The Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts was packed for the first installment of a lecture series scheduled for the 2005-2006 school year.

All 800 seats were filled and about 20 students stood against the walls.

Mike Domitrz spoke for the first of six Student Affairs lectures to be held this school year. The lecture was called "Can I Kiss You?" he covered issues within the areas of dating and sexual assault. All first year students were required to attend.

The vast majority of students were engaged throughout the entire discussion.

When Domitrz asked for responses from the audience the room roared with, "Yes!" and "No!"

The first topic discussed pertained to body language. Domitrz explained that body language is an important way to communicate while dating, but it is not the only way.

Each partner should ask before touching the other person because body language can easily be misread. Asking, "Can I kiss you?" can eliminate unwanted advances resulting in hard feelings and possible guilt.

"You should take equal responsibility in relationships," said Mike Domitrz.

The lecture aimed to teach students not to objectify themselves.

"When you act like an object, you will be treated like an object, you don't seem real," said Domitrz.

Domitrz created humorous dating scenarios throughout the lecture in order to show the students how effective verbal communication can be in preventing any unwanted and potentially harmful situations.

The lecture went into depth about sexual assault. Domitrz's sister was raped, so sexual assault is a topic that is very important to him.

"I would grow to discover that survivors of sexual assault are amazing people," said Domitrz.

Domitrz aims to promote the phrase "Do you ask?" rather than "No means no." The fact is that most people do not ask before they make sexual advances.

In the case of a sexual assault it is usually left to the victim to say yes or no even if they are not asked. Domitrz would rather scrutiny be put on the advancer to determine if they asked or not. Silence is not an open invitation.

The lecture was designed to teach students how to prevent situations in which sexual assault could take place.

Domitrz made it very clear that friends of students who drink alcohol should try to keep them from making decisions they ordinarily would not make.

"You wouldn't let someone drive drunk, so you shouldn't let someone go home with someone drunk," said Domitrz.

It is important to know that even if someone takes every measure they can to keep from becoming sexually assaulted, it can still happen.

"You could ask, you could set the boundaries, you could do everything right and you could still be raped," said Domitrz.

Sexual assault is the fault of the perpetrator, not the victim.

Students seemed to enjoy the lecture immensely. Laughter was heard throughout the theater when Domitrz made jokes and students also concentrated on him when he made serious points. Students learned that asking before acting could be very beneficial while dating.

"In the end the entire crowd thought, 'yeah that's the perfect way'," said Rich Deecken, sophomore of Trumbull,C.T.

The Center for Women and Families, located in Bridgeport, promoted their services at the lecture. Any victims of sexual assault can contact the center 24 hours a day at (888) 999-5545. Counseling services are also available on campus.

Please do not be afraid to ask, it can only benefit you, without consent you will get in trouble.