The purpose of this research was to evaluate whether or not the Cal Poly Dean of Students use of Haven, an online sexual assault learning module, is an effective tool to educate students on the topic of sexual assault. From our data, we discovered that while sexual assault is viewed as a true and serious threat in San Luis Obispo, very few respondents found value in the online course, Haven. Through both quantitative and qualitative research, the research team concluded that Cal Poly Dean of Student must find new ways to inform students about this topic. From our semi structured interviews, we gathered that students would be interested in choosing from a variety of classes to learn about sexual assault. Some suggestions for courses that could be provided include but are not limited to: a self defense class, an independent research project, and/or a group research project. By providing a number of ways to learn, it is likely that students will be more motivated by and interested in sexual assault.

1. Haven Requirement & Sexual Assault Education
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Researched by: Brooke Campbell, Alex Kirchick, Josie Schneider, Meghan
Thompson
Due Date: December 3, 2015

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS: DATA ANALYSIS
RESULTS: FINDINGS
DISCUSSION: CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY & REFLECTION
APPENDIX
REFERENCES
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3. INTRODUCTION
Background:
What?
The concern is whether or not the Dean of Students’ use of online sexual
assault prevention training is an effective method to prevent sexual assault
and “[promote] student development and leadership” for “successful
..community life” at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis
Obispo.
Sexual assault is a prevalent issue seen among many universities
worldwide. In fact, data from the National Institute of Justice shows that
one in five college women (and one in 16 men) will experience some form
of non-consensual sexual activity by graduation. The widespread impact of
sexual violence on students presents an urgent and pressing challenge for
the nation’s campuses.
Specifically in San Luis Obispo, the number of sexual assaults continues to
climb. The University Police released the 2015 Annual Security Report,
which includes campus crime statistics from 2012-2014 to show that
crime numbers are dramatically rising. Just this school year, there have
already been 3 published community sexual assaults. It is clear that this is
a problem that needs to be addressed in order to lead to successful campus
and community life; however, Haven may not be a practical method. It is
essential that the Dean of Students is following their mission, vision, and
values as a university, and an evaluation must take place to check that
Haven is ensuring this.
Who Cares?
The Dean of Students, Cal Poly’s mission is to “[promote] student
development and leadership; [enhance] student success and retention; and
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4. [facilitate] a respectful, diverse, and inclusive campus.” They work to
“provide educational programs, direct support, advocacy, and resources
for successful navigation of campus and community life.” Cal Poly is
located about 230 miles south of San Francisco, 200 miles north of Los
Angeles, 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean. In Fall 2014, it was reported that
roughly 20,186 students attend Cal Poly: 10,888 males and 9,298 females.
The Dean of Students is committed to helping all Cal Poly students be
successful in and out of the classroom by encouraging an active, involved
lifestyle through the philosophy, “learn by doing.” In order to allow for
involvement, there are many clubs and activities for students to participate
in, as well as programs and centers for students to seek help and
assistance from or to take on leadership roles in. By evaluating whether
the Dean of Students is fulfilling their mission and understanding the best
ways for students to learn about sexual assault, the Dean of Students can
adjust curriculum and requirements accordingly. Thus, campus and
community life can be improved.
Purpose Statement:
The purpose of this research was to evaluate whether or not the Cal Poly Dean of
Students use of Haven, an online sexual assault learning module, is an effective
tool to educate students on the topic of sexual assault. The research team
examined multiple different areas in focus groups and interviews.
Research Question(s)
1.) Are students learning and changing their attitudes toward sexual assault
by taking the mandatory Haven online course?
2.) Is the Cal Poly Dean of Students fulfilling their mission to provide
beneficial educational programs for a safe and successful campus and
community life through the use of Haven?
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5. 3.) What are the best ways to inform students about sexual assault?
