During a special meeting last week, Advocates for Improved Response Methods to Sexual Assault (AFIRMS) and the Sexual Assault Working Group (SAWG) reached an agreement to consider the reclassification of sexual assault offenses at Georgetown. SAWG, consisting of senior administrative members such as Director of Health Education Services Carol Day, Director of Student Conduct Judy Johnson and Dean of Student Affairs Jean Lord, discussed current sexual assault classification policies with current AFIRMS’ leaders, such as Olive Goh (SFS ’03). While there may have been some confusion about Georgetown’s classification system of late, the current classification of nonconsensual penetration as a Category B offense, and the significance of the proposal to change it to the most severe Category C offense, was the meeting’s concentration. The most significant factor of such classification regards the non-disclosure policy that is mandatory with Category C offenses, in which the results of the judicial process are kept private, and not shared with neither the victim nor the public. While students at Georgetown are working to change this non-disclosure policy, AFIRMS’ and SAWG agreed that nonconsensual penetration offenses should ultimately be classified as Category C offenses. Their consensus serves as the initial step of the policy change process, in which a proposal that is prepared can be sent to Vice President of Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez, who may send the proposal to the disciplinary committee. It would then be passed on to a further committee, with the policy change procedure being a continuous process. For more information regarding current action and discussion being undertaken for sexual assault policy at Georgetown, contact Health Education Services or AFIRMS.