INDIANAPOLIS, August 15, 2019 – Dani Weatherford, CEO of the National Panhellenic Conference, Judson Horras, CEO of the North American Interfraternity Conference, and Francisco M. Lugo, President of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations, released the following joint statement in response to Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton’s decision to reject Harvard’s motion to dismiss a federal lawsuit challenging its policy of inflicting sanctions on students who are members of single-sex groups:
“This ruling reaffirms the fundamental truth about
Harvard’s policy: that it makes obvious distinctions based on the gender of its
students. And in turn, it violates students’ rights of free association.
Our hope is that Judge Gorton’s ruling can be a
catalyst for Harvard to do the right thing and repeal its discriminatory policy.
Moreover, we urge them to join us in productive dialogue about creating a
healthy and inclusive community of single-sex organizations at Harvard, while preserving
student rights.
Our aim has been, and always will be, to protect the
rights of students at Harvard and on campuses nationwide. And while we would
prefer to avoid continued litigation, we believe it is unmistakably clear that
Harvard’s policy is not only discriminatory and gender-stereotyping but has
uniquely decimated women’s spaces and women’s organizations at Harvard. We
remain confident that the facts are on the side of the students we represent.”
###
TODD SHELTON, 615.364.1419 CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER, NORTH AMERICAN INTERFRATERNITY CONFERENCE
JONATHAN COFFIN, 317.983.1419 FOR THE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE
About the National Panhellenic Conference NPC is the umbrella organization specifically charged with advocating on behalf of the sorority experience. It is comprised of 26 national and international sororities that are autonomous social organizations. Collectively, NPC sororities are located on more than 670 campuses with more than 400,000 undergraduate members and nearly 5 million alumnae.
About the North American Interfraternity Conference NIC is a trade association that represents 66 national and international men’s fraternities, with more than 6,100 chapters located on more than 800 campuses in the United States and Canada, with approximately 385,000 undergraduate members and nearly 4.2 million alumni. The NIC has introduced enhanced health and safety guidelines and programs, including a ban of hard alcohol in fraternity houses and events.
About the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations Established in 1998, NALFO promotes the advancement of Latino fraternities and Latina sororities. NALFO shares a commitment to fraternal unity, family values and empowering Latino and underserved communities.
Indianapolis, July 30, 2019 — Interfraternal leader Kyle Martin has joined the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) staff as Vice President of Campus Operations for the Midwest region.
Martin will focus on community development, council
effectiveness and alumni engagement as he contributes to the NIC’s mission to
enhance the fraternity experience. He will facilitate strong relationships by
delivering support to communities across the Midwest.
“Kyle’s commitment to interfraternalism is
unquestionable. His intellect and perspective will make our campus support team
better. He will contribute greatly to the success of our many Midwestern
communities,” NIC President & CEO Judson Horras said.
Martin is a Ph.D. candidate in educational leadership at
Eastern Michigan University, where he has been serving as the Coordinator of
Greek Life and Leadership Development. In this role he was the primary advisor
for the university’s 28 chapters and four councils. He has previous experience
working at the NIC, as Coordinator of IFC Services from 2014-2015. Martin also
has worked at the University of Michigan and Delta Upsilon International
Fraternity.
He has a master’s degree in higher education from Grand
Valley State University and a bachelor’s degree in business management from
Eastern Michigan. Martin will work from his home in Ypsilanti, Mich., where he
will be accessible to the campuses he serves.
“I am thrilled to be joining such a talented and
forward-thinking team. I am eager to work with students, staff and alumni to continue
to cultivate safe and developmental environments for college students,”
Martin said.
He is a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda Fraternity and a past
Chapter Services Consultant. He has been a volunteer for many interfraternal
organizations, including the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors and
the NIC.
Martin takes over the Midwest region from Will Foran, who
will continue to serve as VP of Campus Operations and direct the NIC’s
educational initiatives.
