(Radio Iowa) – The University of Iowa’s sexual assault support service will close in a month and a half and the Iowa City-based Domestic Violence Intervention Program says its new sexual assault support division be fully operational. The services changing hands caused an initial outcry as U-I Vice President of Student Life Sarah Hansen says news of the change was leaked before plans were ready to be announced.

“When that announcement came out, and like the telling of the staff, was not handled the way that we would have wanted that to happen,” she says. Hansen says details are nearing completion and D-V-I-P has secured federal victim services funding. She says the university plans to directly fund D-V-I-P at a similar level to what it gave to the original provider.

“From the University we’re funding two campus advocate positions. We’ve also, on campus added a prevention position to the sexual assault prevention team, so there’s three positions there now,” Hansen says.

The Rape Victim Advocacy Program’s final day of operation is September 30.