UPS’s Marta Palmquist Cady Chosen for National Sexual Violence Educational Program
Federal program will train campus officials in how to respond to alleged assaults University of Puget Sound's Palmquist Cady joins a national team of instructors who will lead the courses
TACOMA, Wash. – A new national public safety center, created by Congress to help protect college students from sexual assault, has chosen Marta Palmquist Cady, assistant dean of students at University of Puget Sound, to join its team of instructors.
The National Center for Campus Public Safety (NCCPS), with the aid of its highly-qualified instructors, will roll out a program aimed at educating campus officials across the country in trauma-informed sexual assault investigations and adjudications .Higher education institutions are invited to sign up for the program, which will begin in February.
The NCCPS was charged in April 2014 by the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault to help develop a coordinated federal response to campus rape and sexual assault. This followed a deepening concern across the country about some colleges’ handling of sexual assault allegations and about the treatment of victims.
“This is an exciting time for the NCCPS as we prepare to offer our curriculum to the higher education community, “said NCCPS Director Kim Richmond. “We are pleased to have found amazing educators to help us deliver what is, quite possibly, a game-changing, trauma-informed curriculum to campus officials at institutions of higher education across the country.”
Palmquist Cady, who has led numerous sexual violence prevention initiatives at Puget Sound, was chosen after a competitive selection process. She joins 25 additional new instructors who will help implement the NCCPS’s Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigation and Adjudication Educational Program.
The program invites campus officials—including Title IX coordinators, hearing board members, residential life staff, human resources personnel, student deans, public safety personnel, and legal counsels, among others—to enroll in the four-day course. The classes will be offered at venues across the country in the months ahead, at a charge of $1,695, or $1,545 for members of relevant professional associations. The classes provide information and resources to conduct investigations in line with evolving practices.
To develop the curriculum, the NCCPS worked with national subject matter experts in the fields of sexual and gender-based violence investigations, Title IX, the Clery Act, victim's advocacy, student conduct, and psychology in the development of a leading-edge curriculum. The curriculum was subject to rigorous pilot programming, evaluation, and updates.
No class sessions have yet been arranged for Washington state. Campus officials can join a mailing list to learn about upcoming sessions.
Marta Palmquist Cady is the assistant dean of students and director of student activities at University of Puget Sound, a national liberal arts college based in Tacoma, Wash. Her primary areas of responsibility include sexual violence prevention education; directing student orientation, outdoor programs, and student programs; and advising the student government. This constellation of responsibilities positions Palmquist Cady to take key roles in institutional efforts to educate campus members on topics of importance and to assist in the building of strong student communities. Palmquist Cady is the primary Green Dot bystander trainer and presenter, and she has worked with students to create a peer support network for survivors. The network partners with the county’s survivor support and resource organization, Rebuilding Hope, the Sexual Assault Center for Pierce County. She also chairs the university’s Sexual and Gender Violence Committee, and she coordinated the creation of a faculty and staff advocate group for survivors.
About the National Center for Campus Public Safety
The National Center for Campus Public Safety (NCCPS), located in Burlington, Vermont, aims to provide useful resources and information to support safer campus communities. The NCCPS was established in 2013, with bipartisan Congressional support, following a competitive grant process and award from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. A cooperative agreement and subsequent funding were awarded to Margolis Healy, a national consulting firm specializing in campus safety, security, and regulatory compliance for higher education and K-12, which is responsible for leading the NCCPS.