METHODS
Subjects:
Haven is an online education course that was required to be completed by all Cal
Poly students. The respondents to the survey were participants that were
required to complete the course. According to Cal Poly Demographics and Quick
Facts, Cal Poly has a student body of about roughly 20,186 students. There are
10,888 (53.9%) males and 9,298 (46.1%) females 18 and older, with an average
age of 20.3. The students have different cultural backgrounds, ethnicity, and race
ensuring a diverse and equal opportunity for the survey evaluation.
Sampling:
The intent is to research the effectiveness of Haven, an online sexual assault
educational course on the Cal Poly campus. All students enrolled at Cal Poly were
required to complete Haven before the first day of fall quarter so the sampling
pool is large. To draw the most diverse sample of students, the survey will be
posted on three different Cal Poly Group Facebook pages, organized by class (i.e.
Cal Poly SLO Class of 2017).
Issues in Data Sampling:
There a few problems that arose with the research team’s data sampling. One
issue the research team saw was that instead of using the most random sample
possible, convenience sampling was used. To obtain the most accurate results, the
research team would have ideally tested the whole population. Unfortunately, the
population at Cal Poly (almost 21,000 students) is simply too large to include
every individual. That is why the research team resulted to using convenience
sampling. Convenience sampling is a non-probability sampling technique where
subjects are selected because of their convenient accessibility and close proximity
to the researcher. This method of sampling was utilized because it was fast,
inexpensive and easy.
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6. Sample Versus Population:
The research team’s sample differed from the population at Cal Poly. The overall
population at Cal Poly is 53.9% males and 46.1% females. The convenience sample
consisted of 165 participants, 50 of which were male and 115 of whom were
females.
Qualitative Data Gathering:
The research team conducted a semi-structured interview. The research team
developed the questions together, in an interview setting. Two group members
asked questions while the others responded, making the interview process more
realistic. From there, the research team determined what questions best fit the
purpose statement and which did not. Because the group used the semi-structured
interview technique, many of the questions utilized will stem from answers
produced from the interviewees. By having some structure, there was assurance
that the interviews were somewhat consistent. The interviews were conducted
from November 9th through November 15th, each lasting 15-20 minutes. Each
group member talked to Cal Poly students who took the Haven online course, ages
ranging from 18 to 25 years old, which whom the majority were white females.
The research team recruited friends and roommates to be interviewees.
Quantitative Data Gathering:
The research team utilized the tool Google Forms to formulate and design the
survey. A small excerpt, following the link to Google Forms, explained what is
being researched so participants are fully aware of the intent of the research team.
After five days, links will be reposted on all Cal Poly Facebook Groups to
encourage more participants to complete the survey. No incentives will be given
to participants. The survey will remain active for one week, or until 160 responses
are recorded.
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7. RESULTS: DATA ANALYSIS
Quantitative Data Analysis:
Mean & Standard Deviation
The research team first analyzed survey question responses by calculating
the mean and the standard deviation. A majority of the means fell in the
middle and did not provide the research team with useful information.
Mode
The research team found that by using the mode of the survey responses
they were able to appropriately determine what the majority of
respondents felt. For example in survey question number 2, “how attentive
were you when completing the Haven course?”, the mean for this response
was 2.36 but the mode was 1, indicating the most students were not
attentive. The mode was the best measurement to determine true
participant response.
Pivot Table
To analyze the data received in an organized, efficient way, the research
team utilized pivot tables. The pivot table below (P. 9) reflects the average
responses to survey questions broken down by demographic. This was
done to see if there were any notable differences in responses in
relationship to demographic.
Correlation Matrix
To further analyze the results, the research team created a correlation
table. The research team will be treating moderate correlations as strong
correlations, seeing no strong correlations were present in this study. The
most prevalent correlation the research team found was the positive
relationship between attentiveness and amount learned (0.57). The
positive relationship displays that the more attentive a participant is while
completing the online module, the more they will learn. Also a correlation
was found between the amount a participant learned and the overall
effectiveness of Haven (0.58). This positive relationship displays that the
more a participant learns from the online module, the more effective it will
be.
Data Analysis Issues
A problem that arose occurred during the data collection process
regarding participant confusion on the Google Forms survey. One section
on the survey contained a question in which participants were asked to
rank on a 1-5 scale what method was the most effective for learning about
sexual assault. When the results came in, the research team determined
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8. that some participants did not rank all possible options and instead only
ranked the first one. Also, few participants ranked one or more items first,
compromising the results. As described above, another problem that
occurred was the uneven amount of male and female respondents. Female
respondents outnumbered male respondents by 39%.
Qualitative Data Analysis:
The research team conducted semi-structured interviews. By conducting
interviews in this format, the research team was able to ask impromptu questions
that arose through natural conversation which helped gain a better understanding
of the student’s viewpoints. To avoid bias, social desirability, and groupthink,
each question was open-ended and use clear language. The research team also
conducted interviews with small groups to avoid groupthink that may happen in
focus groups. Small groups consisted of 2-3 participants. Participants consisted of
Cal Poly students that completed the Haven online course, ages ranging from 18 to
25 years old, majority white females. The research team recruited interviewees
from friends and roommates. The evaluators and interviewees communicated a
location and time for the interview to take place. The interviews were conducted
on November 9th through November 15th.
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9. RESULTS: FINDINGS
This graph reflects the mode, or most often picked, response to the questions from our survey.
The research team used the mode because the averages were not a reflective representation of
the data.
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10. This graph reflects the different methods for learning about sexual assault that students are
interested in. As you can see, the graph is almost evenly distributed among the categories. For
this reason, the research team recommends that the school provide the students multiple
methods to choose from to learn about the topic.
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11. Average of
Attentiveness
Average of
Safe on
Campus
Average of
Amount
Learned
Average of
Preparedness
Average of Effective
Tool to Improve
Safety
Female 2.6 3.13 2.18 3.27 2.40
African
American
3.0 3.50 2.50 2.00 2.00
Asian or
Pacific
Islander
2.5 3.38 2.08 3.00 2.00
Hispanic or
Latino
3.3 3.00 3.00 3.75 2.75
Other 3.2 3.20 2.60 3.50 2.90
White 2.5 3.09 2.06 3.27 2.38
Male 1.8 4.40 1.88 3.22 1.90
African
American
3.0 5.00 2.00 2.00 1.00
Asian or
Pacific
Islander
1.3 4.00 1.67 3.67 2.17
Hispanic or
Latino
2.0 4.50 1.83 3.00 1.83
Other 1.5 4.00 2.00 2.50 1.00
White 1.9 4.46 1.91 3.26 1.94
Grand Total 2.4 3.52 2.09 3.25 2.25
This pivot table displays the relationship of the average response to each question pertaining to
each participant's demographics. After analyzing the charts, the research team determined that
males overall, payed less attention, learned less, and thought that Haven was not an effective tool
to combat sexual assault.
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12. DISCUSSION: CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusions:
To determine the response to ​“Do you think Haven is an effective tool for improving
the overall safety for students at Cal Poly?”, the research team first took the
average. After combing through the data, the research team indicated there were a
few outliers that began to skew the results. To combat this, the group took the
mode for a more accurate representation of the population’s feelings. The
research team concluded that the student body at California Polytechnic
University does not believe that Haven is an effective tool to improve safety on
campus and within the community.
The research team first began to analyze the results of ​“How attentive were you
when completing the Haven course? (Very attentive meaning you were only paying
attention to/doing Haven; not attentive meaning you had multiple
screens/distractions open during the course)” ​by taking the average of all
responses. After determining that the average was directly in the middle,
presenting no helpful information, the group decided to take the mode. The mode
(1) indicated that a majority of students were not attentive while completing the
online learning module, Haven. Students could have been watching TV, eating, or
completing other tasks while simply clicking through Haven.
The research team first began to analyze the results of ​“After completing the Haven
course, how much more did you learn on the topic of sexual assault?” ​by taking the
average of all responses.The mean (2.08) and mode (2) both indicated that a
majority of students learned little to no new information by completing the online
learning module, Haven. This may be because students have already learned about
the information through Safer presentations or in classes. Another reason may be
because students were simply not paying attention, which was reflected in the
previous question where students rated their attentiveness while completing
Haven.
