A Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention Training course appeared on students’ Canvas webpage district-wide on Oct. 1. It followed the California Assembly Bill No. 2683, requiring students of California Community Colleges to complete the training once every year that they attend a college in California.
Governor Newsom signed the bill in 2022, marking it effective as of Sept. 1, 2024, for the 2024-2025 academic year.
“AB 2683 was passed to increase students’ knowledge about sexual violence and the resources available to victims,” said Amanda Davis, I Can Go To College project manager. “The bill requires training to be provided to all students, which includes information on how to report an incident, local and campus resources, support services, and more.”
The bill complies with Title IX, a law that Associate Vice Chancellor of Educational Services Mandy Liang said “protects all students from sex-based discrimination and harassment in educational settings.”
The training consists of three modules, including two videos on sexual harassment, its impacts, and prevention. It then concludes with a quiz for a statement of completion.
All LMC students are required to complete it by December 13 for this academic year. Vice President of Student Services Tanisha Maxwell said that alerts will be sent out until the modules are completed.
“Students will receive reminders through their college-issued email of the mandate and the importance of completing the training,” Maxwell said.
Student Lisette Paz said she was confused upon seeing the training on Canvas, as it appeared in the morning before any alerts were sent out from the college or district.
While she had not started the training yet, Paz thinks it’s important for it to be implemented into students’ education.
“I feel like sometimes people don’t know what could be considered sexual harassment and so sometimes you’re left feeling like you’re in an awkward or uncomfortable situation,” Paz said. “It’s good knowledge for everybody to have because it’s way more common than people think.”
Similarly, student Luseane Fisiiahi thinks it’s a step in the right direction for the LMC community to provide better experiences on campus.
“I think every student on campus needs to do the sexual harassment training because I think it just helps make a safer environment for everyone because we’re all together in a public space,” Fisiiahi said.
Liang said it helps everyone contribute to bettering the community.
“Completing this training ensures that we all play a part in creating a positive and safe environment for everyone,” Liang said. “By participating, students will contribute to upholding our district’s values and help maintain a campus where everyone can thrive.”
Davis explained that each college has its process of recording the data related to incidents of sexual assault and violence on campus. To access the data, you can reach out to LMC’s public information office. Links to mental health and wellness resources are also included in the training for student reference.
