In October 2022, Arcadia University received a grant of $299,999 from the United States Department of Justice to create the Arcadia Community Sexual and Gender Violence Prevention, Education, and Response (ASVPER) program. 

This is the second DOJ grant Arcadia has received in three years; the previous grant was $300,000 and led to the hiring of a full-time prevention specialist (Alison Berk) and created the Office of Sexual and Gender-based Violence Prevention and Education.

ASVPER will help to develop and strengthen prevention education and awareness programs, strengthen victim services, and expand effective security and investigation strategies to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking for Arcadia students, faculty, and staff, their families, and those living in communities surrounding Arcadia’s Glenside and Christiana campuses and global centers and facilities. 

Sabrina Glass, interim director of the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention at Arcadia University, will oversee management of the grant funding. 

ASVPER’s goal is to reduce the sexual and gender violence perpetrated by or against any member of or visitor to the Arcadia University community, and to effectively prosecute incidents when they occur. Arcadia plans to incorporate 30 internal University offices, departments, and student organizations, as well as three external partners:

The successful implementation of this program, which will be through prevention and education activities and skills development training, will allow all members of the campus community to act properly to prevent or respond to incidents of sexual violence.

It will also be designed to exceed statutory requirements by 

Lastly, the ASVPER program will refine existing educational materials, improve communication strategies, enhance tools and outreach materials, and enhance protocols to allow for the efficient and effective response to incidents of sexual violence against members of the Arcadia community.