The Los Angeles Valley College
Health Advocacy Response Team

5800 Fulton Ave. Valley Glen, CA 91401-4096 • 818-947-2600

 Funding and History

USC's Rossier School of Education is slated with the responsibility of disseminating information and assisting the nine Los Angeles Community Colleges and Mt. St. Mary's with developing processes to reduce violent crimes against women. Each college has been asked to develop a Campus Response Team, consisting of administrators, faculty, staff, students and a member of the Sheriff’s Department. The goal of the team is to expand campus outreach and education to improve prevention and reporting of sexual violence.

During the original workshop held at the LACCD, Chancellor Mark Drummond commented, “Colleges occupy a unique position in society". in his welcoming remarks to members of the college teams. “Our students and staff trust us to provide a safe environment. If we ignore the issue of violence against women, we break that trust.” During that original meeting, presentations included remarks from Marybeth Carter, Executive Director, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Leah Aldridge, Associate Director of Youth Violence Prevention, Policy and Training; Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women and Dr. Melora Sundt, Associate Dean for Research, USC’s Rossier School of Education.“Since we received the grant,” said Sundt, “we have done a needs assessment on each of the District’s nine campuses; drafted revisions to the LACCD Board of Trustees rules on sexual assault; designated appropriate members of college response teams, and piloted an informational brochure for faculty and students.”

The next steps include helping each college educate and prepare their response teams; hold a workshop on each campus for faculty and staff; and launch a peer mobilization program.“We all know that college victims of sexual violence don’t usually report to the Sheriff’s Department, “ said former Valley College President, Dr. Tyree Wieder. “Women may go to a faculty member, a counselor or a trusted staff member first. That’s why we need a coordinated outreach effort.” The $400,000 grant was the largest consortium grant funded by the Department of Justice and one of the only ones involving community colleges.

The CVR Team's role is to seek ways to increase awareness and prevention measures on LAVC's campus regarding violence against women and men.

Further, to be available to assist the LAVC community with connecting to the appropriate resources when issues of violence are present in a student's life.

The CVR Team's role is to seek ways to increase awareness and prevention measures on LAVC's campus regarding violence against women and men.

Further, to be available to assist the LAVC community with connecting to the appropriate resources when issues of violence are present in a student's life.

The CVR Team's role is to seek ways to increase awareness and prevention measures on LAVC's campus regarding violence against women and men.

Further, to be available to assist the LAVC community with connecting to the appropriate resources when issues of violence are present in a student's life.