In other staffing changes, Blaine Ayers and Joe Budde are
departing the NIC on July 31. Ayers will be joining the team at James R. Favor
& Company LLC as Vice President. Budde has accepted the Chief Information
Officer role with Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
“Boomer [Blaine] and Joe have contributed greatly as
members of the NIC team,” Horras said. “We look forward to their
continued successes within the interfraternal community.”
As Ayers exits, Clark Brown will assume leadership of legislative efforts in addition to his current role as General Counsel. Budde will continue to provide technology project assistance to the NIC on a contract basis.
Lobbying Congress in March, Jud Horras, NIC President & CEO, looks on as Steve and Rae Ann Gruver share the story of their son Max who died from a hazing incident.
For too long, hazing has threatened the health and safety of
students and undermined the educational mission of higher education
institutions. The END ALL Hazing Act will help foster the eradication of hazing
at colleges and universities by ensuring campus-wide transparency and
accountability in all student organizations.
END ALL Hazing Act support is coming from a coalition of
parents who have lost sons to acts of hazing, fraternal “umbrella”
organizations, which collectively represent more than 100 fraternities and
sororities, as well as the associations that provide development to student
leaders and professionals who work with fraternities and sororities.
Officials from the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC),
North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), Association of
Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA), Association of Fraternal Leadership &
Values (AFLV), Northeast Greek Leadership Association (NGLA), Southeastern
Greek Leadership Association (SGLA), HazingPrevention.Org and the Anti-Hazing
Coalition endorse the legislation.
In a powerful alliance, parents who have lost children to incidents of hazing have been working with these organizations to engage in aggressive student education, outreach and advocacy efforts to end tragic hazing incidents as well. The Anti-Hazing Coalition (AHC) seeks to address the problem earlier through education and prevention, while also encouraging accountability and transparency through legislation. The AHC strongly supports the END ALL Hazing Act.
Statement from Richard Braham, father of Marquise Braham:
“Many students arrive at college already having been
hazed. This is how systemic, rampant and harmful hazing is. The END ALL Hazing
Act will help alleviate this by raising awareness for parents, students and
educators about hazing and other violations of codes of conduct happening in
campus organizations, allowing them to make informed choices about which groups
they would want to associate with – those groups that create a safe, positive
and welcoming environment.”
Statement from Deb Debrick, mother of Dalton Debrick:
“The overall most important reason for taking action is to
prevent hazing is to save lives and save families from the
unbearable pain of loss. The only way the culture is going to change is with
all parties working together to make the changes from legislation down,
including the organizational groups and universities. We have to educate all
and there have to be tough consequences that fit the degree of the hazing that
is committed.”
Statement from Rae Ann and Steve Gruver, parents of Max
Gruver:
“It is critical that institutions and organizations are 100%
transparent about their hazing history.
By being completely transparent, students and parents are able to make
crucial decisions about their futures at universities. Only if all the information
is placed in front of them — both the positive accolades and academic
achievements as well as the negatives and past challenges —can families make
informed decisions.”
Statement from Lianne and Brian Kowiak, parents of
Harrison Kowiak:
“The cycle of dangerous traditions in student
organizations must be stopped and replaced with safer and more acceptable
alternative behaviors. These new behaviors need to focus on the safety and well-being
of students. The End All Hazing Act will help accomplish this goal.”
Statement from Evelyn and Jim Piazza, parents of Timothy
Piazza:
“The passing of the END ALL Hazing Act is critically
important because we continue to see students being injured or dying at
alarming rates as a result of irresponsible hazing behavior at universities.
The transparency and awareness that this law will bring will enable students
and parents to assess the quality and reputation of the organizations with
which students are considering joining.”
Statement from the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)
“All of us in the fraternity and sorority community must
take action to change dangerous campus cultures, including eradicating hazing,”
said National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Chairman Carole Jones. “NPC is
committed to partnering with government officials as well as the parents in the
Anti-Hazing Coalition, other fraternal umbrella organizations and other
partners who share our common interests to help develop sustainable solutions,
including legislative solutions, to create safer campus cultures everywhere. We
are pleased to support the END ALL Hazing Act as part of those efforts, and we
appreciate the leadership of Congresswoman Fudge and Congressman Thompson on this
issue.”
