DSU receives $499,603 grant to address domestic and dating violence
Delaware State University hosted officials of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVAW) during an April 9 visit to campus.
The OVAW – which recently awarded DSU a $499,603 grant – was led on a morning campus tour by DSU’s Dr. Michelle Fisher, Associate Vice President for Campus Health, and University Deputy Police Chief Joi Hayes. The group later shared lunch and a discussion in the Administration Building’s Barros Multipurpose Room.
The OVAW grant will be used to strengthen the University’s approaches to address domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking incidents.
Dr. Fisher, the grant’s principal investigator, is excited about the work that will result from the funding.
“This capacity-building grant will enable DSU to expand upon the foundation established by the Safe Space Coalition in addressing sexual assault on our campuses,” Dr. Fisher said. “With this support, DSU will develop a Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) comprised of both internal stakeholders and external community partners to effectively address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.”
She said that the grant will support the creation of a comprehensive prevention plan aimed at reducing and ultimately eliminating these crimes across our campuses. Dr. Fisher added that developing a peer mentor program will increase student engagement and empower students to take an active role in prevention and support efforts.
A Coordinated Community Response Team has been established at DSU to carry out the work that is funded by the grant. Deputy Chief Hayes, the project director, said that the team will be a collaboration of internal and external professionals with specialized expertise in relevant fields and will meet monthly.
“The purpose of these meetings is to develop, implement, and refine best practices for prevention services aimed at addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on the University’s campus,” Deputy Chief Hayes said.
COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM MEMBERS
1. Michelle Fisher- Grant Administrator
2. Joi Hayes – Grant Project Director and Prevention Services
3. Stephanie Yellowdy – Financial Manager
4. Dr. Mark L. Parisi – Executive Director of Counseling Services
5. Mark Bennett – Deputy AD for Athletic Governance
6. Mijrane Belizaire, J.D. – Title IX Coordinator
7. Dr. Gwendolyn Scott-Jones – Dean, School of Graduate, Adult & Extended Studies, Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
8. James Overton – Vice President for Student Affairs
9. Charlisa Edelin – Vice President for Student Affairs
10. Donald D. Baynard – Chief of Police
11. Aishona Jackson – Associate Director, Department of Residential Education
12. Terrell Holmes, Ed.D.- Sr. Associate Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, DSU Downtown
13. Dawn Culp, MSN RN, SANE-A, SANE-P, FNE – Forensic Nurse Clinical Coordinator
14. Casey Wilson – Dover Police Department, Victim Services: Victim Services Coordinator
15. Jessica Reed – YWCA Sexual Assault Response Center (SARC), Aftercare Health Services Manager
16. Diane Postell – Women of Color Task Force, LCSW, CAADC
17. Dr. Carolyn Morgan – Chairperson, Women of Color Task Force, Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence