EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Eastern Michigan University administrators will both lead and participate in wide-ranging discussions focused on ending sexual assault on college campuses during a statewide summit at the University of Michigan on Friday, Sept. 30.

Heather Lyke

The discussions are part of Sue Snyder’s second annual Let’s End Campus Sexual Assault Summit, to be held tomorrow (Friday) at the University of Michigan’s North Campus Research Complex (2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor 48109). The Summit begins at 8:45 a.m. and concludes at 4:30 p.m.

EMU vice president and athletic director Heather Lyke will kick off the summit’s program by moderating a panel that will address how universities can partner with their athletes and athletic departments to equip them with knowledge about sexual assault awareness and prevention. The discussion follows welcome remarks by First Lady Sue Snyder, Governor Rick Snyder and their daughter, Kelsey, a student at U-M.

Chris Creighton, head football coach at Eastern Michigan, is on the panel, along with U-M softball coach Carol Hutchins, U-M athletic director Warde Manuel, Mary Wilfert, associate director of the NCAA’s Sport Science Institute; and Ron Bellamy, a former U-M and pro football player and current  head football coach at West Bloomfield High School. The discussion will run from 9:15 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Ellen Gold, EMU’s Assistant Vice President for Student Well Being, along with Ellen Collier, EMU Women’s Resource Center Coordinator; will present in a breakout session, sharing the new “I Choose” sexual assault prevention campaign that Eastern Michigan University has recently designed and implemented  with the funds provided through the state’s Campus Sexual Assault grant program award.

Speakers from Ferris State and Michigan State universities will also share  their individual efforts during that breakout session, which runs from 9:50 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.

 Out of 22 Michigan universities and colleges receiving grant funds for last year, EMU’s SMART proposal received a grant of $53,926 in Nov. 2015, the second highest amount awarded to any of the grantee institutions. Grants have yet to be determined for this year.

Gold notes EMU’s efforts are designed to:

•  Increase help-seeking behaviors among EMU students.
•  Reduce the negative attitudes and myths about sexual assault that frame a victim blaming mentality.
• Increase the number of students, faculty and staff who are aware of the University’s sexual misconduct policy, reporting protocol, and available resources.
•  Create a coordinated campus network that works to promote sexual assault prevention, education, and victim’s rights.

“While all the campuses are targeting the general population in their outreach campaigns, Eastern Michigan has been specifically cited for involving and focusing on specific groups in its efforts, such as student athletes, the LBGTQ community, the Honors College, Students of Color and the Greek system,” Gold said.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves 22,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology; and, its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.