When Julius Payne, Program Coordinator for the Center for Sexual and Relationship Violence Support Services (SRVSS), was recently approached to participate in a series of Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) podcasts focusing on changing campus culture, it turned out to be a perfect match.
Payne, who had worked previously at the Rape Crisis Center and on the University of Akron campus, had the opportunity to attend many conferences and committee meetings. Along the way, he had meticulously expanded his social network to include those in similar positions, one of which happened to be Kerry Soller, Project Manager for Campus Safety and Sexual Violence Prevention at ODHE.
“Julius is a talented educator who does a great job at facilitating tough conversations with students on their real-life experiences,” she said. “His ability to encourage students to talk openly about what they are seeing and dealing with while also providing factual information made him the natural choice for this project.”
After accepting the invite, Payne took on the task of helping to facilitate conversations with students from across the state of Ohio, ranging from consent, campus culture, LGBTQ+, and students of color on campus. He felt it was important to participate and be an active contributor in the podcasts due to his work with SRVSS and the topics directly related to issues discussed on-air.
“I think it is also important in my personal life to be able to get the thoughts and viewpoints of students,” he said. “I wanted to offer my thoughts so that the students could get a different perspective – and “older” adult – perspective.”
Of the 15 podcasts produced by ODHE, Payne served as host for four episodes and a guest for two (see below for links).
“One of the main thoughts I had on all of these topics is they all can and will put us in a position to continue learning about other perspectives as well as our own thoughts, ideas, and biases,” said Payne. “I felt that it was vital for students to understand consent before even coming to college; I believe, as the students stated, campus culture in some ways is what you make it, or what you choose to follow or pursue.”
The goal of the podcasts, according to Soller, through the Changing Campus Culture initiative is to prevent and better respond to instances of sexual violence on campuses in Ohio.
“Bringing family members into that conversation is an important step,” she said. “I am hopeful that everyone who listens hears something that encourages them to have an open dialogue with their student about how to have a positive impact on campus culture.”
This past year, Kent State University became a member of the Culture of Respect Collective, a two-year initiative offered through the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), to help end sexual violence on campus.
Payne said the involvement in the podcasts enabled him to understand the trials and tribulations of what other students are experiencing across Ohio’s college campuses. It also shined a brighter light on the current culture at their respective campuses.
“I love talking with students and getting to know them and what they feel or think about today’s society and the culture we live in,” said Payne. “At the end of the day, while the culture and things they deal with may not be the same, they are all dealing with something, [and] being able to share their thoughts with others can be enriching and helpful in navigating college.”
Soller explained the primary audience for the podcast is family members, parents, or caretakers of incoming and current college students. Still, it is something everyone can learn from when tuning in.
“We want listeners to learn more about topics related to campus sexual violence and identify how they can be a part of efforts to change harmful cultures through regular dialogue with their student,” she said. “We are fortunate to have so many talented campus and community experts in our state, as well as some outstanding students who were willing to contribute to these episodes.”
Payne served as host for Episode 2 (Students Speak – Campus Culture), Episode 10 (Students Speak – Consent), Episode 12 (Students Speak – LGBTQ+ Students on Campus Today), and Episode 14 (Students Speak – Students of Color on Campus Today), while being a guest on Episode 9 (Consent), and Episode 14 (Students Speak – Students of Color on Campus Today).
To view the entire list of podcasts and listen, visit https://www.ohiohighered.org/ccc/podcast