HALIFAX – The president of Saint Mary’s University says he supports the advice of a panel that was launched in the aftermath of a frosh week chant that glorified the sexual assault of young girls.
The panel’s report released today makes 20 recommendations aimed at fostering a cultural change at the school to encourage respectful behaviour.
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It is recommending that the school develop a code of conduct.
University president Colin Dodds said the school will report every six months on how it is implementing the report’s recommendations.
Law professor Wayne MacKay of Dalhousie University was appointed to lead the panel, which consulted with students, faculty and alumni.
The panel says the chant at Saint Mary’s and a similar one sung at the University of British Columbia highlight broad societal challenges that need to be addressed rather than issues specific to youth culture.
It says hypersexualized songs, photos, movies and ads are everywhere, and alcohol and drug problems abound – even among public figures who are supposed to be role models.
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