In Review

The University is again a sponsor and major participant in the First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival, this year taking place Sept. 18–27 in Rochester’s East End. University students, faculty, staff, and alumni will take part in more than 40 of the festival’s 380 shows in 28 venues, which include Kilbourn Hall and Sproull Atrium at the Eastman School.

Established in 2009 by Erica Fee ’99, who previously worked with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, the Rochester festival has doubled in size since its first year.

There are more than 200 fringe festivals worldwide, including 20 in the United States. The festivals closest to Rochester are in Toronto and Philadelphia. Last year’s Fringe Festival in Rochester was attended by more than 50,000 people.

The University Updates Its Policy on Sexual Misconduct

The Student Sexual Misconduct Policy has been updated on the recommendation of a committee of faculty, staff, and students. The policy defines sexual misconduct, outlines student rights, identifies resources available to the student community, and guides the University’s response to reports of possible sexual misconduct, including sexual assault.

Important updates to the policy include full definitions of the terms consent and incapacitation in connection with sexual activity. The new standards are now in place and reflect the University’s ongoing focus on the prevention of all forms of sexual misconduct.

With the changes to the policy, the University has moved toward an “affirmative consent” model that requires explicit consent from both individuals engaged in sexual activity. The policy now mandates that consent be “informed, freely given, and mutual,” and that each participant obtain and give consent in each instance of sexual activity. According to the policy, silence does not constitute consent, and past consent does not imply present or ongoing future consent.

The new policy standards also more clearly define individuals’ responsibilities to determine if someone is not sober enough to give informed consent. Individuals must not engage in sexual activity with a partner whom a reasonable person would realize is incapable of giving consent.

The full policy and more information can be found online at www.rochester.edu/sexualmisconduct.

Beth Olivares Appointed Dean for Diversity Initiatives

Beth Olivares has been promoted to dean for diversity initiatives in Arts, Sciences & Engineering. She also serves as director of the David T. Kearns Center for Leadership and Diversity and as faculty development and diversity officer.

In the expansion of her current role, Olivares will work closely on faculty recruitment, continue to participate on the Faculty Diversity Committee, and develop new programs and initiatives addressing faculty and student retention issues. She will also create programs within the College that provide support to undergraduates in all areas of the curriculum.

Olivares, who holds a doctorate in English from Fordham, joined the University in 1994. She has expanded the Kearns Center, developing educational pipeline programs that work with students from middle school through doctoral degrees. In the past decade, the center has garnered over $10 million in support for its programs, and over 1,000 high school, undergraduate, and graduate students are currently served by the center.

Rochester Ranked No. 6 Among ‘Best Colleges for Food’

The University’s dining services have been ranked sixth on the 2014 list of 75 Best Colleges for Food in America by The Daily Meal, an online publication that reports the latest culinary news and trends around the world.

In addition to food quality, the rankings were determined by the “food scene of the surrounding area,” as well as nutrition, sustainability, accessibility, events, uniqueness, and the “overall quality of the dining experience.” The results were based on a survey of more than 2,000 four-year college and university dining programs around the country.

According to Cam Schauf, director of Campus Dining Services and Auxiliary Operations, local food is a driving force for the program, with more than 48 percent of all items sold and served on campus grown, raised, processed, or wholly manufactured within New York state. The program has partnerships with local bakeries, coffee roasters, farmers markets, and more.

New College Town Development Set to Open this Fall

GRAND OPENING: A 20,000-square-foot Barnes & Noble (shown here in an architect’s rendering) will become the University’s campus bookstore this fall. Scheduled for a grand opening during Meliora Weekend, the store anchors a new College Town development.