Statement from the North American Interfraternity
Conference
“We applaud the introduction of the END ALL Hazing Act and urge
Congress to take swift action,” NIC President and CEO Judson Horras said. “END
ALL will bring transparency to make a lasting cultural change in student
organizations and on university campuses. Our member fraternities stand united in
a belief that every student has the right to learn and thrive in a safe and
healthy campus environment.”
Statement from the Association of Fraternity/Sorority
Advisors (AFA)
“Hazing on college campuses is a complex problem and
addressing it requires a multi-faceted approach,” said Association of
Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) Executive Director Lynda Wiley. “A
combination of information, education and accountability is necessary to eliminate
this behavior. Including hazing information in public reporting will help
students and parents as they ask important questions related to joining a
variety of organizations, including fraternities and sororities. AFA is
committed to continual professional education for our members and would provide
training around implementation of the END ALL Hazing Act if it becomes law.”
Statement from the Association of Fraternal Leadership
& Values (AFLV)
“The impact that hazing has had on victims, their friends
and their families is catastrophic. We hope the increased transparency measures
in this bill will not only deter future incidents but lead to more people
actively engaging in the fight to end hazing for good,” Association of
Fraternal Leadership & Values Executive Director Ryan O’Rourke said. “The
fraternity and sorority experience should be about members caring and
supporting one another; hazing has no place in that kind of experience.”
Statement from the Northeast Greek Leadership Association
(NGLA)
“NGLA’s mission is to educate leaders from a variety of
fraternal experiences to transform and empower their community and align
actions with values. Hazing in any form
is contrary to aligning actions with fraternal values and there is no place for
it in the educational experience of young people. NGLA is proud to support this
initiative and will continue educating leaders on healthy new member programs
and encourage those who experience or observe hazing in any form to speak up
and speak out,” said Northeast Greek Leadership Association Executive Director Kevin
Pons.
Statement from the Southeastern Greek Leadership
Association (SGLA)
“SGLA is proud to support the END ALL Hazing Act. States
that have implemented transparency laws for organizational conduct are seeing
positive results, and we applaud the efforts to take this nationwide,” said Southeastern
Greek Leadership Association (SGLA) Executive Director Dr. Gary Wiser.
Statement from HazingPrevention.Org
“HazingPrevention.Org is proud to join our partners in the
Anti-Hazing Coalition to support the END ALL Hazing Act. We believe this
important step forward in federal legislation is needed in order to send a
strong message nationwide that hazing is not acceptable, and to stand with our
partners and parents in every effort to keep students safe,” said HazingPrevention.Org
CEO and Executive Director Emily Pualwan.
Click here to learn more about the END ALL Hazing Act.
Swarthmore’s banning of fraternities and sororities may calm current unrest but falls short of truly dealing with campus-wide cultural challenges. Instead of effectively addressing the unacceptable actions of a few past students, this short-sighted decision robs future students of the opportunity to freely associate with organizations that promote healthy, lifelong relationships. Millions of fraternity men stand united in support of the rights of college students who seek to form positive, enriching fraternal bonds.
# # #
Media contact: Todd Shelton Chief Communication Officer
Swarthmore College (Photo courtesy Swarthmore College Facebook page)
The NIC is disgusted by the activities and attitudes described in recently released documents of a local fraternal club at Swarthmore College. We encourage collaboration between all stakeholders to improve the campus culture while also respecting the desire of students to form associations on their terms that align with the institution’s core values.
# # #
Media contact: Todd Shelton Chief Communication Officer
The North American Interfraternity Conference is proud of its tradition of treating all individuals with dignity and respect. Each individual has the right to work or volunteer in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal opportunities and prohibits any form of harassment, including but not limited to sexual, racial, or gender harassment. Any form of harassment, whether verbal, physical, or environmental, is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
This policy applies to the following: employees (whether the conduct is by or toward an employee), contractors, applicants for employment, vendors, alliance partners, or volunteers, including Governing Council members.
