This spring semester, the UA became one of 60 public universities to partake in a national survey concerning sexual assault on campus.

The climate survey, available until midnight today, emphasizes sexual assault and misconduct both on and off campus with the goal of protecting the UA student body, said Jennifer Meyers Pickard, director of UA Strategic Initiatives and Communications.

“The main goal of the survey is to improve the campus and find ways to make the university a safer place for the students,” Pickard said.

The sexual assault campus climate survey was made available to all UA students via email on April 3, in time for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

On April 1, the Daily Wildcat reported that reports of sexual assault on the UA campus have risen from 2011. 28 cases were reported in 2013, compared to 19 in 2012 and only four in 2011.

The climate survey also includes questions about topics like stalking, online misconduct and information for students coping with sexual assault and related behavior. 

The survey was created by the Association of American Universities, and five questions are campus specific. 

Pickard said any new measures will not be determined until the results of the survey are collected, and that full participation of students would help come up with an effective form of action.

While this is the first survey of its kind, Pickard said the UA plans on implementing something similar in the coming years, including potentially a UA-specific survey based on how well students take to this year’s survey.

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