WASHINGTON, January 18, 2019— Yesterday, Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-Ohio) and Rep. David P. Joyce (R-Ohio) re-introduced the bipartisan Report and Educate About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act, legislation that has had strong support from the NIC and many of its interfraternal partners since first filed in 2017.

The REACH Act would require colleges and universities to disclose information about hazing on campus in their annual crime reports. It would also require any college or university that accepts federal funding to provide hazing prevention education to all students.

“The REACH Act calls for a comprehensive approach to fighting hazing—heightened proactive education, transparency and accountability,” said NIC President and CEO Judson Horras. “It is just one of the ways we hope Congress will work with fraternities and the Anti-Hazing Coalition to address this critical issue.”

In 2018, alongside parents who lost their sons to hazing and several interfraternal organizations, the NIC formed the Anti-Hazing Coalition to pursue stronger federal and state anti-hazing laws and educate thousands of students about the issue. In recent months, the Conference has also taken steps to enhance health and safety across college campuses through new measures to reduce alcohol and substance abuse.

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Indianapolis, January 17, 2019— The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) announces the promotion of Todd Shelton to the role of Chief Communication Officer (CCO) as Heather Kirk departs January 31.

Shelton joined the NIC in April 2018 and has nearly two decades of strategic communication experience. In his new role, he will focus on advancing the brand of fraternity, further developing industry-wide response protocols and resources, and directing the communication strategy for the NIC and Foundation for Fraternal Excellence (FFE).

“We are very pleased to have Todd ready to step into this role,” said Judson Horras, NIC President & CEO. “Todd has the experience, skills and dedication to positively impact our NIC priorities and reinforce the brand of fraternity.”

During his time at the NIC, Shelton has led the development and successful execution of the myFraternity proactive campaign to raise the volume on the positive impact of fraternity. He provided leadership for rebrand efforts for the NIC and FFE. Most recently, he helped launch the Stand Up To Harvard public relations effort in defense of the single-sex fraternity/sorority experience.

“The NIC has established itself as a valuable communication partner for our members and campuses,” Shelton said. “I am honored to build upon that reputation, share the story of fraternity and communicate the groundbreaking NIC efforts, particularly in health and safety.”

Shelton’s breadth of experience as an interfraternal communicator comes from communication leadership roles for Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, Sigma Pi Fraternity and Kappa Alpha Order.

Interfraternal volunteer experience has further contributed to Shelton’s position as a fraternal storyteller. He is past president of the Fraternity Communications Association (FCA) and has been on its board for five years. Throughout his career, his teams’ work has garnered dozens of FCA awards for excellence in writing, design and digital communication. Shelton has also served on the Southeastern Interfraternity Conference (SEIFC) board of directors since 2016.

Shelton was initiated into Kappa Alpha Order at Middle Tennessee State University. He will assume the CCO position February 1 and is currently recruiting a Senior Director of Communication and Director of Digital Media to round out the team.

After three years with the NIC, Heather Kirk has accepted a new position at Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity as its Chief Communication Officer.

“Heather’s dedication and professionalism has successfully guided us through a very challenging and critical time—laying a solid foundation for future communication efforts,” said Judson Horras, NIC President & CEO. “We are eternally grateful for her steadfast service and happy to see her work continue within the fraternity community.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 10, 2019
Heather Kirk, Chief Communication Officer
317.872.1112; Heather.kirk@nicfraternity.org

INDIANAPOLIS—In a historic decision, the 66 fraternities of the North American Interfraternity Conference adopted guidelines to standardize and strengthen health and safety measures across fraternities.

In unanimous agreement, leaders of the NIC fraternities voted at a November 29, 2018, meeting to adopt 10 guidelines (below) designed to reduce the presence and negative impact of alcohol and drugs in the fraternity experience. By September 1, 2019, each of the 66 fraternities will codify these measures in its own policies and implement them in its chapters.