We encourage immediate reporting of all perceived incidents of harassment. If an individual believes that he or she is being harassed, or believes that his or her employment or involvement is being affected by such conduct directed at someone else, the individual should immediately discuss their concerns with the President/CEO or the General Counsel of the NIC.
If a person covered by this policy knows of an incident of harassment, they are required to immediately bring the incident to the attention of the President/CEO or the General Counsel of the NIC.
Complaints of harassment will be investigated confidentially and as timely as possible. The complainant may request for the allegation to be resolved formally or informally. The President/CEO and the General Counsel of the NIC will determine, depending on the circumstances and severity, which of the following is warranted: (1) intervention/informal resolution; (2) internal investigation; or (3) external investigation. In the event that an internal investigation is conducted, it will be led by the General Counsel, who will prepare a report of findings and recommendations to the President/CEO. In the event that an external investigation is conducted, the General Counsel will coordinate with a qualified, independent third party investigator, who will prepare a report of findings and recommendations to the President/CEO and the General Counsel.
If, after a thorough investigation, the NIC finds this policy has been violated, appropriate corrective action will be taken. If the NIC is not able to determine whether a violation of this policy occurred, that will be communicated to the complainant in an appropriately sensitive manner. The NIC will not retaliate or permit retaliation against an individual who submits a complaint under this policy. Retaliation will be considered a separate violation of this policy and will be handled according to the procedures set forth herein. A written record of the complaint, investigation, and resolution will be (1) maintained for five years from the date of the resolution unless the circumstances dictate that the file should be kept for a longer period of time; and (2) disclosed to the Governing Council by the President/CEO and/or General Counsel.
The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) is committed to being an industry leader in advocacy, education, research, and the promotion of fraternal values. To accomplish these goals, the NIC, including the staff, Governing Council, key leaders of member organizations, and Alliance Partners commit ourselves to the following ethical standards any time we represent the industry or any segment of it:
To understand and uphold the Governing Documents of the NIC, including the Constitution & Bylaws, Standards, and Position Statements;
To be reliable and trustworthy in all of our transactions with each other and our Alliance Partners;
To appear, speak, and conduct ourselves in a professional manner, cognizant that we set an example within the industry and within society;
To collaborate with each other in advancing the fraternity movement;
To refrain from disparaging any person or organization affiliated with the NIC, and to treat sensitive information appropriately;
And to, above all, advance and serve the fraternity industry with integrity .
Indianapolis, March 11, 2019—Today, Andrea (Smithson) Benek joins the North American Interfraternity Conference team as Senior Director of Communication. In this role, Benek will lead communication strategy for the NIC’s grassroots advocacy and government relations efforts to engage fraternity members around key legislative priorities. She will collaborate with the team to proactively tell the story of the fraternity experience and will lead communication around the NIC’s Health & Safety Initiative.
Benek comes to the NIC from the Indiana Apartment
Association where she served as Director of Communications since January 2018. She
served as the editor and creative director for the trade association that
represents 235,000 apartment units and 15,000 industry professionals across
Indiana. Previously, Benek served five years as Director of Communications for
the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity International Headquarters. She was responsible
for communication strategy and creation for advocacy efforts and general growth-driven
marketing.
“I am thrilled to see Andrea return to the industry as part
of the NIC team,” said Libby Anderson, Interim CEO of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity.
“During her time at Zeta Beta Tau she improved our visual footprint and
increased the impact of our communications. Andrea is a go-getter and one of
the hardest working people I know. All
of our organizations will benefit from her talent.”
Benek’s communication background also includes the roles of
Editor at The Shelbyville News in Shelbyville, Ind., and Presentation Editor at
the Chronicle-Tribune in Marion, Ind. Her volunteer experience includes Midyear
Conference Event Chair and Programming Chair for the Fraternity Communications
Association.
“Andrea’s ability to craft messaging will help move us
forward as we advocate on behalf of our member organizations, fraternity men and
the experience,” said NIC President & CEO Judson Horras.
