We thank the entire ASSU for its leadership on the issue of sexual violence. We share your goal of eliminating sexual violence from our campus, and our commitment is unwavering. While it would be premature to speculate on possible changes in federal guidance or policies, we want to affirm that keeping our community safe for everyone to learn and work is a core value.

It is also important to recognize that Stanford remains obligated to upholding California laws which go well beyond federal guidance, including incorporating the preponderance of evidence standard and requiring affirmative consent.

There is of course more we can do as a community. We look forward to the ASSU’s continuing leadership to raise awareness as we grow our efforts with respect to prevention, education, adjudication and support. Eradicating sexual violence remains one of our highest university priorities.

Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Persis Drell

Editor’s Note: This letter is a response to an OpEd written by 32 current and former ASSU representatives published on July 11, 2017.