U. rape educators picked for speech

Campus acquaintance rape educators will make a presentation this week on programs at the University at the First International Conference on Campus Sexual Assault. The University's proposal was chosen to be one of 48 presentations at the four-day conference in Orlando, Florida. Victim Support Director Ruth Wells said yesterday the University's presentation, "From Conflict to Collaboration: A Grassroots Approach to Addressing Campus Sexual Violence," will advise other people about how to work internally to set up programs which deal with campus sexual assault. "It will deal with how departments at the University have collaborated, after much discussion, to develop what we feel is a good method of dealing with acquaintance rape through education, resources and support service," Wells said. "We are really very pleased that our abstract was selected, for it will give us the opportunity to share solutions with people around the world on this ever-expanding problem," she added. Wells and Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi said it is an acknowledgement of the strides the University has made in victim's support to be chosen to make a presentation. Both women praised the University community and administrators for support and action which has put the University at the forefront of schools for this issue. "Our administration has provided good leadership so that we could move in that direction," Wells said. DiLapi, Wells, Student Health Educator Susan Villari, and 1991 College graduate Erica Strohl, a founder of Student's Together Against Acquaintance Rape, are among the University's representatives attending the program. The conference is being sponsored by the American Association of Counseling and Development, the American College Health Association, the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Society for the Scientific Study of Sex and the National Interfraternity Council.

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