In an effort to change the on-campus culture of sexual assault and gender violence, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) has begun requiring leadership of student organizations to attend a B.O.S.S. training by the end of the quarter.

In order for clubs and organizations to continue receiving funding in January, club presidents and vice presidents are required to attend one of the trainings led by DU’s Center for Advocacy, Prevention, and Empowerment (CAPE) office.

The trainings have already taken place and were held between Oct. 21 and 28.

C.A.P.E Director, Gillian Kaag, PhD. explained that B.O.S.S. trainings are designed to teach practical bystander intervention skills to prevent gender and sexual violence in the community.

“We are ONE DU and that means we care and look out for one another – the training helps give students the skills to help them do that,” explained Kaag. 

USG hopes the mandate will lead to more students having the resources to help eliminate sexual violence.

“By training students through the B.O.S.S. program, DU undergraduates are taking a leadership role in this broader movement, and are shifting campus culture to combat sexual assault in the here-and-now,” said Student Body Vice President, Jessica Davidson.

Davidson said USG decided to put the requirement in place after sending representatives to a conference held by the White House as part of the “It’s On Us” campaign to end sexual assault.

“In short, the sexual assault crisis on college campuses is unacceptable, and students can play a huge role in solving the problem,” explained Davidson.

According to Davidson, students also voiced enthusiasm for addressing sexual assault on campus last spring.

“At DU, we are a community that cares about one another and we want to prevent sexual assault from happening in our community,” said Kaag. Given this core value, this training helps students learn the critical skills to help them do just that – to Be aware, Observe your situation, Size up your options, and Speak up and act (B.O.S.S.). It is through this action that we can protect each other and promote a culture of care and respect.”

In addition to the current leadership requirements, USG said new requirements for student organizations will take effect next year. Under the new system, 75 percent of a club’s current members must attend a B.O.S.S. training in order for the group to receive funding.