External Review of Sexual Violence Policy 2024: Action Plan Update April 30, 2025
Feedback and Action Plans have been integrated from Sexual Violence Prevention Committee, Athletic Equity and Safe Sport Committee, Athletics and Recreation, Student Services Directors, Director of People and Culture, Student Union Executive, Equity Advisory Committee. Items numbered red also pertain to the work of the Athletic Equity and Safe Sport Committee, which will be updated in June. This plan, once approved by Executive, will be updated annually in June of each year, posted on the Visible@X pages of the StFX website, and shared with the StFX Community by email. Thank you to all who support this work, which is ultimately about creating a campus where survivors feel safe, seen, and supported — and where every member of our community has the tools and language to prevent harm and respond with empathy when it occurs.
To Be Actioned as Recommended
These recommendations will be actioned:
| Recommendation | Responsible VP(s) | Action/Interim Action | Status/Timeline/Rationale if applicable | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | A structure be implemented to ensure an annual rotation of men’s and women’s games as the headliner at the StFX Homecoming. | VP Finance and Administration | Director of Athletics works with AUS to enable this scheduling. | Completed November 2023 with process to ensure annual rotation. |
| 5 | Waves of Change Training be mandatory annually for both varsity and club coaches, trainers and assistant trainers for the next five years, to be completed in the fall term. The training may be modified or updated for staff who have taken the training multiple times. | VP Students and VP Finance and Administration | Goals for varsity and club athletic leader training 2025-26 and beyond:
Actions: Professional staff (e.g. SVPRA and SVPEC) will provide annual mandatory training for varsity coaches and assistant coaches (including part time, temporary and student coaches, trainers, and assistant trainers (athletic therapists). Three sessions will be scheduled per year (May, August and September) over a variety of time blocks (evening, daytime and weekend) to ensure accessible timeframes. Lead: Director of Athletics, Director of Health, Counselling and Accessible Learning Additionally, the Director of Athletics will work with the SVPRA, Director, Human Rights and Equity, and the permanent full-time coaches to weave expectations for sexual violence prevention and anti-racism behaviors into existing values-based athletics culture building work. Lead: Director of Athletics. Note: The new Hazing policy and responding to hazing disclosures will be integrated into training for coaches and associated positions in response to Recommendation 15. Lead: Director, Student Life | Training in accordance with the action plan is In Progress for 2025-26; ongoing In Progress: developing expected outcomes, approach to and timeline for “weaving expectations for sexual violence prevention and anti-racism behaviors into existing values-based athletics culture building work” Timeline: tbd. In Progress: Hazing Policy research and environmental scan complete. Committee including representatives of Student Life and Athletics formed and policy drafting underway. In Progress: Fostering a climate supportive of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility is a core piece of the University’s 2023 – 2028 Strategic Plan and is vital to the long-term viability of our institution. The Plan specifically requires us to “proactively embed practices related to equity, anti-racism, and accessibility into all aspects of our university culture, curriculum and experience”. The Director, Human Rights and Equity, Megan Fogarty and the Director, People and Culture, Daniel Draper, will be implementing the Fostering a Supportive EDIA Workplace Culture initiative beginning in 2025 - 2026. The initiative will embed EDIA principles into the university’s hiring practices and workplace culture at all levels including updates to all job descriptions and postings to reflect its strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) and articulating the roles of non-academic managers and academic administrators to
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| 6 | Waves of Change Training be mandatory for club athletes once per academic year, and for varsity athletes twice per academic year; once in August/September and a second time in the Winter term. | VP Students and VP Finance and Administration | Varsity Athletes will complete Waves of Change Basic Bystander in the fall term and Advanced Bystander in the winter term. The SVPRA and SVPE will facilitate August training, ideally paired with a trained student athlete facilitator (recruited with assistance from the Manager of Varsity Athletics and Coaches). Facilitators will document the scenarios used so new scenarios can keep the materials fresh and engaging year over year. All Club Sport athletes must complete the Waves of Change Basic Bystander training to participate in club sports the following year. The training will be offered annually in the winter term, with additional sessions held in mid to late September for new club sport athletes who were not trained in a previous year. Action/Leads: Director of Athletics, Director of Health, Counselling and Accessible Learning | In progress 2025-26 and ongoing |
