Governor Snyder along with the Frist Lady Sue Snyder announced yesterday that we the taxpayers of Michigan will provide more than $500,000 to implement sexual assault prevention programs at a number of campuses across the state.

Governor Snyder has recommended and the Michigan Legislature has appropriated funds from the 2017 General Fund to support these Campus Sexual Assault Grant Programs.  Eighteen community colleges and universities will receive $506,191 in state grant funds to support their programs.

The Snyder Administration states that the purpose of these grants is to fund the development of “new and innovative programs to reduce and/or eliminate sexual assault on college campuses, with the goal of improving the safety and security of all students in campus environments throughout the state of Michigan”.

I am a father of two daughters and I have a wife, so believe me I am man who is very aware and concerned about sexual assault against girls and women.  My question is what will these programs actually do to address and prevent sexual assault?  Do young men and women not know what sexual assault is and when no means no?  I believe they do, so any programs that attempt to explain to these men and women what it is could be just wasting money.  Are we just throwing money at a problem to make ourselves feel like we are doing something about an issue when in actuality it will do little to nothing?

Sexual assault by young men or men in general is a power or entitlement problem these men have, with many of these men it certainly has to do with their upbringing. I would go as far as to say they themselves feel little or small inside so they must attempt to make themselves feel empowered by committing these heinous crimes.

I am not attempting to say these programs will definitely not work but I do question their ability to accomplish what they are attempting to do.

I guess the proof will be in the success rates of these programs.  Are their metrics involved with these programs to measure their success?  Against what are they being measured?

Is part of the problem that they are not being taught by a strong father or mother figure what is acceptable behavior and what is not.  Is this negative consequence to the war against the family and fathers?

If there is something missing at home concerning the upbringing of these boys who then become young men going to be fixed by a program in college?

I guess time will tell and let us all pray that it will.

There were 29 applications for grants totaling more than $924,000. Universities, colleges and community colleges receiving full or partial funding from the 2016 CSAGP include:

  • Central Michigan University ($31,016)
  • Concordia University ($26,038)
  • Davenport University ($25,396)
  • Delta College ($15,800)
  • Eastern Michigan University ($51,186)
  • Finlandia University ($25,708)
  • Grand Valley State University ($33,454)
  • Henry Ford College ($20,000)
  • Kalamazoo College ($18,600)
  • Lake Superior State University ($28,522)
  • Lawrence Technological University ($20,690)
  • Macomb Community College ($6,000)
  • Michigan State University ($37,969)
  • University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ($53,505)
  • University of Michigan - Dearborn ($9,840)
  • University of Michigan - Flint ($34,150)
  • Wayne State University ($7,700)
  • Western Michigan University ($60,617)

The grants state that the grant recipients have until Dec. 1, 2017, to spend their awards.

What are your thoughts?  Is this an issue that can be addressed at the college age level?

Let’s talk about this today on The Live with Renk Show which airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon. To let me know your thoughts during the show please call (269) 441-9595.

More From WKMI