“Our assessment shows these are best-practice strategies that make a big difference in safety for members and guests,” said Mark Timmes, Pi Kappa Phi CEO, who led the committee charged to provide recommendations on health and safety guidelines to the NIC. “When fraternities can move as one to implement consistent measures across a campus community—and across the more than 6,100 chapters in North America—we create shared expectations and a level field for all members.”

These guidelines build upon the fraternities’ strong commitment to enhance the health and safety in campus communities. In the last year, NIC fraternities voted to ban hard alcohol in fraternity houses and events by September 1, 2019; partnered with parents who have lost their sons to hazing to strengthen hazing laws across the country and educate high school and college students on hazing and bullying; implemented conference-wide adoption of medical Good Samaritan policies; and are developing SocialSafe, an online event management platform and app.

“This is another important step to improve the health and safety for our 385,000 members and their guests,” said Judson Horras, NIC President & CEO. “This will lead to a more unified prevention and accountability system, resulting in safer communities and refocusing fraternities on brotherhood, personal growth, support and service.”

While elements of these guidelines have been in place across many organizations, through this historic agreement, all NIC fraternities will—for the first time—implement uniform health and safety measures. These NIC Alcohol & Drug Guidelines will also appear in the forthcoming Interfraternity Council Standard Operating Procedures the NIC is implementing, which provide structure, support and accountability for campus IFCs.

As with all NIC Standards and guidelines, these are minimum expectations; when member fraternities and campuses have more restrictive policies, students and chapters will still be expected to follow those.

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Click here to download a PDF of this release. The North American Interfraternity Conference is a trade association that represents 66 inter/national 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.

Indianapolis, October 31, 2018—Known throughout the higher education community for her commitment to leadership development and interfraternalism, Ashlee Louise Canty will bring her experience to the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) as Vice President of Campus Operations for the Northeast region.

Joining staff November 7, Canty will deliver support to college fraternity communities and contribute to NIC educational and advocacy initiatives. Her work will focus on community development, council effectiveness and alumni engagement, which contributes to the NIC’s vision to enhance the fraternity experience. Canty will fill the position left open when Dominic Greene returned to a role at his organization, Delta Upsilon.

“Ashlee’s extensive experience in higher education and the fraternal industry makes her a valuable resource to support campuses in the Northeast,” said NIC President & CEO Judson Horras.

Canty comes to the NIC from Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity, where she served as Director of Fraternity Operations and oversaw planning and development of educational curriculum, program assessment, and the conduct process. Prior to ZBT, she worked at Sigma Alpha Epsilon headquarters, DePaul University and Syracuse University, and she served on the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Board of Directors.

“Ashlee has a true gift when it comes to student development and developing campus partnerships,” said ZBT Chief Executive Officer Laurence Bolotin. “Her track record is proof of that and her time at ZBT was no exception. We wish her well at the NIC and look forward to seeing her leadership on the broader movement.”

Canty is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. She earned her bachelor’s degree at North Carolina State University, her master’s degree in college student personnel from Western Illinois University, and anticipates completion of her doctor of education from DePaul University in 2019. Canty will work from her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she will be accessible to the campuses she serves.

“I hope that through this role I am able to have a positive impact on the experience of undergraduate fraternity men by building relationships that provide support, advocacy and leadership as a way to advance Fraternities on college campuses,” said Canty.

In another staffing change, on November 23, Director of Education & Leadership Development Melissa Kish will depart the NIC staff to join Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity as its Chief Operations Officer.

“In the short time she has been on our team, Melissa has brought enthusiasm and expertise to the NIC’s educational programs,” said Horras. “Her departure is bittersweet, as we are excited for her to take on this leadership role and glad to see the fraternity community will continue to benefit from her talent.”

Will Foran, a veteran of writing and facilitating NIC programs, will direct the NIC’s educational initiatives, while continuing to serve as VP of Campus Operations.

