Tell any student they have more mandatory training from the University, and you will likely hear a fair amount of grumbling and groaning. Typically, returning students must complete just one new training each year, but that is not the case this year. On July 31, the USC Student Requirements Team sent students an email unveiling a revised “Staying Safe” module and announcing the training had been reassigned to all continuing students.

The University requires undergraduate students to complete seven Prevention Education Modules — while graduate students must complete three— in order to avoid a registration hold. Most modules are completed at the start of a student’s time at USC, though three undergraduate Consent and Healthy Relationships modules are divided over students’ first three years.

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Students were required to complete the reassigned training by the first day of classes, Aug. 26. Students who did not will be unable to register for Spring 2025 classes until they complete the training.

In the email, USC wrote the module includes new sections on the University’s resources, safety in digital and real life encounters, and civil discourse. The training also included reminders about the Department of Public Safety patrol zone, LiveSafe app, rideshare safety and tips to avoid theft.

The University wrote in a statement to the Daily Trojan that the modules are reviewed annually and it reassigned the module because of their focus on safety and student health.

“New sections have been added over time to provide additional information to students about common risks, best practices, and campus resources available to help keep our community safe from harm,” the University wrote. “We work with partners across campus to ensure we have the most updated and relevant information as possible.”

The new Sextortion and Protecting Online Privacy chapter explained common tactics of sextortionists — building trust with targets before requesting intimate images and making demands and threats —, dos and don’ts, and contact information for reporting and support options. 

The Safe Conduct and Freedom of Expression chapter included information about the University’s rules, speech not protected by the First Amendment and a condemnation of all types of harassment. This chapter includes the University’s rules prohibiting camping, the posting of unauthorized flyers and the removal of unauthorized posters. The module promises any encampments will be removed, equipment will be seized and threatened disciplinary consequences for offenders.   

In the spring, USC informed protesters at the Gaza Solidarity Occupation they were in violation of those camping and flyer rules after they set up their initial encampment, but did not remove a second encampment for 11 days after it was erected.

The Anti-Defamation League — an organization focused on fighting antisemitism and bias — says clear communication regarding campus rules is an important component of ensuring students feel safe on campus.

“There were rules in place last year — time, place and manner restrictions — and all too frequently when those were violated, that was ignored and there were no consequences,” said ADL Los Angeles Regional Director Jeffrey Abrams. “As we begin this new semester, it’s critical that leaders act like leaders and enforce those rules.”

The University has revised Prevention Education Modules in the past, introducing the AlcoholEdu course in 2004, the sexual assault prevention training in 2014, and expanding consent and sexual assault prevention training from one module to four in 2021. 

In 2023, the University also introduced an optional Student Sustainability Training module. The following spring, the Environmental Student Assembly attempted to pass an Undergraduate Student Government resolution in support of making the training module required. The resolution was tabled for the USG senate to revisit at a later date.

Meanwhile, the Native American Student Assembly has been working with USG to develop a module with information about the Gabrielino Tribe, which lived on the land where USC now sits. NASA Advocacy Liaison Zidane Zamorano said he plans to continue to work on the module this year before sending it to administrators. Zamorano said NASA and USG have faced issues finding the department responsible for implementing training. 

“We’ve kind of had a little bit of a difficulty figuring out who exactly does the TrojanLearn modules, because we’ve gotten several different answers,” Zamorano said. “Nothing actually says, ‘This person or this department is in charge of TrojanLearn.’”