| 10 | The Athletics webpages and resource documents should clarify that the primary contact for all confidential disclosures of sexual violence is the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Advocate (SVPRA). | VP Finance and Administration | Action: Existing documents and the website have been edited to address clarity needs for referral to the SVPRA for matters related to the Sexual Violence Policy. Additionally, the Director of Human Rights and Equity and the Manager of Varsity Athletics will complete a second round of edits, including the development of a graphic to clarify reporting mechanisms for Sexual Violence. Leads: Director of Human Rights and Equity and the Manager of Varsity Athletics | First round of edit: complete, Fall 2024 Second round: July 30, 2025 |
| 11 | StFX should continue to disrupt traditions and behaviours that contribute to exclusion and incidents of harm, including revolving around conquests of women, naming traditions, and grooming first-years in upper-year partying. | VP Students |
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| 14 | Further to Recommendations 16 and 18 below, an expanded SVPRA office should assist with residence by engaging in targeted follow-up, prevention and education at residences where harmful traditions persist and in better training and supporting CAs | VP Students | VP Students, Directors of Students Services and related subject matter experts will develop response to this recommendation and recommend an action plan by June 30, 2025. This work will center survivors’ experiences in residence communities, ensuring that prevention and education are not only reactive but rooted in empathy, relational repair, and community building. Efforts will be tailored to reflect the emotional and cultural dynamics of each residence. | In Progress: Sexual Violence Prevention Education Coordinator (SVPEC) is now hired, and work is underway. SVPEC has toured all residence buildings and met with CA teams to discuss outreach approaches and tailored campaigns, based on specific issues showing up in individual buildings. Year 1 Action Plan due June 30, 2025 |
| 15 | StFX should have one consolidated policy prohibiting hazing, rather than separate Senate and Athletics policies. The Hazing Policy should expressly incorporate other relevant StFX policies. Hazing that would be captured by the Sexual Violence Policy should be disclosed to the SVPRA and processed under that Policy; other hazing should be disclosed to a representative in Student Services identified by StFX and addressed under the Community Code of Conduct (in consultation with Athletics where a student athlete is Involved) | VP Students and VP Finance and Administration |
Action/Leads: Director of Athletics, Director of Student Life, SVPRA, SVEPC |
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| 16 | A second full-time SVPRA staff person should be hired, whose focus in the first few years should be prevention and education, including education with respect to the Policy. The SVPRA position should, like the first position, require expertise in sexual violence and trauma-informed practice, as well as skills or experience in education, communications, and training. | VP Students | Position hired Fall 2024 (Sexual Violence Prevention Education Coordinator SVPEC) | Complete |
| 18 | Assign the new SVPRA (Note: the new role is SVPEC; not SVPRA) the role of working with communities, such as CAs in a residence, a residence community, or the athletics community, to de-escalate, and educate in response to, or in the context of, incidents of sexual violence | VP Students | VP Students, Directors of Students Services and related subject matter experts will develop response to this recommendation, in collaboration with Athletics and the Safe Sport Working Group to recommend an action plan. | Ongoing; see Recommendation 14 Response and education responsibilities have been divided and assigned to the two roles (SVPRA and SVPEC) as per the demand and skill set. In all cases, support and education will be offered with the goal of restoring trust, affirming survivor experiences, and fostering a culture where healing, accountability, and growth are possible Year 1 Action Plan due June 30, 2025 |
| 19 | Require RLCs to include the SVPRA (Note: the new role is SVPEC; not SVPRA) in residence staff meetings, at least once per semester to educate, debrief and provide support. | VP Students | VP Students, Directors of Students Services and related subject matter experts will develop response to this recommendation, recommend an action plan | In progress and Ongoing: SVPEC is attending residence meetings in all buildings, with a target to attend each building at least once per semester. Also attending as needed and on request to debrief and provide support for incidents. A new standing monthly meeting has been established to include the SVPRA, SVPEC, RLCs and HR&E team to identify concerns and provide support; first meeting took place October 2024. Year 1 Action Plan due June 30, 2025 |