“The NIC is an organization that’s effecting change, and I
want to be a part of the movement,” said Benek. “I look forward to helping
communicate the voice of the millions of fraternity men worldwide.”
Benek was initiated into Zeta Tau Alpha women’s fraternity
at Franklin College.
When students arrive to college,
they have hundreds of opportunities to get engaged on campus. Almost all
student organizations offer a co-edified experience, yet every year nearly 1
million students purposefully seek out the opportunity to foster deeper connections
and development among peers of their own identified gender by joining men’s
fraternities and women’s fraternities/sororities.
They are looking for something
different — I’d argue something special — not readily found in co-ed student
involvement opportunities. My own fraternity story reflects this reality, as do
the stories of many undergraduate men I meet across the country.
My childhood
was difficult. Growing up in poverty, I often wondered where my next meal was
coming from. I lost my loving mother to a heart-attack at 13 years old, and I
regularly suffered at the hands of my abusive father. Walking onto a college
campus as a student, given my background, was a blessing for me. Still, even
that blessing was shared with continued struggles. I battled depression and
suicidal thoughts throughout college as I continued to cope with my past.
Fortunately, I had an important source of growth and support to help me
through. My fraternity was my family, and my brothers were shoulders to lean on
in tough times. Without the bond, the support, and the brotherhood I had
through fraternity, I am not sure I would have survived my time in college. Nor
would I have had a group I identified with and trusted. As any college student
does, I made juvenile decisions and mistakes along the way as well. In those
moments, I had strong peer role models and adult mentors that gave me the
immediate social feedback I needed as I learned to be a healthy adult man.
Now, when I
visit chapters and meet brothers, I hear this echoed by undergraduate men every
day. It is shocking how many men are coming to college longing for positive
male influences, and a sense of brotherhood they have been missing in their
lives. They share powerful stories about support received through experiences
such as troubling emotional trials, feeling not only safe but emboldened by
their brothers as they came out as gay, and navigating self-reflection, growth
and personal development.
Fraternity
is valuable, in part, specifically because it offers a space for men to learn
and grow in a space with other men. We rightfully worry about concerning
behavior that happens in certain chapters, and we absolutely need to correct
that behavior. However, we should also recognize the unique value that can come
from a brotherhood of men collectively navigating the challenges of college and
beyond.
At a time
when positives strides are being made to ensure a more welcoming and inclusive
environment for students on campus, there is an urge to be suspicious of things
that do not align with an ideal of complete inclusivity. Thus, some will
question whether fraternities and sororities should continue to exist as
women’s and men’s organizations. There is a natural conflict that exists
between inclusivity and selectivity. Organizations that are, in their very
nature, exclusive in some sense (such as fraternities and sororities, sports
teams, merit and honorary societies, performance groups, and cultural clubs)
exist within this tension.
For some,
the answer to this conflict is to remove the exclusive component by co-edifying
fraternities and sororities. Others suggest preserving only sororities as
single-sex organizations to empower women. While I strongly support
inclusivity, I do not agree with the urge to have it swallow the uniqueness of
the single-sex fraternity and sorority experience. We live in a beautifully
complex society that necessitates cognitive dissonance and nuance. Uniform
application of any ideal without respect to this complexity is typically
achieved at the cost of undermining another significant and critical value.
The
single-sex experience fraternal organizations offer has distinct value. Various
academic articles and opinion pieces tout positive outcomes ranging from
elevated academic engagement and graduation rates to professional well-being
and civic engagement. However, there is notably less literature that discusses
the needs of young men in today’s society, and how the fraternity experience
provides a critical support system. I am aware of the risk I take as a white
man speaking about how men today are struggling and how inclusivity should mold
around the existing structures of men’s fraternities, but I pose this is an
important topic that requires a nuanced and thoughtful dialogue.
Research
shows young men are, in fact, struggling — struggling with serious issues from
mental health to academic success — in different ways than women. A May 2018
Cigna study reported that the current population of 18 to 22 year-olds is the
“loneliest generation,” lacking people who “really understand them” or who they
“feel close to.” A 2016 study showed the stress of first-year students in fact
stems from loneliness. Further research shows that by adulthood, many men have
lost the “deeply fulfilling” connections they once experienced with male
friends, and this continues to taper throughout their lives. Some call this
loss an “epidemic of male loneliness.”