We read with interest the Chronicle of Higher Education’s interview with William E. Even about the recent study he and Austin Smith published about the academic performance of sorority and fraternity members.

While we—and the sorority and fraternity community at large—welcome careful research that can inform how we support our members, this study shows a limited representation at one university. Looking at various data markers across institutions nationwide paints a more complete picture of the positive impact sororities and fraternities have on student academic success.

Research findings have consistently supported that membership has a dramatic, positive impact on retention and persistence to graduation. For example, research found first-to-second year retention rates among sorority members hit 93%, compared to 82% for non-members. Similar studiesshow fraternity members are 20% more likely to graduate, which is critical as men are attending college and graduating with less frequency than in the past.

Why? A host of studies show membership contributes to a students’ sense of community and belonging on campus, which provides a greater sense of attachment to a university. Further research shows the stress of first-year students stems from loneliness, and sororities and fraternities provide connection, friendship and a strong support system.

Membership also develops the whole student. Sorority women experience gains in science, writing and thinking skills; better emotional support; increased college engagement; and higher levels of service. Fraternity men experience higher levels of development in critical thinking, self-awareness, communication, diversity, citizenship, leadership, and relationships, and those who join in their first semester show greater gains.

From day one in a member’s experience, organizations provide academic success programming and mentoring relationships that focus on student learning. Further, fraternal foundations provide more than $79 million in scholarship funds and educational programming funding annually, playing a significant role in ensuring college access and advancing personal development. And yes, both NIC and NPC have a long and robust history of nationwide data showcasing that members’ grades out-perform campus averages.

We applaud Even and Smith for putting the spotlight on academic performance in sorority and fraternity life, but urge readers to consider a broader picture of measures of student success.

Dani Weatherford
Executive Director of the National Panhellenic Conference

Judson Horras
President & CEO of the North American Interfraternity Conference

New York—In an unprecedented partnership, four families who have lost their sons to hazing are coming together with fraternities and sororities to fight it.

Jim and Evelyn Piazza, parents of Tim Piazza; Stephen and Rae Ann Gruver, parents of Max Gruver; Rich and Maille Braham, parents of Marquise Braham; and Lianne and Brian Kowiak, parents of Harrison Kowiak, have joined the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) to form a partnership that will focus on pursuing and strengthening state hazing laws and significantly expanding education and training for high school and college-aged students.

Other organizations within the fraternal community—HazingPrevention.Org, the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) and Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values (AFLV)—have committed their support to these efforts.

After meeting with Jud and some of his colleagues, the other parents and I saw a sincerity to make change and a real interest to work with us. We collectively agreed forming this alliance made sense,” said Jim Piazza. “While we may seem like strange bedfellows, we all want the same thing—to end hazing, so other parents don’t have to experience what we have.”

When students arrive at college, nearly half have already experienced hazing. This Coalition seeks to address the problem earlier through education, while also strengthening accountability and transparency through new model state legislation.

“The best way to inspire change in college students is to touch their hearts,” said Judson Horras, President & CEO of the North American Interfraternity Conference. “In working with these families, we have seen how deeply their personal stories resonate, and I’ve witnessed first-hand the powerful impact these parents have in helping young men.”

“We can do more together than we can alone to address this societal problem,” said Carole Jones, Chairman of the National Panhellenic Conference. “The fight against hazing requires that an entire community step up, including sorority women, who can and must do our part to create safer campus cultures where students advocate for one another.”

The coalition will:

• Pursue state-based anti-hazing legislation that delivers greater transparency through stronger hazing reporting requirements, strengthens criminal penalties and encourages prosecution, calls for university accountability for bad actors, provides amnesty to encourage people to call for help, and calls for student education.
• Expand awareness and intervention education, including providing a platform for the parents to speak to tens of thousands of college students.
• Engage fraternity and sorority members in educating high school students to confront hazing and bullying.

