A UNITED FRONT
Campus presidents, local officials and victim advocates attend screening of videos on sexual assault
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Videos featuring 13 area college and university presidents each discussing campus sexual assault were formally unveiled Monday afternoon during a meeting at the University of Pittsburgh intended to highlight efforts to combat the problem.
The hour-long session at Pitt’s University Club included representatives from the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office, victim advocates, elected officials and others, among them four campus presidents: Paul Hennigan from Point Park University; David Finegold from Chatham University; Suzanne Mellon from Carlow University; and Mary Finger from Seton Hill University.
The event coincided roughly with the start of fall semester and was scheduled before U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos signaled her intention Thursday to rewrite Title IX guidelines for dealing with sexual misconduct. Ms. DeVos said the current approach from the Obama administration fails victims and the accused; victim advocates fear changes by Ms. DeVos and the Trump administration could undo progress made by campuses to become more transparent on the subject.
“It makes it even more important that we amplify the voices of leaders who are actively doing the right thing,” said Kristy Trautmann, executive director of FISA Foundation, which developed the concept for the video project.
The event was coordinated by Southwest Pa. Says No More, a collection of community organizations and individuals working to end domestic and sexual violence.
Videos will be used during campus events, on social media and on the Southwest Pa. Says No More website, officials said.
Among those slated to attend Monday afternoon’s event included Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania Department of Health physician general; Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald; and Westmoreland County Commissioners Gina Cerilli, Ted Kopas and Charles Anderson.
A video address from Gov. Tom Wolf was also part of the gathering.
Represented in the videos are leaders from the region’s largest institutions — Pitt, Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University and Community College of Allegheny County — as well as smaller institutions in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.
One video includes portions taken from each individual campus leader’s remarks.
Ms. Trautmann said the remarks articulate institutional values and leadership on the subject.
She said the region’s campuses are working together on the problem of sexual assault, as evidenced by a 2015 collaboration pact agreed to by members of the Pittsburgh Council of Higher Education.