Nearly 50 people gathered on campus yesterday to talk about ways to combat sexual harassment.

The discussion arose after the group watched a nationwide teleconference that featured Anita Hill speaking via satellite from the University of Oklahoma. The teleconference was sponsored by the University of Arizona's Commission on the Status of Women.

Hill became well known in 1991 when she accused then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her when she worked for him.

Her accusations helped bring the problem of sexual harassment into the public eye.

A five-person panel and mostly female audience in DuVal Auditorium proposed ways to encourage the campus to recognize sexual harassment as a problem prevalent on campus.

In the teleconference, Anne Bryant of the American Association of University Women defined sexual harassment as any unwelcomed, unwanted action that hurts or mars the victim. This includes not only touches but also gestures, looks, comments and jokes.

Panelist Patricia St. Germain, associate dean of UA Medicine Administration and Finance, suggested the UA set up a code of conduct, like the College of Medicine has, that would outline appropriate behavior for employees and students.

Kathleen Schneyer, also a panelist, and an attorney at the UA Attorney's Office, said holding the university accountable for sexual harassment cases that are proven true could encourage UA administrators to take sexual harassment issues seriously and try to find ways to prevent them.

Speaking from a student's perspective, Sossity Chiricuzio, women's studies senior and Women's Resource Center volunteer, said she would like to see increased campus-wide dialogue on sexual harassment so victims know where they can turn.

"There is not an effective coalition of resources campus-wide - students aren't aware of all their options or resources," she said, referring to the lack of communication between departments.

But the ideas from the discussion came mostly from women.

Media arts graduate Deborah Lea Wright said she thought few men showed up because men do not worry about sexual harassment.

"When you're part of the privileged class, you wouldn't see a need to change," she said, adding that they were "preaching to the converted."

"Women come here because they're interested, men don't come because they're not affected," said Kay Dodder, university library specialist.

But the UA has not been entirely neglectful of the problem.

Judy Nichols Mitchell, director of the UA Commission on the Status of Women, said she was proud of university administrators for supporting a four-poster campaign against sexual harassment.

The university also supports training to make staff more aware of the problem and of what the Women's Resource Center, Affirmative Action office and counseling services can do to help victims, Mitchell said.

The Office of Affirmative Action has helped resolve 50 cases of sexual harassment on campus since July 1994.

The office helps victims with mediation and counseling, said Affirmative Action Coordinator Helen Mautner.

Of the 50, in only 12 cases were formal complaints filed.

But Mautner said she suspects the office sees only a third of campus sexual harassment cases.

Hill said in the teleconference that women are often hesitant to report incidents of sexual harassment because they are afraid of being stereotyped as unreasonable and irrational.

Sexual harassment against men is reported even less. Mautner said the office plans to publicize the issue through the media and by scheduling more forums and training sessions to educate the public about sexual harassment.

People who believe they are victims of sexual harassment may visit any of the following:

• The Women's Resource Center, Student Union Room 202.
• OASIS Center for Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence.
• CARE (Campus Acquaintance Rape Educators) at 621-ASUA.
• Any school administrator.
• Counseling and Psychological services in the Student Health Center.