Next week Northern Kentucky University will again join with hundreds of university campuses across the nation to encourage and empower students to take individual steps toward preventing sexual assault and sexual-based violence.
“The dedicated staff at our Norse Violence Prevention Center do excellent work in this area throughout the year, but preventing sexual assault is a responsibility shared by each person on our campus,” said NKU President Geoffrey S. Mearns.
Launched in 2014, It’s On Us is aimed at fundamentally shifting the way the nation thinks and talks about sexual assault. It seeks to reframe the conversation surrounding sexual assault in a way that empowers, educates, and engages college students to do something – big or small – to prevent it.
The campaign asks individuals on college campuses across the nation to make a commitment to creating an environment where sexual assault is unacceptable. This includes raising awareness, holding each other accountable, and looking out for those who cannot consent.
Last September, approximately 2,000 NKU students, faculty, and staff participated in the weeklong #ItsOnUsNKU campaign. This year, students will again be asked to sign the pledge, and also to demonstrate a personal commitment to ending sexual assault by wearing t-shirts, sharing photos and information via social media, and attending events.
“The number of NKU students, faculty, and staff who embraced this initiative last year was truly impressive. We hope to engage even more of our campus community this year in our collective efforts to eradicate sexual assault and sexual-based violence on our campus,” said Gabby Dralle, director of the Norse Violence Prevention Center.
#ItsOnUsNKU will be held the week of Sept. 26 in conjunction with Greek Week. It is organized by the Norse Violence Prevention Center and the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life.
Events include:
Fall Fest: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, Student Union Plaza.
NKU/University of Cincinnati men’s soccer game: 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 28, NKU Soccer Stadium. Both the NKU and UC teams will wear It’s On Us warm-up jerseys.
For more information, please visit nvp.nku.edu.
What a disingenuous display of ‘cover your behinds’ by Mearns and his henchmen/henchwomen. A little late for this, right? What about the Jane Doe lawsuit currently being played out? And don’t forget the sexual assault victims from 2015 and the nitwit AD Ken Bothof, a gutless punk who admitted under oath in a deposition he covered it up and did not report to the police. Bothof allowed three basketball players to suit up the next game and completely disregarded the rape of a young woman in the NKU dorms. I’m also disappointed in the Tribune putting all these fluff pieces from NKU on its site. Mearns never speaks with you guys when you want interviews, why print his quotes from their PR people? The cowardly NKU President hasn’t talked to the press in public since the Dance Team scandal made him look like the idiot he is two years ago.
NKU is a very important institution in our community. We trust our readers to make their own judgments. So we’ll continue to publish their press releases and we’ll continue to cover the legal disputes as well. You made your judgment. Trust others to do the same as they see fit.
I do trust others to make their judgments. My point was the NKU President refuses to grant the press interviews. Is it not inconsistent for Mearns to then get fluffy PR quotes when he has no intention of cooperating with you? If he talks about the bad, then certainly allow him to spew his “good” intentions like this ITS ON US spin-show. I do appreciate the Tribune’s pursuit of the sexual assault stories, exposing Mearns and his henchmen for what they really are. Thank you.