AG offers guidance for safety on campus
67 universities in state contributed to report
State Attorney General Josh Shapiro Wednesday released recommendations on substance abuse, mental health and sexual assault prevention at Pennsylvania colleges and universities, as part of a campus safety initiative announced last year.
The findings stem from five round-table discussions on campuses across the state to identify safety challenges and solutions. The forums were held at Slippery Rock University, Drexel University, Lincoln University, the University of Pittsburgh and Dickinson College.
The discussions included students, victims’ advocates, survivors, experts, law enforcement officials and university staff. Among the recommendations were boosting on-campus resources to prevent sexual assault and bolstering partnerships between local and campus law enforcement agencies.
“Year after year, we see tragic examples of the dangers facing students on college campuses,” Mr. Shapiro said during a news conference Wednesday at the University of Pittsburgh. “And too often times we see universities with
inadequate resources or inadequate preparation to deal with these challenges that students and families face.”
The report includes 31 recommendations on a variety of topics, including sexual assault prevention and drug and alcohol abuse, along with some broader suggestions. Among them are ensuring that campus officials are trained to adequately respond to students who have suffered trauma; improving counseling practices; creating resources for students in recovery; and providing access to naloxone, the drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
Participants in the discussions recommended removing barriers for sexual assault survivors and witnesses; developing clear policies on addressing sexual misconduct; creating special victims units within campus police; and increasing counseling and support services for victims of sexual assault.
Mental health recommendations include developing academic absence policies for students who experience challenges; creating 24-hour support hotlines; and training student leaders on mental health awareness.
In total, 360 people attended the discussions and 67 colleges and universities contributed to the report.
Mr. Shapiro framed the recommendations as a guide for the state’s colleges and universities to develop new policies and procedures — and to improve existing ones — to make campuses safer.
“I am not a big believer in doing task forces that produce really important reports that go and sit on the chancellor’s shelf,” Mr. Shapiro said. “That’s not what this is.”
Some of the recommendations are already in place on campuses across the state. Participants will look to apply suggestions at university and colleges throughout the year.