Bullying Prevention Summit: Changing School and University Culture and Climate

February 2 – 3, 2012

Cuyahoga Community College, East Campus

Highland Hills, Ohio, USA

Bullying is a growing problem not only in the United States but in other countries as well. Research indicates that the misuse of technology has helped to escalate the level of violence experienced by victims. In some cases, children and youth have decided that the only way to escape the bullying was to end their lives. With the growing prevalence of the Internet and online social networks, cyber bullying, cyber stalking, and cyber harassment have become ever growing phenomena. For some, it took the tragic deaths of countless victims such as Phoebe Prince, Hope Witsell, Ryan Halligan, Tiffany Barwick, Tyler Clementi, and Megan Meier to bring these issues into the public conscientiousness.  As the Internet becomes more popular and online communities become more close-knit as well as more prevalent, online misconduct is occurring at an ever increasing rate in cyber space. This growing phenomenon has caused professionals across various disciplines to come together to discuss prevention strategies.

Event Sponsor(s): Global Issues Resource Center, Cuyahoga Community College, in partnership with Facing History and Ourselves, Virginia Tech, Cleveland State University, University of Akron, Orange High School, Beech Brook, and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

In response to this pressing problem, the Obama administration has taken important and necessary measures to combat bullying. The Obama administration is directing resources for the express purpose of reducing bullying in schools and to raising awareness around its ramifications, and, of course, to countering its negative impact. Toward that end, the White House convened a conference on preventing bullying, on Thursday, March 11, 2011. The Obama administration also launched a new website, http://www.stopbullying.gov, devoted to bullying prevention.

For further information on bullying and/or cyber bullying prevention and intervention strategies, there are several websites you can visit including but not limited: http://www.fightcrime.org; http://www.bullypolice.org; http://www.healthline.com; http://www.cyberbullying.us; http://www.stopbullying.org; http://www.stopbullying.gov; http://www.isafe.org; and others.

Summit details and registration materials available at:

http://www.tri-c.edu/enrichment/communityservices/GRIC/Pages/ProfessionalDevelopmentEvents.aspx.

Summit Events:

1.  Thursday, February 2, 2012:              (Film and Panel) Not In Our Town – Considering Ways to Promote Civic Participation.

2.   Friday, February 3, 2012:                 (Training) Bullying Prevention Summit: Changing School and University Climate and Culture, Early Registration due January 13th, 2012.

Early Registration Cost:  

(Feb. 2nd Film) $5.00 per person includes refreshments (before January 13th), $7.00 (after January 13th)

(Feb. 3rd Training and Summit) $12 per person includes lunch (before January 13th), $15 (after January 13th)

Pre-Registration is required.

Who Should Attend?

College and university faculty, staff, and students, K-12 educators, staff, administration and students interested in changing their campus culture to prevent bullying.

Credits offered:  Social Work (pending), Counseling (pending), and CEUs.

Agenda: February 2, 2012 (7:00PM – 9:00PM)

(Film and Panel) Not In Our Town – Considering ways to promote civic participation.

Listen: Learn from a panel of educators and students about specific local and national resources and efforts dealing with bullying and violence prevention in schools.

Watch: “Light in the Darkness: Not in Our Town” which is a powerful one-hour documentary about a town taking action after anti-immigrant violence devastates the community.

Discuss: Issues in the film around civic participation and responsibility in addressing and “standing up” against violence in our own communities.

Offered by: Facing History and Ourselves, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, and Global Issues Resource Center, Cuyahoga Community College.

Agenda: February 3, 2012 (9:00AM – 2:00PM)

Bullying Prevention Summit: Changing School and University Climate and Culture.

Participate in a one-day summit that builds upon the prior evening’s discussion around civic participation and responsibility. Two day-long concurrent training options:

Changing the culture in your school or university, Actively Caring for People, Virginia Tech: High school students, college students, and educators gain skills to build community and reduce bullying by empowering students and educators to model the behaviors they wish to see on their campus.

Bullying Prevention and Intervention, Cleveland State University and University of Akron: Faculty, staff and administrators learn about schools’ accountability and legal responsibilities in addressing bullying, discuss characteristics of bullying, including cyber bullying, and learn about research-based strategies for both preventing and intervening in bullying situations.

Over lunch,participants can choose from three(3) options: (1) See what other schools have done to combat bullying and create a positive climate in their schools, Facilitated by Beech Brook. (2) Review laws and policies on bullying prevention and how to implement policies and procedures already developed, Facilitated by Global Issues Resource Center. (3) Participate in a roundtable discussion on relationship building and AC4P principles, Facilitated by Virginia Tech.

Offered by: Global Issues Resource Center, Virginia Tech, Cleveland State University, University of Akron, Orange High School and Beech Brook.

Questions? Call Global Issues Resource Center at 216.987.2224 or email Elizabeth.Wuerz@tri-c.edu.

Source: Prevent-Connect

Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art