UBCO students are frustrated with the lack of transparency and communication regarding the recent news that a psychology professor was placed under regulatory supervision due to 鈥渂oundary issues鈥� and 鈥渟exual harassment.鈥�

Brie Welton is the coordinating editor at The Phoenix, UBCO鈥檚 campus newspaper. Welton said she has been talking with students over the past few days since the news of professor Dr. Stephen Porter鈥檚 regulatory supervision was released, and students are beginning to worry since an official statement has not yet been released from the university.

According to a statement issued by the College of Psychologists, Porter was placed under regulatory supervision for 18 months, with a particular focus on boundary issues, power differentials, sexual harassment, professionalism and doing no harm.

鈥淪ome people knew rumours, but since there鈥檚 been no official statement from UBC, everyone鈥檚 been in the dark,鈥� said Welton.

UBCO implemented a sexual assault and sexual misconduct policy (Policy 131) last May and then in December hired a director to open a sexual assault and prevention office. That office is located in a building that houses student support services.

However, students say there has been little information released about the office鈥檚 location or that it was even open.

Jaclyn Salter, who is a coordinator at the university鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Resource Centre and a student, said she hadn鈥檛 received an official announcement that the office was open, nor that a director had been hired. She only had a rough timeline of the events which she called 鈥渇rustrating.鈥�

Welton has also spoken with students who say they were unaware that Porter was placed under supervision or that a sexual assault and prevention office is open on campus.

鈥淚 talked to a student yesterday who said 鈥業鈥檓 surprised this is still happening,鈥� especially since UBC made a big deal about last year and then had an external organization come in and ask Porter to step aside and then still make no comments. Students aren鈥檛 happy with the procedure and there鈥檚 a lot of unanswered questions,鈥� she said.

Related: UBCO creates offices to address sexual assault

Welton was unaware of the office鈥檚 opening until Wednesday.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been no advertising, no one knows about it, it鈥檚 hidden in the bottom of one of the residence buildings and I鈥檓 not entirely sure which building it is,鈥� she said.

She was also not impressed with the lack of response from UBC or the university鈥檚 student union.

鈥淚鈥檓 really looking for a public statement, if not from UBC itself, at least from its student union. As our student union, it鈥檚 who we turn to in situations like this, silence from them is almost worse than silence from UBC.鈥�

Student Union of UBC Okanagan president Trophy Eliwa said a statement about the incident would be issued Thursday afternoon (past press deadline) and there has been delays in releasing a statement because UBCO has not released more information to the union.

鈥淥n a personal note, sexual assault, especially being in a position of power, should not be an excuse for wrong to happen,鈥� said Eliwa. 鈥淚 think it would be best if the student union would be more proactive in highlighting the services we have to prevent that鈥� the sexual assault prevention office I did not know about鈥� It鈥檚 not easy to come out and have the confidence to go out and report the incidents that are there.鈥�

Welton said there will be an information session on , but the announcement wasn鈥檛 made until after her interview with another media outlet.

However, Sara-Jane Finlay, associate vice-president for the equity and inclusion office for UBCO, said email notifications and announcements on the university鈥檚 website can be found regarding the sexual assault policy and prevention office.

鈥淭hroughout the time the policy has been in place, there has been clear information on where (students) can go to make disclosures and to receive assistance,鈥� she said.

A communication did go out at the beginning of the summer and in September about the policy and the office, she said. An information session was not held in December because it was during an exam period and January is Sexual Awareness Month, so raising awareness is important, said Finlay.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not the intention to hide it at all, we really want it to be something people can access and feel comfortable accessing,鈥� she said.

At the campus newspaper, Welton heard incidents first-hand with students who were potentially assaulted or harassed and didn鈥檛 know where to go.

鈥淚鈥檓 concerned because I talked to a lot of students who said they wouldn鈥檛 know what to do in that situation,鈥� she said

Porter is not allowed to supervise students, researchers, and volunteers and must provide letters of apology to unnamed complainants.

According to UBCO, Porter 鈥渉as agreed to step aside from his teaching duties. He will continue to be engaged in his other academic responsibilities.鈥�

And 鈥渇or privacy reasons, we cannot further discuss the details of individual personnel matters.鈥�

The details of the incident or incidents have not been released by UBCO. On UBCO鈥檚 website, Porter鈥檚 list of teaching includes forensic psychology, psychopathy, violence and personality theory.

Porter did not return Capital News requests for comment that were made through email and phone calls.

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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