Meadow Davis started this semester with not one, but two new positions: Special Assistant to the Dean of Student Affairs and Advisor to the Student Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board (SSAMB).
For the past year and a half, Davis served as Director of Bowdoin's Woman's Resource Center.
As advisor to SSAMB, Davis will attend to issues of sexual assault and misconduct brought to the attention of the College.
Last year, Mary Pat McMahon worked in an equivalent role while also serving as the dean of first-year students. Davis explained that the immense responsibilities of working as the dean of first-year students could be compromised if and when a case regarding sexual assault or misconduct was brought forward.
As a result, the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs found it necessary to appoint an advisor to SSAMB who could focus on working with the sexual assault and misconduct cases, as well as support campus organizations and groups in their efforts toward prevention, awareness, and support.
"The process [of sexual assault and misconduct cases] is involved, sensitive, [and a large] time commitment," Davis said.
Davis noted that McMahon was instrumental in leading the initiative to outline the College's policies regarding sexual assault and misconduct, which were put into effect January 2007 and can be found in the Student Handbook. As part of her new position, Davis will work to make these policies known and understood on campus.
In addition to advising the Board, Davis said that she will "be developing and implementing a training for all SSAMB board members as well as for supporters."
"Currently, there [is] a corps of staff from across the Division [of Student Affairs] who have received formal training on the SSAMB process," she said. "We will be both expanding the training curriculum as well as reaching a larger number of staff with the training this year."
In her new role as the Special Assistant to the Dean of Student Affairs, Davis said that she works "with Dean Foster on the development and implementation of projects that are seen as strategic priorities for the entire division of Student Affairs."
"Some of the priorities for this year that I will be working on include a strategic plan for alcohol programming at Bowdoin, the wellness component of the new fitness/health/wellness center, and departmental strategic plans," she added.