Loneliness
can have serious impacts on physical health, future career success, and mental
well-being. In fact, young men are startlingly four times as likely to commit
suicide as young women. Addressing this issue of male-loneliness and depression
cannot be overlooked or set to the side. Yet, psychologists say that improving
social skills, enhancing social support, increasing opportunities for
interaction and connection, and engaging in bonding activities for men are all
ways to combat it. All are benefits fraternities offer today’s college student.
Additionally,
in a society that places a heavy value on the need for a college degree, men
are not reaching the finish line nearly as often as women. Currently, 25
percent fewer men graduate from college than women. It is incredible and worth
celebrating that women today are more likely than ever to obtain a college education,
and there is undoubtedly plenty of room to continue improving equity for women
in education and the workplace. Yet, as we celebrate and continue pushing for
equity for women, we cannot ignore a disturbing trend for men. Fraternities
provide significant benefits in helping men reach the finish line. Members
report significantly higher levels of academic engagement, greater graduation
rates, and on many campuses, GPAs above the all-men’s average.
Finally, we
cannot overlook the need for healthy bonding among college men coupled with
strong, positive, male influences. There is extensive literature and dialogue
around toxic masculinity. Whether or not you agree with the concept of
masculinity itself being toxic, there is no doubt there are healthy and unhealthy,
and productive and unproductive ways to interact as men in society. Young men
in college — who are still developing, learning and adapting — take queues and
model behavior from the world around them as they choose between those two ends
of interaction. Moreover, men are coming to the college environment from a
background that is not always built on a foundation with consistent and
positive male influences in their family. There is obviously a need to provide
young men with healthy examples of masculine identity, and there are
potentially destructive consequences when young men are not able to find
such.
Are
fraternities the answer to solve these issues? No. Complex issues like these
require nuanced and multi-faceted solutions. However, a positive, healthy
fraternity experience where genuine connection and friendship is fostered is
absolutely a source of positive influence that can be a part of the answer.
The
fraternity experience provides a unique outlet for students to create a sense
of family and bonding. Additionally, it can make the campus environment less
lonely. In contrast to other co-ed clubs, activities and organizations, it also
provides a space for men to develop and grow in a space with other men;
something that can have a unique and meaningfully positive impact on the issues
college men are struggling with today. The incredible bonding within a
fraternity and the security that accompanies a space where men can interact,
grow, talk, and even fail, can bring about a great opportunity for
vulnerability, honest dialogue and peer enacted behavior correction. This
provides a safety net for men in the chapter struggling with tough issues like
loneliness, depression, and self-doubt. When the experience is supported by
adult advisors, the positive environment is only amplified. This is further
bolstered by the new member, member development, and mental health education
provided through the connection between a chapter and its inter/national
fraternities.
I
believe conversations about the reality women face in our society and about the
support our men need are not mutually exclusive. Having a space designed to
afford me, and others like me, the opportunity for male development and growth
does not negate the opportunity to support inclusivity. Perhaps not every man
in college needs a venue to connect with, and learn from other men, but I did.
My fraternity experience was pivotal in helping me to discover who I am, where
I fit within society, and how I can contribute to society in a positive way.
The answers here are not easy. We should celebrate the realities of our complex
world and have honest conversations about the complicated issues in front of
us.
(Republished from PERSPECTIVES, a publication for the members of Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors)
About
the Author
Patrick F. Jessee, J.D., CAE Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity
Patrick Jessee served as the CEO of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity and Foundation from 2013 to 2018. He dedicated himself in this role to the growth and continuous improvement of the Fraternity, and to leading positive change in the Greek community at large. Prior to joining Delta Sigma Phi, he practiced as a corporate transactional attorney at an international law firm, Akin Gump, in Washington D.C. He earned his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and his Juris Doctorate from The George Washington University School of Law.
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