The average response to ​“After taking the online Haven course, how prepared do
you feel to intervene and help someone in the face of sexual assault?” ​reflects that
majority (mean: 3.24) of students feel prepared to intervene in the face of sexual
assault. This response is difficult to analyze because students may feel prepared in
their abilities to intervene but this may not be directly related to the fact that they
have completed Haven. They may have learned how to deal with sexual assault
from a different source. This question will not be strongly considered in our final
conclusions as its results may not be accurate.
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13. Recommendations:
The following are action steps the research team recommends that the Dean of
Students of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo take to help
improve campus culture:
1. Conduct more research to determine why students feel unsafe on campus
and in the community.
2. Research how other schools inform and educate students about the topics
of sexual assault and sexual assault prevention.
3. Implement new methods for students to learn about sexual assault.
SUMMARY & REFLECTION
Summary:
The research team seeked to determine the impacts Haven has had on Cal Poly
students. The purpose of collecting this information was to discover if there are
more effective ways to educate students about sexual assault. From our data, we
have discovered that while sexual assault is viewed as a true and serious threat in
San Luis Obispo, very few respondents found value in the online course, Haven.
Through both quantitative and qualitative research, the research team concluded
that Cal Poly Dean of Student must find new ways to inform students about this
topic. From our semi structured interviews, we gathered that students would be
interested in choosing from a variety of classes to learn about sexual assault.
Some suggestions for courses that could be provided include but are not limited
to: a self defense class, an independent research project, and/or a group research
project. By providing a number of ways to learn, it is likely that students will be
more motivated by and interested in sexual assault.
Recommendations:
The following outlines recommendations and concluding thoughts in response to
research questions that were answered throughout the research and evaluation
process.
(1) Are students learning and changing their attitudes toward sexual assault by
taking the mandatory Haven online course?
The research team strongly recommends that the Dean of Students
explore other alternatives to educate and inform the student body
on the topic of sexual assault because students are not learning or
changing their attitudes after completing Haven. The results
indicated that the majority of students believed that a group
discussion would be a good alternative to learn about the topic. It is
essential that the Dean of Students explores this as a beneficial
educational program.
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14. (2) Is the Cal Poly Dean of Students fulfilling their mission to provide beneficial
educational programs for a safe and successful campus and community life
through the use of Haven?
The research team recommends that the Cal Poly Dean of Students
revise their strategies to accomplish their mission of providing
educational programs for a safe and successful campus. More
research should take place to determine what makes students feel
safe on campus and in the community, and to explore programs
that would fulfill this. The data indicated that students preferred
group discussions overall, this could possibly reflect ideas of
feeling safe in an intimate setting for a discussion on a sensitive
subject like sexual assault. Following group discussion was social
media, this indicated the research team that students feel
comfortable on social media. This could be a way for students to
truly engage in conversations and education programs through an
educational application.
(3) What are the best ways to inform students about sexual assault?
Instead of using Haven to educate students on the topic of sexual
assault, the Dean of Students could implement a mandatory group
project in which students research and give a presentation on
sexual assault. All students are required to take Communications
101 or 102 to graduate, so this could be easily implemented into
the curriculum of this class. This would be beneficial to the student
body because 28% of students ranked that group discussion was
the best way to learn about this topic.
After analyzing our qualitative data, the research team noticed and
increase in interest of students in learning about self defense and
other real skills that will protect them if ever attacked by a sexual
offender. An optional program on self defense education could be
implemented for students who prefer to take action on possible
future dangerous situations.
Suggestions:
After thoroughly analyzing the results of this study, the research team is qualified
to recommend what future evaluations should focus on. The main issue the
research team found was that students at California Polytechnic University did not
learn new information regarding sexual assault by completing the online learning
module, Haven. Future evaluations should have students complete a pre survey to
determine their knowledge on sexual assault prior to completing Haven. This will
establish a baseline and allow researchers to determine what information
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15. students already know and understand so that they can better tailor their learning
module to what students do not know and need to learn more about.
