Rhodes State is among the group of colleges and universities in Ohio to receive funds to prevent sexual violence on campus. The Ohio Department of Higher Education awarded more than $212,000 to two and four year schools towards implementing practices in their Changing Campus Culture Report. Rhodes State received nearly $4,000 to develop a social marketing campaign, staff training, and survivor-response plans.
One official says they are issuing campus surveys to identify the needs of their students. "Campus is a safe place, but we also know that in our community activities go on everyday, and our students come out here and they've had experiences, and they need a safe place to share them," said Matt Kinkley, Executive Director of the Workforce and Economic Development and Continuing Education, "So if we can set that system up for them in a more productive way, then I think their experience at college will be even better."
Kinkley says they are partnering with Crime Victim Services to provide additional programs for violence prevention. The school was eligible to receive up to $7,500, but they were awarded $3,590. Kinkley says the collaboration with Crime Victim Services will provide the additional money needed to implement the programs, and the dollar amounts will complement each other.
