Programming Will Focus on First-Year Students
Indiana University of Pennsylvania has received $40,000 through Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s It’s On Us PA initiative to continue the university’s work to combat campus sexual assault.
This is the seventh year IUP has been selected for It’s On Us funding. It’s On Us PA, established in 2016, is the nation’s first statewide campaign to combat campus sexual assault and violence. With this latest grant, IUP has received It’s On Us PA funding totaling $230,000.
IUP will use this year’s grant funds for programming focusing on first-year students, which are traditionally considered one of the most vulnerable populations, especially during the period experts call the “red zone,” the first few months on campus.
“We appreciate the ongoing support from Governor Shapiro to help us address the issue of campus sexual assault,” IUP President Michael Driscoll said. “IUP’s team, led by Dr. Jessica Miller, director of IUP’s Haven Project and faculty and chair of IUP’s Counseling Center, crafted an excellent grant proposal and will direct many aspects of this initiative, but supporting our students, including taking action to prevent campus sexual assault, is a shared responsibility of every member of the IUP community,” he said. “We also continue to appreciate our community partners, including the Alice Paul House, for outstanding collaboration and important resources,” he said.
“The transition to college, exposure to new social environments, and unfamiliarity with campus resources heighten the risk for our first-year students,” Miller said.
“Additionally, for students who come from a variety of backgrounds, concepts like consent may not be fully understood or emphasized, which can increase the likelihood of non-consensual interactions. To address this, we will offer educational programming, including Green Dot bystander training that covers topics such as consent and reporting options. Alongside this, we will provide fun and engaging activities that highlight available resources and reporting procedures,” Miller said.
To ensure comprehensive support, IUP’s programming will be a collaboration with the Social Equity and Title IX Office and the Alice Paul House, which supports survivors of domestic violence through its shelter and through advocacy and educational programs.
“We are very grateful for this additional funding,” Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Title IX Coordinator Elise Glenn said. “This grant will help us to continue our ongoing work and to reach additional groups of students.”
While the programs funded through this year’s grant will begin during the first week that students are on campus, programs will continue throughout the academic year. Specific programs to other vulnerable populations (LGBTQIA+, Greek life, student-athletes) also will be offered.
Another key focus of programming supported by this year’s grant is supporting neurodivergent students (those with autism spectrum disorders or other cognitive differences), who may face unique social challenges, such as difficulty interpreting social signals, misinterpreting relationships, or displaying obsessive interests.
Part of the plans for this year’s work is inviting a speaker to present to a general audience and conduct specialized training for first responders, including campus law enforcement, IUP’s Behavioral Intervention Team, and administrative deans.
In addition, programming will include a separate session for students who identify as being on the spectrum, offering ongoing support through a Healthy Relationships workshop series tailored to their needs. The primary goals of this program are to increase understanding of stalking behaviors on campus and reduce the number of stalking reports involving students with ASD, Miller explained.
“One of IUP’s greatest strengths is its institutional support for survivors and its ongoing efforts to cultivate an academic environment intolerant of sexual violence,” Miller said.
“Universities that fail to foster strong reporting systems, where victims fear retribution, social isolation, or lack of trust in authorities, may see higher rates of unaddressed sexual violence. Institutions lacking clear, comprehensive sexual assault policies—or those that do not enforce these policies effectively—can unintentionally contribute to a culture where sexual violence is tolerated,” she said.
“At IUP, we are dedicated to preventing sexual assault and domestic and dating violence on campus by creating a transparent, supportive environment where all students feel empowered to seek help,” Glenn said. “We ensure that reporting and support options are shared at all events and presentations. Additionally, IUP is dedicated to staying up to date with the latest Title IX regulations, ensuring that our campus policies align with current best practices and legal requirements.”