(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA • November 29, 2016)—Delaware County Community College has received a $19,905 grant from the state’s “It’s On Us PA” campaign to address campus sexual assault.  

More than 60 postsecondary institutions across the state representing community colleges, as well as independent and public 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities submitted requests for funding. Grant awardees were selected using a blind evaluation process by a team assembled by the Pennsylvania Department of Education that assessed applications using a list of specific criteria. Grants of up to $30,000 each were awarded to 36 postsecondary institutions to support activities that address the three goals of the It’s On Us PA campaign, which include:

•  Improve awareness, prevention, reporting and response systems regarding sexual violence in schools, colleges and universities to better serve all students.
•  Remove and/or reduce barriers that prevent survivors of sexual violence from reporting and/or accessing vital services by creating a more consistent, empowering reporting process for student survivors of gender-based violence.
• Demonstrate significant, proactive and sustainable leadership to change campus culture by challenging Pennsylvania’s education leaders—including college and university presidents—as well as students, teachers, faculty, staff, families and communities to pledge to improve an institution’s climate.

Led by Christine Doyle, M.S., a counselor in the College’s career and counseling center, an inter-disciplinary team consisting of faculty and administrators from counseling, campus life, and safety and security will implement a variety of activities throughout the spring 2017 semester. Activities will include workshops by expert presenters to address violence against members of the LGBTQ community, training in Title IX compliance and informational sessions for faculty during Professional Development In-Service days. 

Faculty will be trained how to recognize and respond to students seeking assistance; initiate discussions and activities in class; promote activities; and provide assistance, including helping students seek assistance via the College’s website. The College also will develop a collection of reference materials to assist counselors and security staff members to respond effectively to victims of sexual violence.

A special showing of the film, “It Happened Here,” will be presented at all campus locations to supplement class activities and discussions. For more information about the project, please contact Susan Shisler Rapp, Director of Grants Management, at 610-359-5040.