The Interfraternity Council voted to require each of its members to attend educational sessions about sexual assault, hazing, substance abuse and available resources on campus every year they are a part of the organization. In the past, most of the educational forms were mainly for new members.
Bennett Wilfong, IFC president, said the idea for reform came as a response to national events that have put Greek life in a negative spotlight.
“(We) discovered some areas we should prioritize to continue creating a safe and welcoming environment for all members of the community,” he said.
Wilfong said that members of all 14 IFC fraternities have been notified of the new programming and are on board with the seminars.
“Overall, members of the IFC community seem to recognize the need and importance of the educational sessions,” he said.
Wilfong said the IFC voted to “specify the duration of the seminars and the date that the seminars should be completed by.”
Each fraternity will largely get to dictate when each seminar will take place, but chapters that do not comply will be subject to losing events and other sanctions.
Wilfong said the IFC is eager to continue working to develop plans to further enhance the Ole Miss community.
“Another initiative that we have implemented aims to increase accountability among chapters by creating action plans for our individual chapters conjunctively,” he said.
Kappa Alpha Order President Wesley Rule said the chapter presidents decided to implement the education sessions to reaffirm “the importance of providing and promoting a safe and welcoming atmosphere for everyone.”
Sigma Nu President Luke Little said measures have already been in place to make sure that students joining fraternities or sororities are educated on the topics the IFC addressed, but the new changes will continue that education.
“To my knowledge, any individual that desires to participate in formal recruitment is required to attend educational sessions about the topics addressed in the letter before the recruitment process begins,” Little said. “Our additions will require our active members to refresh that knowledge every year.”
Brandi Hephner LaBanc, vice chancellor for student affairs, said she is happy with the leadership the IFC has shown.
“I am proud of their efforts and initiative to take a look at their community and try to implement some effective change and manage some challenging issues that we’re faced with,” Hephner LaBanc said.
Hephner LaBanc said various schools within the SEC have been working together and talking about initiatives on their respective campuses and the direction SEC schools should be going to improve student life.
She added that the IFC here is exercising leadership that other SEC schools can learn from.
“We’re having a lot of conversations about taking action as the SEC and what we can all do to create a healthier, safer community that’s focused on the well-being of our students,” Hephner LaBanc said.
