On Nov. 7 a campus-wide email was sent out detailing an instance of harassment against the Oswego State club softball team. 

The email in question was in response to two in men who had reportedly bothered the players by gawking at them and calling out to them, even asking if they could join in the club’s game. Another incident was also reported which centered around three to five men in a car driving past and jeering at the team. It is unknown if these men were students of Oswego State. 

These incidents are considered harassment under the Oswego State student handbook code of conduct, which states that harassment is anything that “interferes with or is disruptive to the learning environment, College process or activities, and/or educational interests and mission of the College,” Vice President of Student Affairs Jerri Howland said to anyone who finds themselves in an instance of harassment should immediately contact University Police. 

Softball club President Katrina Johnson elaborated further, claiming that the men had remained nearby and were prompted by the team to leave, before coming back later that night, bothering the team further. 

“We went back and forth for a little while, I let them know that they were making people uncomfortable,” Johnson said.

Johnson said she has experienced harassment as a member of the club softball team.  She said that ever since she joined the club in 2016, she has had people bother her. 

“A lot of the time its people screaming catcalls at us from cars,” Johnson said. “That’s happened to me when we were there to practice, that’s happened to me when I’m talking to my friends, it’s even happened to me outside of practice when I’m playing softball with friends outside of the team.”

Johnson went on to describe her interaction with UP, who she said she found unhelpful. Johnson said that UP claimed that the event did not fall under harassment. 

“When we were talking, and I was explaining the incident to them … They said it wasn’t harassment and called it a pissing match.” Johnson said.

Johnson said that the task of getting any action from the school had also taken a lot of time and effort. Johnson said she had to go through several different people to get the first email sent from the Dean of Students. In addition to Howland, Johnson also met with Daniel Roberts, the director of Campus Life, as well as Lisa Evaneski, the Title IX coordinator at Oswego State to get assistance with the situation.

“I’ve been to five different meetings,” Johnson said. “I met with Dan Roberts twice, I met with UP to file the report, I met with Lisa Evaneski… and then I met with Dr. Howland. It took five meetings just for that email to be sent out. Five meetings just for someone to say ‘Yes this is harassment.’”

Howland confirmed that Roberts and Campus Life are working to help prevent future incidents of harassment at the softball fields. In the meantime, Campus Recreation assigned student field monitors to help document incidents to aid in any UP or college investigation into future incidents. Only the president or vice presidents of Oswego State, or their offices, can authorize a campus-wide email broadcast, requiring students to contact those offices if they want an email sent to the campus-wide community.

When asked, Student Association Senator Maryjay Olalekan said that there were no current plans to tackle on campus harassment. However, she openly urged students that may be targeted to reach out to any available campus services. 

“In my opinion harassment is harassment,” Olalekan said. “ It doesn’t matter if it’s sexual harassment or you’re talking against somebody’s sexual preference.”

Olalekan recommends that any students who have experienced harassment to reach out to available support networks. 

“Talk to somebody that you confide in, ASAP, [then] report it,” she said. “We have UP, we have Title XI, we have a ton of things. And if they’re not doing their jobs, talk to someone in student government, like us.”

playing softball with friends outside of the team.”

Johnson went on to describe her interaction with UP, who she said she found unhelpful. Johnson said that UP claimed that the event did not fall under harassment. 

“When we were talking, and I was explaining the incident to them … They said it wasn’t harassment and called it a pissing match.” Johnson said.

Johnson said that the task of getting any action from the school had also taken a lot of time and effort. Johnson said she had to go through several different people to get the first email sent from the Dean of Students. In addition to Howland, Johnson also met with Daniel Roberts, the director of Campus Life, as well as Lisa Evaneski, the Title IX coordinator at Oswego State to get assistance with the situation.

“I’ve been to five different meetings,” Johnson said. “I met with Dan Roberts twice, I met with UP to file the report, I met with Lisa Evaneski … and then I met with Dr. Howland. It took five meetings just for that email to be sent out. Five meetings just for someone to say ‘Yes this is harassment.’”

Howland confirmed that Roberts and Campus Life are working to help prevent future incidents of harassment at the softball fields. In the meantime, Campus Recreation assigned student field monitors to help document incidents to aid in any UP or college investigation into future incidents. Only the president or vice presidents of Oswego State, or their offices, can authorize a campus-wide email broadcast, requiring students to contact those offices if they want an email sent to the campus-wide community.

When asked, Student Association Senator Maryjay Olalekan said that there were no current plans to tackle on campus harassment. However, she openly urged students that may be targeted to reach out to any available campus services. 

“In my opinion harassment is harassment,” Olalekan said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s sexual harassment or you’re talking against somebody’s sexual preference.”

Olalekan recommends that any students who have experienced harassment to reach out to available support networks. 

“Talk to somebody that you confide in, ASAP, [then] report it,” she said. “We have UP, we have Title XI, we have a ton of things. And if they’re not doing their jobs, talk to someone in student government, like us.”

Photo provided by Jade Laplante