the recommendations released by the committee three weeks ago.

Flanked by signs such as “Fix the Ad Board’” and “Support the report,” students—many from the Coalition Against Sexual Violence (CASV)—expressed cautious confidence in the Faculty’s expected endorsement.

Undergraduate Council President Rohit Chopra ’04 praised the committee for its diversity of membership.

“This committee had students on it for a change. It had faculty on it for a change. Things are looking up,” he said. “Not only is it time for a change, but I think that change is going to happen.”

Chopra and several other speakers called for a new committee to be convened to review the Ad Board and inquire into alternate disciplinary options for issues of sexual assault.

Sarah B. Levit-Shore ’04, a CASV member who was on the committee, said that the implementation of the recommendations would open up forums for discussion on campus.

“Once we can stop fighting Harvard we can start fighting the real fight,” Levit-Shore said. “That’s what education is about. That’s what having the resources will do: allow us to start talking about this.”

Students at yesterday’s rally applauded the Faculty’s thus-far energetic support of the report.

Professors acknowledged a change in climate, as well.

“In a sense there had been a chasm that was unbridgeable [between students and Faculty],” said Professor of the History of Science Everett I. Mendelsohn, a committee member who said that the students’ positive reaction to the findings was heartening. “That has begun to change.”