PA. COLLEGES Proposal targets rape, sex assault

Noncomplying schools would be unable to spend 1 percent of state funding.
By MARTHA RAFFAELE
AP EDUCATION WRITER
HARRISBURG -- Providing rape and sexual assault awareness training to incoming students would become mandatory for Pennsylvania colleges and universities under a proposal introduced in the state House of Representatives.
The higher education subcommittee of the House Education Committee on Tuesday recommended that the full panel consider the bill sponsored by Rep. Keith McCall, D-Carbon.
McCall said he introduced the measure at the suggestion of an intern who was assigned to his office during the last legislative session. He said the young woman told him that incoming students at her college did not receive any information about rape and sexual assault.
"Sexual assault is the second-most common crime committed on campus today. The problem is ... there are so many myths and misconceptions about it that it's incumbent upon us to provide [students] some education," he said.
Would be required
The programs would be required for students at community colleges, state-related schools, independent colleges, and the 14 state-owned universities in the State System of Higher Education. Schools that did not comply would be unable to spend 1 percent of their state funding until they implemented a program.
The bill would require colleges to provide students with a description of the various types of rape and sexual assault, where to get medical and legal help as well as counseling, and the consequences of violating the law, among other things.
Schools would also have to present follow-up programs at some point during the school year. The legislation suggests that those programs could include lecturers, distribution of educational pamphlets or fund-raising for local rape crisis centers.
Having a statewide policy on sexual assault and rape awareness would ensure that all colleges and universities provide the training in a consistent manner, said Diane Moyer, legal director for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape.
"I'm not aware that [training] is uniform. Students may get perhaps half an hour during a student orientation, which has got to be overwhelming," Moyer said. "It's better if there is a separate program dedicated to the potential danger of sexual violence on college campuses, particularly date rape and date-rape drugs."
At Penn State
At Penn State University, incoming freshmen receive information about protecting themselves from and preventing sexual assault in a variety of different forums, ranging from presentations by other students during the summer scheduling period to residence-hall seminars, said Peggy Lorah, director of the university's Center for Women Students.
"We're very much in favor of this bill. It institutionalizes something that's very important for students to have," Lorah said. "For college students, part of being young is thinking that we're invulnerable, and this is something that's really important to pay attention to."
The State System of Higher Education has not taken a position on the measure, spokesman Tom Gluck said.
Although there is no system-wide mandate for sexual assault and rape education, each campus has developed its own program, he said.