| 22 | StFX prioritize publishing annual data on sexual violence disclosures and reports, detailed to the extent possible while complying with privacy legislation. | VP Students | VP Students, Directors of Students Services and related subject matter experts will develop | Approach developed, data to be published with Annual Report, June 30, 2025 |
| 23 | The President attend the President’s SVPR Committee meeting at least once per year, to receive and discuss the SVPRA’s annual report and prioritize resources and initiatives, including implementation of the recommendations in the IRP report. | Implemented (Fall 2024); President has been invited to the regular annual meeting where SVPRA annual report is presented | Complete/ongoing– invitations have been sent to President | |
| 24 | The IRP recommends that s.14.12 of the Policy be amended as follows: 14.12 A failure to disclose Sexual Activity with a student in accordance with s.14.6 and 14.7 of the Policy, constitutes sexual misconduct by the Teaching Staff. The failure to disclose will also be relevant to whether the student consented to any of the Sexual Activity | VP Students (executive sponsor) | Refer to Sexual Violence Prevention Committee: Policy Subcommittee to consult as needed and develop recommendation for Executive | In progress: Policy recommendations to Executive for feedback January 2025. Final Policy to EC for June 30, with training on updates to Faculty, Senate, Leadership, community by October 30, 2025 Action: SVPRA |
| 25 | The definition of incapacitated under the Policy should be amended as follows: Incapacitated: Includes a person who does not have the capacity to give consent because they are, for example, unconscious or asleep or their judgment is impaired, such as by alcohol and/or drugs, to the extent that they cannot appreciate the risks or consequences of the sexual act. In addition to obtaining affirmative consent, it is the responsibility of the person initiating or continuing sexual contact with a person who has consumed alcohol/drugs or who may be intoxicated or impaired to ascertain and confirm that the latter individual is capable of: voluntarily agreeing to the act, understanding its sexual nature and with whom they are engaging in it, understanding that they can withdraw consent at any time, and appreciating the risks and consequences of the sexual act. | |||
| 28 | Build on and develop Waves of Change training, as delivered at StFX, to better incorporate diverse experiences, in particular, those of 2SLGBTQIA+, racialized and Indigenous students. | VP Students | VP Students, Directors of Students Services and related subject matter experts will develop response to this recommendation and recommend an action plan as applicable. This is a Provincial Curriculum, however, there may be options for local adaptation that will be further explored. | Complete. Conversations have occurred to make facilitation style more inclusive, and scenarios have been developed/modified to be more inclusive. |
| 29 | Remove the “zero tolerance” statement from the Purpose, s.1.1 and 10.55 of the Policy. | VP Students | Refer to Sexual Violence Prevention Committee: Policy Subcommittee to consult as needed and develop recommendation for Executive | Refer to Sexual Violence Prevention Committee: Policy Subcommittee to consult as needed and develop recommendation for Executive Policy recommendations to Executive for feedback January 2025. Final Policy to EC for June 30, with training on updates to Faculty, Senate, Leadership, community by October 30, 2025 |
| 30 | StFX reduce the number of broad communications issued to the community related to reported incidents of sexual violence, and develop a principled framework for such communications that furthers the objectives of the Policy | VP Students (executive sponsor) and VP Advancement | Refer to Sexual Violence Prevention Committee: Policy Subcommittee to consult as needed and develop recommendations for Executive with consultation with Director of Marketing and Communications | In progress, and Ongoing. Policy Subcommittee, Director of Marketing and Communications have consulted. New policy to be developed by Director of Marketing and Communications and SVP Subcommittee for consideration by Executive Committee: December 1, 2025 |
| 32 | StFX expand and make more accessible its internal protocol for directing communications by students and their families where there is an ongoing investigation. | VP Students | Protocol established to refer respondent and Parent(s) of respondent to Director, Student Life and Parent (s) of Complainant and Witnesses to Director, Health, Counselling, and Accessible Learning. Complainants and witnesses normally access support from the SVPRA. Protocol to confirm internal communications between Students Division Directors and Director People and Culture when there is a Report concerning a student staff member | In progress: website to be updated Action: SVPRA in consultation with Directors, Student Services and Director, People and Culture |
To Be Actioned with Modifications
These recommendations are accepted in principle, with modifications in recognition of considerations or logistics of which the External Review Committee would not be aware. The rationale for modifications has been provided with the action plan.
