Who We Are and Our Situation:

Hi we are the Students for Advocate Support Services (SASS) and we have organized to address the recent loss of advocates at Cal Poly. Before Covid-19 Cal Poly administration promised the students two new advocates in addition to the already existing advocate. Since the university has placed a hiring freeze on all new positions Cal Poly is unable to hire the recently vacant advocate position and dissolved the promised two additional advocate positions.   

What We Demand:

We are demanding that the school have the advocate position that recently became empty filled by July 1st. Reinstate the two additional advocate positions that were promised to the students and have them hired on by the first week of fall quarter. Also for the school to find sustainable funding for all three advocate positions. Finally, access to statements summarizing where funds are being taken from and allocated to.

Why Advocates are Important:

Advocates provide students with support and counselling in regards to gender- and power-based violence. The Association of Title IX Administrators explains “the Victim Advocate can play an important role in providing emotional support and assistance with navigating school or work… Victim Advocate is an essential conduit for information about options while still allowing for autonomy. Advocates are able to provide support as victims/survivors decide upon and navigate through these options.” Advocates are essential, in the past few years access to Cal Poly’s advocate has almost doubled. Other colleges comparable to Cal Poly such as UCSB, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCI have between two and three full time advocates. 

Goal: 

By May 16th, we aim to have 500 signatures on our petition to present to President Armstrong and Keith Humphrey. We hope this petition will show the support advocacy services have from the students at Cal Poly, and have our demands met.