West Chester, Pa (December 16, 2024) – West Chester University was awarded nearly $50,000 in state funding to support ongoing efforts to prevent and combat sexual assault on campus, state Senator Carolyn Comitta said.
The funding comes through It’s On Us PA, a statewide program administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to support strategies and resources to stop sexual assault and misconduct on college campuses.
“Stopping sexual assault starts with changing the culture on campus. Through It’s On Us PA, we’re opening a larger conversation about recognizing, identifying, and intervening in situations where consent has not or cannot be given,” said Comitta, who serves on the Senate Education Committee. “We all have a role to play in ensuring our colleges, universities, and institutions of higher education are safe, healthy, and productive learning environments where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.
“As a West Chester University alumna, I commend the university, its staff, and students for being leaders in working to prevent and address sexual assault and misconduct,” she added.
The program brings together education leaders and all Pennsylvanians to be part of the solution in protecting students from sexual violence by raising awareness about sexual assault, teaching participants that assault includes non-consensual sex, advising them on how to identify dangerous situations, empowering them to intervene, and urging them to create an environment of support for victims and survivors.
Modeled on the success of the national It’s On Us campaign, in 2016 It’s On Us PA became the nation’s first statewide campaign to improve campus safety by supporting colleges and university communities in reframing the conversation around sexual violence and empowering them to develop solutions.
“PDE is committed to supporting efforts that keep college students and their campuses safe, inclusive, and welcoming for all students,” said Interim Acting PDE Secretary Angela Fitterer. “All Pennsylvanians deserve a safe learning environment, and the It’s On Us PA grant program cultivates change and provides colleges, universities, and postsecondary institutions with the support and resources necessary to protect learning environments and ensure they are free from sexual assault, harassment, and violence.”
The funding for West Chester University comes as part of more than $1.6 million in It’s On Us PA grants awarded to more than 44 colleges, universities, and other postsecondary institutions across the Commonwealth.
Eligible institutions and schools with 10,000 or fewer students were able to request up to $40,000; those with more than 10,000 students were able to apply for up to $60,000. Private licensed career schools that do not offer specialized associate degrees could request up to $10,000.
Since 2016, 301 It’s On Us PA grants totaling nearly $8.7 million to 100 post-secondary institutions across the state – including public and private two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
In the past, West Chester University and Lincoln University have received grant funding through It’s On Us PA.
Pennsylvanians are also invited to visit the It’s On Us PA webpage and take the pledge to “recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault, identify situations in which sexual assault may occur, intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given, and create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.”