Governor Rick Snyder and wife Sue Snyder celebrate the election win Nov. 4, 2014, at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Mich. Jessalyn Tamez/The State News
MSU is receiving $12,000 to organize a bystander intervention network in the community as part of an initiative by Michigan First Lady Sue Snyder to better combat sexual assault on campus, according to MSU Today.
The initiative will focus on employees at East Lansing bars, restaurants and taxi cab drivers.
MSU is one of 22 universities receiving a total of $500,000, Snyder said on Wednesday, following up on a daylong conference in June where she announced the initiative.
Sgt. Andrea Beasinger, a primary investigator with MSU police's Special Victims Unit said in the statement the grant represents efforts to change campus culture.
“We need to teach and empower people to intervene when they have the opportunity to prevent a sexual assault,” she said in the statement. “We need more accountability.”
The money will be used to fund training sessions for cab drivers belonging to the Greater Lansing Taxi Authority and employees at bars and restaurants who, because of their close interaction with students, will be given tools to safely and appropriately intervene in those situations, hopefully before a sexual assault takes place.
A committee of campus and community leaders will help direct and take part in the initiative. To see where other grant money for the initiative is going visit this page.
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