Campus Safety Important to 2016 Fiscal Year Budget

Campus Safety Important to 2016 Fiscal 
Year Budget

LANSING - Governor Snyder proposed $500,000 be put towards improving college campus safety when it comes to sexual assault, as a part of the 2016 fiscal year budget.

"I think it's great that people in our government are taking sexual assault more seriously. I've been here for about a year and a half, and I haven't seen any sexual assault cases come through here, which is good. But I know that it's an issue, and it happens a lot," said Sam Sierzega, an employee at the Office of Student Compliance at Lansing Community College.

Michigan State University's Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention team consists of volunteers providing help to victims.

SACI is housed in the student services building, on MSU's campus. Students volunteers are trained to run a crisis line, were victims of sexual assault or their loved ones can call in 24/7 for support.

In addition to the half a million dollars in the budget plans, Governor Snyder is also proposing 3.4 million dollars be used to help resolve cases of sexual assault.

"I don't think people know how serious it is, how much it effects people, how often. The statistics are high. You hear the statistics all the time. I don't think a lot of people really understand just how big this is," said Kayla Schindler, student advocate for Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention.

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