To the Editor:

I feel it necessary to respond to the recent article, “To Serve and Protect,” by Sarah Delmonte (February 19), which focused on the Anti-Rape Task Force (ARTF). While I appreciate the principle of an article addressing the need to strengthen volunteerism for the Anti-Rape Task Force, I am disappointed with the resulting impression that ARTF is a service about which students do not care.

This article provides too little coverage about the solutions to increase volunteerism, and downplays the benefits of a program such as the Anti-Rape Task Force.

The author posed a question about how the service can survive on volunteers. The article noted the challenges faced by ARTF and many other services both on and off campus that rely on volunteers. Volunteerism has decreased nationwide, and ARTF is not immune to this trend. However, the article did not address solutions, was not representative of the many students who have positive experiences with ARTF, nor did it explain the real reason why ARTF remains a vital service on our campuses. Furthermore, there was no offer of how to connect interested readers to volunteering. I fail to see how this will answer the question about sustaining the service through volunteers.

We have eight students who work with ARTF as paid SBI Health Education staff members. These students take their work very seriously, are thoroughly trained and supervised, and do their jobs with a great deal of professionalism. Only one of these students, Jason Alonzo – our Safety Shuttle Supervisor – was interviewed and quoted. The focus was taken off his dedication to ARTF services and principles, and was given to his “meager stipend.” Here is a student who stated that the main reason he works for ARTF is because he believes in what he does. That should be commended, not diminished. We do not rely on a full-time staff for reasons that go beyond budget. This service began over 30 years ago because dedicated students decided to work for their principles. We believe that encouraging and cultivating that spirit is essential on a college campus.

I disagree with many of the issues raised regarding Community Service students assigned to ARTF. The article is misleading about how community service students are screened, trained, and supervised. Students are not “forced” to work there. They are offered numerous options through which they can fulfill their community service hours. These students are screened by Judicial Affairs. If the student is assigned hours through the Residence Halls, they are explicitly asked about their offense, and are expected to be forthright and adult. If the hours were assigned through another source, such as the courts, Judicial Affairs staff knows the nature of the offense, and will not give the student the option of serving his or her hours with ARTF. We strongly disagree with the contention made by one of the students in the article that SBI Health Education staff or Judicial Affairs staff knew his offense involved violent destruction of property or vandalism. I can assure you that there is no way our professional staff and the staff in Judicial Affairs “had no problem letting a violent person” work for our services. It is precisely that behavior that our services work to prevent.

The article addresses a student’s concern regarding his training, or rather the lack of self-defense training. All students who work for ARTF are required to attend a two-hour training about sexual assault on college campuses. It is very important that students are educated about this issue, particularly those who will represent ARTF.

Over the last several months, we have received numerous requests to enhance and expand our services. This is evidence that many students and staff members feel our services are important to the campus community. Throughout the 2006-2007 academic year, approximately 2,000 students used the ARTF Walk Stations, and over 7,600 students used the safety shuttle. This shows there is indeed a demand for our services. We are currently exploring ways to meet increased demand for walk and safety shuttle services in order to respond to student needs and their well-being – our priority. Of course, this will require student commitment, and we believe that there are many of students at the University at Buffalo who want to do what they can to make this a safer, better campus. To those students, we welcome you as individuals or as groups to be a part of the Anti-Rape Task Force. Please call SBI Health Education at 829-2584 or visit subboard.com/he for more information.

Sincerely,

Gregory Stern

President, Sub-Board I, Inc

Mr. Stern’s letter can be viewed in its entirety at our website: generation.buffalo.edu.