| Recommendation | Responsible VP(s) | Action/Interim Action | Status/Timeline/Rationale if applicable | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Athletics Equity and Safe Sport Committee (or initiative) be chaired or directed by an external person, on a one-year timeline, to review relevant documents and create a plan of action. The resulting report, like Watershed’s, should be transparent, public and delivered to the President. | VP Students and VP Finance and Administration | In February 2025, the VP Students and VP Finance and Administration appointed two external advisors Barb McLean and Ron MacDonald to the Athletics Equity and Safe Sport Committee with a mandate to review all relevant documentation, and advise on recommended action plan. The Plan will be submitted by June 30, 2025, to the Executive Committee with findings and recommendations to be made public on the university’s website by August 31, 2025. | Completed, with modification: Rationale: Existing committee was fully engaged and work underway by Fall 2024, supported by sub-committee structure under the leadership of Faculty Chairs, Dr. Charlene Weaving and Dr. Greg Hadley, and a dedicated Project Manager. To support additional transparency and provide external expertise, the External Advisor positions were created. Announcement available here. |
| 7 | For the next three years, the University administration require that the Director of Athletics and head coaches meet with the SVPRA, Human Rights and Equity Advisor, Black Student Advisor, Indigenous Student Advisor, and Gender and Sexual Diversity Advisor, and their relevant Directors, three times per year (summer, fall, and winter) to integrate these other University experts and services into the leadership training and development of student athletes, and to identify issues and their solutions. The meetings should be minuted with action items and follow-up. | VP Students and VP Finance and Administration | The VP Finance and Administration and the VP Students will schedule regular meetings, (at least three times per year) to build relationships, address issues, share protocols, and establish clear guidance on when and how to involve Student Services resources in student athlete development. Meetings will also include representation from among the Counselling, Accessible Learning and Student Life teams to be inclusive of the full range of Safe Sport issues Meetings to be scheduled for summer, fall and spring annually. Action/Leads: VP Finance and Administration, VP Students | In progress: on-going Modified to broaden the scope of collaboration Fall and Spring meetings complete, summer to be scheduled. The initial year has focused on Student Services Leadership Team with Athletics Team to establish a baseline and agenda plans for the coming year(s) which will also include the additional members of the Student Services staff. |
| 8 | The SVPRA, Human Rights and Equity Advisor, Black Student Advisor, Indigenous Student Advisor, and Gender and Sexual Diversity Advisor be integrated into the delivery of leadership training in the “Leadership Academy” for athletes. | VP Students and VP Finance and Administration | The Dept of Athletics prefers that all student athletes receive related training in these areas, and not just the Leadership Academy students. Accordingly, Athletics and Student Services will develop a plan to expand onboarding to student and equity related services beginning in summer 2026-27 and ongoing annually. Programs will be evaluated on a three-year cycle. Actions: Expand current equity -related training to include cultural content Increase visibility of student support resources for student-athletes
Objectives:
Action/Leads: Director of Athletics, Director of Health, Counselling and Accessible Learning, Director of Human Rights and Equity, Director of Student Life | Modified to increase the reach of the training to all student athletes. In progress: ongoing Timeline: New approach to Athlete Orientation to be implemented 26-27. Pilot approaches may be trialed in 25-26. |
| 9 | For the next four years (one generation), the football team be required to participate in the Waves of Change training in their residences, in order to redress the actual or perceived entitlement of these students within the residence community. | VP Students and VP Finance and Administration | All new student athletes will join Orientation Training (Blitz) with all new students. These sessions aim to create safer residence spaces and challenge harmful norms that can silence survivors or normalize entitlement. Programming will also promote allyship and active care for peers who have experienced harm. New athletes will join winter term Advanced Bystander training with their teams to support team culture building. Leads: Director of Athletics, Director of Student Life | In Progress for Fall 2025, ongoing Rationale for modification: value seen in having all new student athletes rather than just football join new student orientation training |
