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- Category: Campus News
Lincoln University, Pa. – Lincoln University has been awarded a $30,000 grant as part of the “It’s On Us PA” campaign grant to support its efforts against sexual assault.
Lincoln is among 36 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania awarded funding that will cover a new two-way, real-time mobile app for students and security teams, a comprehensive bystander prevention program, and a certified sexual assault training for staff.
The grant, part of Gov. Tom Wolf’s “It’s On Us PA” campaign, was established to help schools implement strategies on their campuses that address its campaign goals, including improving awareness, prevention, reporting and response systems; removing or reducing barriers faced by sexual violence survivors; and cultivating and demonstrating leadership that changes campus sexual violence culture.
“Lincoln University is grateful for the support of our aggressive and proactive efforts to foster a safe and responsive campus environment and culture for our students, faculty, administration and staff through ‘It’s On Us PA’ campaign,” said Richard Green, interim president of Lincoln. “This grant provides a tremendous opportunity for the university to expand our Title IX services as it addresses concerns about issues related to sexual assault awareness and prevention.”
In January, Pennsylvania became the first state to launch its version of the national campaign established by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in 2014.
“Sexual assault has a corrosive effect on all of us,” Wolf said. “My administration is committed to combatting this urgent and serious epidemic, specifically on college campuses.”
Lincoln competed against more than 60 applicants for the funding, which was assessed through a blind evaluation process by a Department of Education assembled-team.
For Lincoln, the grant will help implement the LiveSafe app, which allows users to send texts, photos, videos, and precise location information to report incidents ranging from routine maintenance needs to suspicious activity to safety threats. Currently, businesses, hospitals, malls, college campuses, and large sports and entertainment arenas use the platform to create a safer environment for employees and customers.
LiveSafe was founded by Shy Pahlevani, a victim of a violent robbery, and Kristina Anderson, the most injured survivor of the Virginia Tech shootings, according to its company website.
The university also plans to adopt the Green-Dot Bystander Prevention program, which uses a comprehensive approach to violence prevention by engaging students through awareness, education, and practical skills as well as provide two separate training programs, one for health services staff as well as an online sexual assault prevention training for students and faculty and staff.
Other institutions’ programs and activities include campus-wide training for students, faculty and staff; awareness programs on resources and students’ and survivors’ rights; as well as increased mechanisms for anonymous reporting.
Article By Eric Christopher Webb, Director, Office of Communications & Public Relations