*UPDATE: As of May 2019, W&J College's Title IX co-coordinators are Ethics and Compliance Officer Angela Colorito, and Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Eva Chatterjee-Sutton.
WASHINGTON, PA (April 17, 2018)—Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s office and the Pennsylvania Department of Education have announced that Washington & Jefferson College is the recipient of a $19,125 grant through the Governor’s It’s On Us PA Grant Program. The project grant will be supplemented by local share funding for a total of $22,341.
W&J was one of 39 postsecondary institutions awarded grant funding through the state initiative and signed a contract with the Governor’s office on March 21. This is the first year that W&J has been awarded this grant.
“Since launching two years ago, It’s On Us PA has helped dozens of Pennsylvania colleges and universities to develop programs to prevent sexual assault and establish campus cultures where sexual assault and harassment are not tolerated,” Governor Tom Wolf said in a press release. “The pervasiveness of sexual assault has never been more clear, and combatting sexual assault requires action. The It’s On Us PA campaign is continuing to help make our campuses across the state safer.”
W&J’s project, titled “Promoting Community in a Culture of Care to Address Sexual Assault Prevention and Promote Reporting on the Washington & Jefferson College Campus,” has several goals. The College aims to improve awareness about sexual assault resources, reduce or eliminate barriers for reporting or improving data collection and reporting capacity, and prepare advocates for sexual assault prevention and reporting through education and training.
“We are honored to receive this grant which will allow us to expand our work in creating a campus climate which supports enhanced measures to promote prevention of sexual assault and resources for survivors at W&J,” said Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students (co-Title IX Coordinator) Eva Chatterjee-Sutton.
To meet these goals, W&J will implement a 12-person campus-wide compliance committee made up of Chatterjee-Sutton, Director of Human Resources (co-Title IX Coordinator) Robert Allison, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment Lindsey Guinn, faculty members, and three students. The College also will develop a course for W&J students interested in peer advocacy related to sexual assault prevention, and the grant funding will help provide training for course instructors. W&J will expand on the comprehensive campus-wide training that is currently provided for faculty, staff and students.
It’s On Us PA is a statewide campaign that invites everyone to play a role in ending sexual assault. Building off the momentum of the national It’s On Us movement, It’s On Us PA brings together college and university presidents, superintendents, administrators, teachers, students, families, and community members to reframe the conversation around sexual violence and pledge to be part of the solution.
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit washjeff.dev, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
