Michigan First Lady Snyder announced last week that 22 colleges and universities in Michigan will be receiving $500,000, to be distributed across all universities, in various grants to combat against sexual assault. 

The grant will be divided among the schools, with Oakland University receiving $10,550. The goal of the grant is to help schools focus on sexual assault prevention and education.

Each college and university had to pitch a program and apply for the Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program (CSAGP) this summer. According to endsexualassault.com, the proposals and applications focused on plans to implement bystander training programs, place emphasis on student participation and create networks aiming to improve access to assault prevention resources.

Jean Ann Miller, the director of the Center for Student Activities and Leadership Developmentat OU, was in charge of creating programs and applying for the grant. The project title at Oakland is “Consent is the New Yes Campus Sexual Assault Campaign” and will focus on multiple campus–wide awareness programs.

Miller plans on using the grant to create more awareness on campus by bringing in a speaker who is an expert on sexual assault prevention and throwing a spring break awareness fair where students can learn about being safe before they travel on spring break. Other programs and events are still being developed as the grant can be used from Nov. 5 through April 30.

“We are planning a mock trial students can be a part of. There will be a judge and jury, and the students will play different roles in the trial so they can learn more about the legal process and ramifications of a sexual assault,” Miller said of one of the programs.

The grant can will also look to help with Oakland University Student Congress’ “It’s On Us” campaign. The campaign was launched at the beginning of the year by the student congress and looks to raise awareness, educate the Oakland community and provide aid to victims of sexual assault.

The application process was completed before the two reported sexual assaults that occurred on campus this semester. The first occurred on Sept. 8 in the Ann V. Nicholson student apartment parking lot, and the second occurred one month later on Oct. 8 in West Vandenberg Hall.

According to Oakland University Police Department police chief Mark Gordon, the first sexual assault case was closed because the victim refused to prosecute. The second sexual assault case was also closed after a thorough review by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, after which they chose not to issue a warrant.

OUPD offers a 24-hour, seven days a week visual escort service. Students can call the police department’s non-emergency number at (248)370-3331 if they feel unsafe walking anywhere on campus and a patrol car will dispatch to watch them as they travel.

More information on the grant can be found at http://www.endcampussexualassault.com/grant-program/. If you or someone you know would like information on campus sexual assault, you can visit oakland.edu/oucc/common-concerns/assault or haven-oakland.org.