Whitman College Commits to a Culture of Respect
Whitman College is proud to have joined a group of 15 colleges and universities from across North America for the eighth cohort of NASPA’s Culture of Respect Collective program. This ambitious two-year program guides participating institutions through a rigorous process of self-assessment and targeted organizational change to comprehensively address campus sexual violence.
Our Commitment
The Culture of Respect initiative at Whitman builds upon our longstanding commitment to creating a safe and supportive campus environment for all members of our community. By participating in this program, we’re strengthening our approach to prevention, response, and education around issues of sexual violence and harassment.
The Six Pillars Framework
The Culture of Respect CORE Blueprint focuses on creating a safe and inclusive environment by emphasizing six key pillars: survivor support, clear policies, robust multi-tiered education, public disclosure of information, school-wide mobilization and ongoing assessment. To see the specific recommendations our team has committed to implementing within each pillar, please review our Culture of Respect Areas of Focus document, which outlines our action priorities.
Theoretical Foundation: The Social Ecological Model
The CORE Blueprint is firmly rooted in the Social Ecological Model (see illustration below), a comprehensive framework that recognizes how violence is sustained and how prevention efforts must operate at multiple levels. This model, adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015), illustrates how individual experiences are influenced by relationships, community factors, institutional structures, and broader societal contexts.
The strength of the Culture of Respect program comes from four key characteristics:
- Theory-driven approach: By aligning with the Social Ecological Model, the program ensures that prevention and response efforts address factors at each level—from individual identity and relationships to community organizations, institutional policies, and societal influences. This comprehensive approach bridges the gap between theory and practice.
- Evidence-based practices: The CORE Blueprint relies on research-supported approaches where available, supplemented by expert guidance and promising practices in areas where research is still developing.
- Stakeholder engagement and accountability: Implementation requires involvement from diverse campus stakeholders. The program's structure holds the Campus Leadership Team, including administrators, accountable to objectives and deadlines while maintaining a collaborative rather than adversarial approach.
- Institutional buy-in and support: Participation in the program requires approval from upper-level administrators, reinforcing political and financial support for implementation across the institution.
Collaborative Approach
Each cohort of the Collective relies on an expert-developed public health framework, cross-campus collaboration, and peer-led learning to make meaningful programmatic and policy changes. More than 160 colleges and universities have participated in the program, demonstrating its effectiveness as an adaptable model that helps institutions work across departmental silos while addressing campus sexual violence within a shifting social and political landscape.
Current Progress
Whitman College is currently in the implementation phase of the program, actively working with multiple stakeholders across campus to advance the action plan developed during our first year's assessment. These collaborative efforts are targeting specific goals identified in our comprehensive evaluation, transforming insights into meaningful improvements to our policies, programs and campus culture. The campus leadership team is making steady progress on initiatives designed to strengthen our community’s approach to prevention, support and education.
Get Involved
We invite all members of the Whitman community to engage with this important initiative. Faculty, staff and students can learn more about upcoming opportunities for involvement by contacting Aimée Milne, Associate Vice President for Wellness (milnea@whitman.edu), or Cassandre Beccai, Director of Equity and Compliance/ Title IX Coordinator (beccaic@whitman.edu).
Looking Forward
Whitman College is enthusiastic about fostering a campus environment where respect is fundamental to our interactions, and we look forward to our continued involvement in the Collective as we work to create a community in which all students, faculty and staff can thrive in a Culture of Respect.
Year One
Our first year was dedicated to comprehensive assessment and discovery. Through extensive conversations with campus stakeholders, we carefully examined our current practices to identify both strengths and opportunities for growth.
Together we’ve:
- Completed the CORE evaluation, a comprehensive assessment with over 200 questions that gave us deep insights into our campus culture.
- Hosted a two-day site visit with our NASPA advisor, who met with key campus stakeholders and observed our campus culture.
- Developed and received approval for our Individualized Implementation Plan, a roadmap for change.
Year Two
Now, as we enter our second year, we’re shifting from planning to implementation, from discussion to meaningful action, by putting into place our Individualized Implementation Plan.
Culture of Respect Leadership Team
Pillar Lead 1–Survivor Support
Laura Norris (Lead)
Rhiannon Anderson
Lily Seaman
Anne-Marie Zell-Schwewin
Chalese Rabidue
Emmy Thompson
Pillar Lead 2–Clear Policies
Cassandre Beccai (Lead)
Al Reiser
Maggie Eaheart
Baker Weilert
Pillar Lead 3–Multi-Tiered Education
Aimée Milne (Lead)
Juli Dunn
Callie Gilchrist
Karin Omori ’28
Leone Spyropoulos ’28
Pillar Lead 4–Public Disclosure
Stace Sievert (Co-Lead)
Halley Munoz (Co-Lead)
Maggie Eaheart
Andrew Johnson
Callie Gilchrist
Pillar Lead 5–Schoolwide Mobilization
Kim Chandler (Lead)
Helen Kim
Erin Pahlke
Pillar Lead 6–On-Going Assessment
Cassandre Beccai (Lead)
Maggie Eaheart
Jeanine Gordon