Just this summer, these parents have spoken to more than 3,000 fraternity members at summer leadership conferences, including at Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s where hundreds of students and alumni moved by the program lined up to speak directly with the parents. Parents are also being invited to speak with sorority women at both the local and national levels.

The group has already begun discussion with lawmakers, and hopes to work in several states this fall to introduce model legislation. At the federal level, the organizations will continue to advocate for the REACH Act, which—if passed—will require colleges and universities to publicly report hazing incidents under the Clery Act and provide expanded hazing prevention education and resources to students.

“We are in full support of this partnership and look forward to working together in the months ahead to change the hazing culture,” said Steve and Rae Ann Gruver.

Further, this initial group of partners hopes to engage other organizations in the future.

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure no other child is killed or injured due to dangerous and illegal hazing,” said Richard Braham. “It will take more than tougher laws, greater parental awareness and university oversight or a timely display of moral courage and decency to eradicate hazing. It will take all of these things, plus young people understanding that you don’t become a ‘better man or woman’ by watching and remaining silent as your brother or sister is harmed or killed.”

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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 standards and programs, including last week’s ban of hard alcohol in fraternity houses and events.

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 approximately 418,000 undergraduate members and nearly 5 million alumnae.

About HazingPrevention.Org
HazingPrevention.Org™ is dedicated to empowering people to prevent hazing, by providing education and resources, advocating on hazing prevention, and building partnerships with others. Major initiatives of the organization include National Hazing Prevention Week™, Prevent.Zone™ educational online courses, seminars, books, and educational resources that touch the lives of thousands of individuals, organizations, campuses and communities.

About the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors
Through programs, publications, networking opportunities and other resources, AFA represents the community of fraternity and sorority advisors and is the leading voice in aligning the fraternity/sorority and higher education experiences.

About the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values
The Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values (AFLV) accelerates progress in fraternity and sorority communities, reaching more than 300 campuses and 4,000 student leaders and professionals through change-enabling experiences.

Indianapolis—In an important, decisive action to enhance health and safety in fraternity communities, the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) recently adopted a Standard prohibiting hard alcohol from fraternity chapter facilities and events.

At its Aug. 27 Annual Meeting in a near unanimous vote of its 66 inter/national fraternities, the Conference determined that each organization will implement the new Standard by Sept. 1, 2019, across their more than 6,100 chapters on 800 campuses.

“At their core, fraternities are about brotherhood, personal development and providing a community of support. Alcohol abuse and its serious consequences endanger this very purpose,” said Judson Horras, NIC President & CEO. “This action shows fraternities’ clear commitment and leadership to further their focus on the safety of members and all in our communities.”

This is the latest in a series of NIC Health & Safety Initiatives launched in the last year, including Conference-wide adoption of medical Good Samaritan policies; piloting further measures to reduce alcohol; developing SocialSafe, an online event management platform and app; testing measures to reduce hazing in the new member experience; and advocating for stronger anti-hazing laws.

Our IFC and member fraternities eliminated hard alcohol from facilities and events on our campus several years ago and have seen a positive shift in our culture when it comes to the health and safety of our members and guests,” said Seth Gutwein, Purdue University IFC President. “With all NIC fraternities implementing this critical change, it will provide strong support for fraternities to move as one to make campus communities safer.”

Under the resolution passed by the Conference, each NIC member fraternity will “adopt and implement a policy by September 1, 2019, that prohibits the presence of alcohol products above 15% ABV in any chapter facility or at any chapter event, except when served by a licensed third-party vendor. Chapter facilities and events outside the United States may have one additional year to achieve compliance. Any member fraternity that does not have a business meeting between Sept. 1, 2018, and Sept. 1, 2019, will be granted a one-year extension in adoption.” As with all NIC Standards, this is a minimum expectation; when member fraternities and campuses have more restrictive policies, students and chapters will still be expected to follow those.

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Click here for more information, including Frequently Asked Questions. The North American Interfraternity Conference is a trade association that represents 66 inter/national 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.