Self Evaluation:
In order to improve future evaluations, the evaluation team will focus on reducing
sampling bias. Due to a lack of time and resources, the evaluation team piloted the
survey on social media, which created convenience sampling bias and the
snowball effect. The future sample will be found using a simple random sample, in
which every Cal Poly student will be assigned to a number and using a Table of
Random Numbers, we will choose the students to take the survey and to
interview. This will reduce all sampling bias.
Another important change the research team plans to make for future evaluations
is to use a different platform than Google Forms due to respondent confusion, as
explained previously. The survey will be designed in a way that ensures that all
data gathered is indicative of true participant responses.
APPENDIX
Script:
Introductions
Hello, my name is (Brooke Campbell, Alex Kirchick, Josie Schneider,
Meghan Thompson) and I am conducting an interview assessing the
effectiveness of Haven, the online sexual assault learning module that you
had to complete before September 21st. If you would like to participate in
this study, it would be greatly appreciated but do not feel obligated to
participate or answer any questions that make you feel uncomfortable.
Opening Instructions
I am going to ask you a few questions concerning the effectiveness of
Haven. Please answer openly and honestly. If you do not wish to answer a
question because you feel uncomfortable please let me know. This
interview will last 20-30 minutes.
Qualitative Interview Questions:
1.) How did you hear about the need to complete the online sexual assault
course Haven for the 2015-2016 school year?
2.) How much time did it take you to complete Haven?
3.) Do you feel capable of defending yourself in a situation where a sexual
assault may occur?
4.) Do you feel confident in your abilities to help a friend who has been
sexually assaulted?
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16. 5.) Can you describe your experience taking Haven? (Setting? Level of
attentiveness?)
6.) What are some things you might do/say to help a friend who has been
sexually assaulted?
7.) What are a few topics or facts that stood out to you while completing the
Haven course?
8.) Can you describe something you liked about Haven? Disliked?
9.) How did Haven make you feel? Did it surprise you?
10.) How did you feel about having to complete Haven before September
21st?
11.) What ways would you prefer to learn about sexual assault? Why?
12.) Are you interested in learning more about sexual assault? Why?
Survey Questions:
1.) On a scale of 1-5, how safe do you feel on the Cal Poly campus traveling alone after
8pm?
Not Safe 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely Safe
2.) On a scale of 1-5, how safe do you feel in the San Luis Obispo community traveling
alone after 8pm?
Not Safe 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely Safe
3.) How many times have you been required to complete the Haven online required
course at Cal Poly?
- 0
- 1
- 2
- 3+
4.) What class standing are you at Cal Poly?
- Freshman
- Sophomore
- Junior
- Senior (4)
- Senior (5+)
5.) What is your age?
Fill in the blank
6.) What is your sex?
- Male
- Female
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17. 7.) What is your ethnicity?
- Hispanic or Latino
- White
- African American
- Asian/Pacific Islander
- Native American or American Indian
- Other
8.) There are many different ways universities educate students about sexual assault.
Please rank the following from 1-5, 5 being the best and 1 being the worst, the
best ways you learn about sexual assault:
- One-on-one Conversation
- Online Learning Modules
- Group Discussion
- Safer Presentations
- Videos/Movies
9.) Where do you live?
- On Campus
- Off Campus
10.) How important do you think your safety is on campus and in the community of
San Luis Obispo to the success of your personal growth as a young adult?
Unimportant 1 2 3 4 5 Very Important
11.) How important do you think your safety is on campus and in the community of
San Luis Obispo to the success of your education as a scholar?
Unimportant 1 2 3 4 5 Very Important
12.) How much more knowledgeable are you on the topic of sexual assault after
completing the Haven course?
Unchanged 1 2 3 4 5 Very Knowledgeable
13.) How attentive were you when completing the Haven course?
