Students, faculty, staff, and various campus departments of Sonoma State have come together to launch an important website called SafeSSU. Members of the campus community can now simply access information essential to their safety. This new program focuses on offers and resources that will guide students on reporting sexual assault and harassment, information on advocacy, accessing counseling service, and many more services, 

A campus-wide cross-divisional body has formed the SafeSSU Committee, which consists of partners from University Athletics, Divisions of Student Affairs, Facilities Management, Information Technology, Risk Management and Safety Services, Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and various other departments. 

”The main purpose of the committee is to cultivate an inquisitive and inclusive campus community through thoughtful programming, promote personal wellness by educating the campus community while prioritizing the health and safety of all members, and educate the campus community about safety practices to prevent and prepare for any emergencies,” the Risk Management Team announced.

SSU strives to create an environment where our students, faculty and staff are heard, respected, and supported. The SafeSSU program will support that mission and provide a programmatic approach to resource information for the campus community. 

One Seawolf, Mikayla Balleza, said, “I think that this program is a good addition to Sonoma State’s website. This allows for an opportunity for individuals to have an immediate outlet to go to if they have undergone anything within the campus or w anyone from the school as well. I really like how Sonoma is using their platform in order to create a safe environment for all individuals.” 

The process of creating SafeSSU was easier because of the collaboration with the different campus departments. The implementation and execution of the Safe SSU website as a one-stop shop is a credit to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination and Risk Management and Safety Services, who were vital in leading the charge to refine the site’s resources and safety information. 

In a previous article for the STAR, Chief Police Nader Oweis said, “From a safety perspective, I think people are afraid to call so sometimes they’ll delay in calling and by then the situation may get worse. We’re trying to provide these resources, whether it’s SAFE, the Mobile Support Team or one of the resources on campus, because we want to keep people safe.” 

Safety concerns can be reported to Environmental Health and Safety about office, lab and fire safety issues including any environmental concerns. Students, faculty, staff, and as well as campus visitors may submit a safety service request work order to Facilities regarding any unsafe, or hazardous conditions they may see around campus. However, visitors can submit maintenance requests to [email protected]. Please include the location of the concern on campus, the date you saw or witnessed the concern, and any other information that can help SSU resolve the issue.

Any acts of violence witnessed should be reported to the Sonoma State Police Department, and afterwards will ensure the witness is safe. The officer will ask questions about the incident so that they will be able to understand the situation and direct those involved to on-campus local support services. The Care Team’s focus is to offer supportive intervention and guidance to any students who appear to be struggling and help restore their lives academically and personally.