Columbia outlines sexual violence policies after student carries mattress in rape protest

Columbia University has issued a statement in response to the student who is calling on the school to expel her alleged rapist by carrying a dorm-room mattress around campus in a sign of protest.

In a statement to CTVNews.ca, the school said it respects the choice of any member of the campus community to "peacefully express personal or political views on this and other issues."

The school declined to comment further, noting its commitment to protecting the privacy of students participating in "gender-based misconduct proceedings."

"These matters are extremely sensitive, and we do not want to deter survivors from reporting them. The University therefore does not comment on these matters," the statement said.

Visual arts major Emma Sulkowicz has been carrying a dorm-room mattress around Columbia’s campus since the start of the school year as a sign of protest. 

Sulkowicz said she was raped by a classmate during her sophomore year at Columbia in 2012, and alleges that the school mishandled her case after she reported it to the campus administration.

She is among a group of students who filed federal complaints against the school last April, alleging that the school mishandled assault claims. She has also filed a report with the police.

Now, for her senior thesis, the visual arts major said she will be carrying a dorm-room mattress around with her for as long as her alleged attacker remains at Columbia. She's calling the piece "Mattress Performance: Carry That Weight."

None of the allegations have been proven in a court of law. Sulkowicz did not reply to CTVNews.ca interview requests.

In the email from Columbia, the school pointed to several steps it has taken to address sexual violence on campus. These include a new "Gender-Based Misconduct Policy" for students, the opening of additional rape crisis/anti-violence support centres and expanded mandatory training for all incoming undergraduates on consent and bystander intervention.

Columbia's President Lee Bollinger announced the new misconduct policy in August, noting that it was designed to "strengthen confidence in the University's handling of reports of sexual assault and other gender-based misconduct," as well as to ensure fairness for all parties involved.

Columbia also recently launched a new "Step Up!" campaign, which is designed to educate students on the school's various programs on consent, prevention and intervention.