by Monica Schwarze
Features Editor
The Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE), a grant that funds the University of La Verne’s Prevention Center, will expire on March 31, terminating Tracy Germann’s position as Prevention Center coordinator and leaving University administrators with the task of re-organizing Prevention Center programs.
FIPSE, a three-year grant, was given to the school in 1993 with the purpose of implementing the Prevention Center on campus. According to University of La Verne President Stephen Morgan, the grant was matched by the school in different amounts each year.
“We had more money on the front end of the grant, but absorbed more of the costs near the end,” said Dr. Morgan.
During its three years at ULV, the Prevention Center has initiated many programs, including Students Together Educating Peers (STEP), which gives students the opportunity to plan drug- and alcohol-free events and prevention education programs on a volunteer basis.
These programs will now be folded into other areas within the Office of Student Life.
“The STEP program will be absorbed into other areas on campus,” said Dr. Morgan.
The Center has also sponsored speakers, planned events for National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week in November, and was instrumental in bringing the AIDS Quilt to campus for Love Carefully Week this year. These activities will also move under the umbrella of other campus organizations, such as the Counseling Center, the Health Center and Student Life. ASF and other University organizations will continue to plan substance-free events that have previously been co-sponsored by STEP.
“There is an intention to continue to do prevention,” said Germann. “But there will be no full-time Prevention Center staff person.”
Even though no final plan has been determined for the reorganization of the Prevention Center, Dr. Morgan feels confident that the program will become stronger after the changes have been made.
“It’s my sense that, if all of these areas are working with students on prevention, we’re going to reach a lot more students,” he said.
For the past year, Germann has also been in charge of the Leadership, Education and Development (LEAD) program, which provides scholarship and educational programs to student leaders. This program will also be absorbed into other areas of Student Life.
Although no plan has been set for LEAD, Dr. Morgan said, “We have had some reconfiguration of staff.”
Germann has helped with the preliminary plans for reorganizing the Prevention Center.
“I’ve been asked, and I’ve given my input,” said Germann. “I would be willing to help out in any way.”
“This position has given me a lot and I’m looking forward to using it in whatever comes next,” she said.