| 12 | In implementing Recommendation 11, StFX should invest in staffing and programming, including programming targeted at creating new forms of community-building between upper-years at StFX and the first years in residence. | VP Students |
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Over the past several years, significant effort and investment have gone into shifting residence culture at StFX, including:
These changes have resulted in a noticeable reduction in harmful behaviors, incidents, and building damage. Current challenges are often linked to guest behavior—not by the students who live in a specific residence. Challenges often arise from guests and visitors to the buildings. We are not planning to pursue this recommendation at this time, as it risks undermining recent progress and reintroducing elements of a previous model that had poor outcomes. We remain open to future opportunities to enhance cross-year connections in ways that align with our current staffing structure, strategic priorities and community values, but our priority currently is to continue strengthening the current approach. |
| 20 | Assign one or more members of the counselling team to meet at regular intervals with student residence staff of each residence as a group to debrief and provide support. | VP Students | VP Students, Directors of Students Services and related subject matter experts will develop response to this recommendation and recommend an action plan. | Complete/ongoing (with modification). With the introduction of same day counselling appointments in September 2024, residence staff have been encouraged to access services whenever needed, to provide the opportunity to intervene quickly on a case-by-case basis. Larger group debrief is available if required in times of acute emergency. |
| 21 | Establish a Sexual Violence Internal Review Team to meet at regular interviews to share anonymized information and to discuss, with a focus on procedure and practice, what issues/incidents have arisen or been disclosed, the nature of the incidents, the presence of any existing or emerging risk factors or trends on campus, and whether communications or procedures need to be refined, considered or addressed | VP Students | VP Students, Directors of Students Services and related subject matter experts will develop response to this recommendation, and recommend an action plan | Ongoing- Case debriefs implemented in summer 2024 with follow up in late Fall semester. More structure around the process is required to ensure institutionalized commitment. Resources need to be allocated to ensure these meetings can occur in such a way as to provide dedicated focus time. For discussion with Responsible Authorities: Potential to add a professional development component in the summer (immediately after we compile year end data) and extend this meeting to all Responsible Authorities. |
| 27 | An additional counsellor be hired at StFX who specializes in sexual trauma, with priority to be given to someone who identifies as racialized or Indigenous. The counsellor should be a full-time position, and available to students and staff in the summer months, in addition to the academic year. | VP Students | The number of full-time counsellors has recently increased, including the addition of a mental health counsellor from minoritized background, which demonstrates StFX’ s commitment to this recommendation. The Indigenous Counselling position has been resourced to continue. Stronger/clearer pathways have been established for referral from SVPRA to mental health supports for those who have experienced sexualized trauma. Exploring professional development for current teams to enable specialized support for individuals who have experienced sexualized trauma; this will require StFX resource investment for staff professional development. Continued partnership with the AWRC/SASA, maximizing existing community resources. If hiring new counsellors, consideration will be given to candidates with specialized skill set in sexual trauma, and who identifies as racialized or Indigenous. We remain committed to trauma-informed care rooted in cultural humility and survivor choice. Future hires will continue to prioritize these values, recognizing the importance of representation, safety, and culturally responsive healing in the recovery process. Action: Director HCAL, SVPRA | In Progress: ongoing Modified due to budgetary constraints: |
Under Consideration
These recommendations require further discussion and assessment among key stakeholders, potentially budget resources, and action plan developed, if applicable. Rationale will be provided for recommendations not actioned.