Not Attentive 1 2 3 4 5 Attentive
14.) How prepared do you feel to intervene and help someone in the face of sexual
assault, after taking the online Haven course?
Unprepared 1 2 3 4 5 Very Prepared
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18. 15.) Do you think Haven is an effective tool for improving the overall safety for
students at Cal Poly?
Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree
Coding Notes:
Direct Quotes
- “Umm.. I did it [Haven] in my bed and I did it as fast as possible. I just
clicked on everything and didn't read everything… I wasn't that attentive, I
think I was watching tv at the same time”.
- “... I know we have a ton of resources on campus I just don't know exactly
what they are but I could google them and find help on campus and in the
community for people who don't go to Poly”.
- “I thought it would be more informative on the steps to take in a situation,
but I guess that is very circumstantial but i was surprised on how much
personal stuff they were asking”.
- “If it was an email I know I would never read it. I think my preference
would probably be a Group discussion, I did that at Davis. I didn't like it at
the time because we had so many other stuff and seminars to listen to but
we also had an alcohol one and a sexual assault one. It was more
interactive and interesting talking about personal situations that we could
learn from”.
- “Probably the questions they asked about consent, I kinda thought that
was irrelevant, they always said this survey was anonymous. I don't know
if they were trying to collect data or what but them asking all these
personal questions is not relevant on informing people how to go about a
situation of sexual assault.”
- “Not because of Haven. [I could defend myself] potentially depending on
the situation I would try and go into survival mode”.
- “[took me] 30 minutes…clicked through…my friend did it fo real and it
took her an hour and a half”
- “yes you feel empowered through learn actual moves….with haven you
just feel sad”.
- “a lot of it was unrealistic… like actually saying verbally when you are
going to have sex… that is not realistic so why does it even do that”.
Open Codes
- Fast
- Not attentive
- Self defense
- Unrealistic
- Irrelevant
- Sad
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19. - Empowered
- Personal information
- Resources
- Long
- Scared
- Survival
- Deadline
Axial Codes
- Time Consuming
- Self Protection
- Irrelevant
- Distractions
Raw Data:
Do you think Haven is an effective tool for improving the overall safety for
students at Cal Poly? (1: Disagree, 5: Agree)
- Mode: 1
How attentive were you when completing the Haven course? (5 Very attentive
meaning you were only paying attention to/doing Haven; 1 Not attentive meaning
you had multiple screens/distractions open during the course)
- Mean: 2.36 (Female: 2.60, Male: 1.84)
- Stdv: 1.3
- Mode: 1
After completing the Haven course, how much more did you learn on the topic of
sexual assault? (1: Nothing, 5: A lot)
- Mean: 2.08 (Female: 2.18, Male: 1.88)
- Stdv: 1.05
- Mode: 2
After taking the online Haven course, how prepared do you feel to intervene and
help someone in the face of sexual assault? (1: Unprepared, 5: Very Prepared)
- Mean: 3.24 (Female: 3.27, Male: 3.22)
- Stdv: 1.12
- Mode: 3
On a scale of 1-5, how safe do you feel in the San Luis Obispo community walking
alone after 8pm? (1: Unsafe, 5: Very Safe)
- Mean: 2.94 (Female: 2.47, Male: 4.0)
- Stdv: 1.25
- Mode: 2
18

20. On a scale of 1-5, how safe do you feel on the Cal Poly campus walking alone
after 8pm? (1: Usafe, 5: Very Safe)
- Mean: 3.51 (Female: 3.13, Male: 4.04)
- Stdv: 1.14
- Mode: 4
The remainder of the raw data has been emailed to the chief evaluator, Keri
Schwab, Ph. D., keschwab@calpoly.edu
REFERENCES
DeCosta, J., Dr. (2015). Cal Poly Dean of Students. Retrieved October 5, 2015, from
California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo website:
http://www.deanofstudents.calpoly.edu
EverFi. (2014). Retrieved October 5, 2015, from Haven: Sexual Assault Education website:
http://www.everfi.com/haven
Keri Schwab, Ph. D.
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