Binghamton University is taking a stand and joining the fight against sexual assault on college campuses.

The BU Student Association (SA), in partnership with student group 20:1, Real Education About College Health (REACH) peers, the Office of Student Conduct, President Harvey Stenger, Vice President Brian Rose and Dean April Thompson are pledging support for “It’s On Us,” an initiative started by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in September 2014. “It’s On Us” has caught on with media platforms, college sports communities, celebrities and various schools including Ohio State University and Northwestern University.

The campaign now has over 90 partners nationwide, and over 220,000 people have signed their online pledge. Signing this ensures that one recognizes that non-consensual sex is sexual assault, is able to identify situations in which sexual assault may occur, is able to intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given and is able to create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.

The SA will be tabling in the Marketplace at 12 p.m. on Friday, October 16, in order to spread the word about the initiative. Computers will be set up at the tables so students can sign the pledge and join the SA as they begin their fight against sexual assault at BU. In addition, local news and media outlets will be present at the event.

According to SA President Dillon Schade, a senior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, the idea to join “It’s On Us” came about when he and SA Executive Vice President Zachary Vigliani, a senior majoring in business administration, attended the yearly National Campus Leadership Council (NCLC), in Washington D.C. this past summer.

“We were invited to attend the conference with 150 incoming and outgoing SA presidents from all over the nation,” Schade said. “The purpose of the NCLC was to discuss national issues and problems pertaining to college campuses. I took an invested interest with the ‘It’s On Us’ campaign after we were presented with the alarming statistics about campus sexual assaults.”

According to the “It’s On Us” campaign, one in four women on college campuses report being victims of sexual assault, but many more assaults go unreported.

“When dealing with topics like sexual assault and trying to promote a cultural change, these efforts must be made at the student level,” Schade said. “That is why the Student Association is bringing the ‘It’s On Us’ campaign to Binghamton University.”

President Stenger, who will be in attendance at the launch of the campaign on Friday in the Marketplace, said he thinks that the SA is taking a necessary step against sexual assault on BU’s campus.

“I applaud the Student Association for doing their part to promote the ‘It’s On Us’ campaign and encouraging students to take a stand against campus sexual assault,” Stenger wrote in an email. “This is an issue we take very seriously and hope this launch event inspires the entire Binghamton community to take the pledge and support their fellow students.”

Justin Santabarbara, the assistant to the SA president and a junior majoring in political science, was named the associate director for the SA Sexual Assault Task Force, which was formed earlier this fall and consists of himself and the SA E-Board. According to Santabarbara, the “It’s On Us” campaign has gained the most traction through use of social media, and it benefits from student participation.

“We are directing students to do the same and utilize their social media to spread awareness,” Santabarbara wrote in an email. “The more broad student involvement, the further our message will spread.”

According to Schade, the “It’s On Us” campaign will help BU students shed light on a topic that is typically kept silent.

“’It’s On Us’ will engage our campus and help to rally behind a single stance,” Schade said. “It’s on us to prevent campus sexual assault.”