| Recommendation | Responsible VP(s) | Action/Interim Action | Status/Timeline/Rationale if applicable | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | An equity initiative be immediately implemented in which the university imposes a requirement that a percentage of donations to men’s “top three” teams must be used to promote equity initiatives in athletics. | VP Advancement | Referred to VP Advancement who will develop response to this recommendation and recommend an action plan. | In progress Timeline TBD |
| 4 | The Athletics Equity and Safe Sport Committee (or initiative) consider:
| VP Students and VP Finance and Administration | By June 2025, the Athletic Equity and Safe Sport Working Group, established by the Vice Presidents/Co-Chairs, will research and recommend an action plan aligned with its mandate. Action items a, b, and c have been referred to the Equitable Resourcing Subcommittee, chaired by Dr. Charlene Weaving, for review and implementation planning. Action/Lead: Equitable Resourcing Subcommittee The Women’s Basketball Program successfully secured a grant to support female coach development initiative, 2024 |
Timeline, June 2025 |
| 13 | StFX should continue to increase its staff complement of professional staff in residences, particularly RLCs. | VP Students | The VP Students and Director of Student Life will monitor staff capacity to meet the strategic goals of the Student Experience and Opportunity Plan, the Residence Renewal Plan and this action plan and will advance staffing proposal through the annual budget process as required. | Ongoing monitoring |
| 17 | For the next two years, StFX should establish a summer student position of no fewer than 20 hours per week to support the work of the SVPRA, including to develop and deliver the Waves of Change training commencing in August and September of the following term. | VP Students | VP Students, Directors of Students Services and related subject matter experts will develop response to this recommendation, recommend an action plan as applicable | Complete (modified). A new full-time position (SVPEC) has been hired. This recommendation has been adjusted in consideration of new full-time resources. StFX will continue to employ Visible@X student coordinator part-time over the summer. |
| 26 | In order to reach and train faculty on key aspects of the Policy, the IRP recommends that agenda time be devoted at other scheduled faculty or University meetings for the SVPRA to deliver targeted training | VP Students, VP Academic, VP Administration and Finance | VP Academic and VP Students will support roll out of the new policy to faculty via Faculty Meetings and Arts, Science, Business and Education specific Faculty meetings in the coming year. The Working Group will be formed to develop response to the recommendation and recommend an action plan to support ongoing staff and faculty training on the policy. Additional options for the Working Group to consider:
Action: Develop a structured, ongoing faculty and staff training plan with assessment measures beyond one-time workshops. Timeline: August 2026 Responsible authorities: Directors of People and Culture, Health Counselling and Accessible Learning, Human Rights and Equity, SVPRA and SVPEC | In Progress: Meetings requested with Chairs of Faculties to discuss agenda planning concerning roll out of updated policy for 2025-2026 academic year. Faculty meetings will recommence in Fall of 2026. Terms of Reference and Work team formed by October 2025 to develop structured, ongoing faculty and staff training plan with assessment measures beyond one-time workshops. |
| 31 | The REES platform be evaluated on an annual basis, to consider its benefits and disadvantages, as well as whether to invest resources in promoting it at StFX | VP Students Student Union President | VP Students, Directors of Students Services, related subject matter experts together with the Student Union who co-sponsor the platform will develop response to this recommendation, and recommend an action plan. Explore opportunities for AVP Research to support initiative to embed SV-related projects in student research, SSHRC proposals, and faculty collaboration. This could extend beyond evaluation of Rees to include collaboration with faculty to apply for Tri-Council funding to study the impact of the action plan, using StFX as a pilot site for postsecondary SV prevention evaluation. | In Progress: SVPRA and SU Executive will schedule conversations between REES, SVPRA and Students’ Union Executive to explore REES program evaluation and develop recommendations. Initiate meeting with new AVP Research and Graduate Students to explore broader support for evaluation. Timeline: by August 2025. Add Agenda item for SVPC Spring 2025 Action: SVPRA, Director of HCAL. |
