Feature Friday: Julius Wibisono, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Get excited to hear about the 2018 Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values Conference experience in the coming weeks! First up, Julius Wibisono!

Once being offered the opportunity to attend the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values Conference in Indianapolis, I couldn’t have been more excited to network and to learn about what workshops that they have organized for its participants. My first full day at the conference, I learned that organizations that fall under the Multicultural Greek Council find it difficult to be exposed around their campus. Despite having to throw multiple events throughout their campus, these multicultural Greek organizations still struggle to gain exposure. Through the help of my peers whom were present at AFLV, I began to realize that the root of the problem derives from the campus climate and one member even mentioned that it can also come from the lack of effort from the organization’s members. Although Kappa Alpha Psi does not fall under MGC, I took that lesson into account and began to form ways on how I can push and implement more effort from my chapter. One of the ways is to bond. By spending some time in fellowship with my chapter members, I believe that the amount of contribution that they have and will put on this campus and on this fraternity, will always be valued and recognized. Another way is to emphasize that legacy within our chapter is very, very essential. Omicron Kappa of Kappa Alpha Psi is a small, yet close chapter - meaning that although we don’t stress the quantitative aspect within the fraternity, we do value the quality characteristics of each individual that are present in this chapter. Somehow, and some way, we must leave a legacy so that future members can follow our good, and learn from our bad.

What surprised me most throughout the conference was the amount of brothers that came from Kappa Alpha Psi. During AFLV, it was my first time being exposed to that many brothers from my fraternity ever since I became a proud member of this bond. The way we interacted and bonded was something that I had not expected and I am very happy to say that I networked very well. Being able to know brothers from the University of Minnesota to UNC Charlotte is something I know that will be useful for me in both the short and the long run, and of course, it is one of the opportunities that I will not take for granted. What didn’t surprise me was the additional bonding and friendships that I made with my Lehigh Friends. Cyrus, Tom, Isabel and Gaby were all wonderful companions and the amount of love and support that they will have from me is indescribable. I was very lucky to have spent an extra 6 hour layover with them, and what’s better than that? Of course, Corey, who was very patient and helpful throughout our trip!

Feature Friday: Kate Morrell, Zeta Tau Alpha

Our first LeaderShape guest blog of 2018 is from Kate Morrell, ZTA sister!

Looking back on my first year at Lehigh, I realized how difficult my adjustment was to living on my own. From the heavy workload I was balancing to being more involved on campus and making new friends, it wasn’t easy. I struggled to find people who shared values similar to my own. But by the start of my sophomore year when I joined ZTA, my new sisters sparked a newfound confidence in me to push myself out of my comfort zone, where I strived to become a leader in my sorority and to not be afraid to speak up for myself. Having that support system from my sisters truly helped me find my inner confidence.

One night last semester, after a long discussion with a close friend about the changes that Lehigh’s Greek Life were undergoing, she asked me out of curiosity “Have you ever thought about applying for Leadershape?” I had always heard great things about LeaderShape, but it wasn’t until that moment that I actually gave it serious consideration. Little did I know that this experience would be life-changing for me, as I became more aware of my personal vision as a leader with an ultimate goal to lead with integrity. I had been involved with a variety of leadership programs before, but LeaderShape was unlike any other experience I’ve been through. I was ecstatic to spend a week away with other Lehigh students to not only share our personal experiences that we’ve had at Lehigh, but to learn from one another about how be more effective leaders.

Out of the 58 students that attended, only 14 of us in total were involved in Greek organizations. I was worried going into LeaderShape that people would judge me because I was so involved in my sorority and the great influence Greek life has over Lehigh’s campus. But as each day passed, I wasn’t so concerned about what people at LeaderShape thought of me or whether they were judging my opinions and ideas. We all came from different backgrounds and have a great amount of curve balls thrown at us. As we began to open up and honestly share our thoughts and opinions with one another, we all instantaneously became connected as leaders in establishing that trust as each day continued on.

The greatest takeaway I had from LeaderShape was the fact that we all truly cared about one another as a collective Lehigh community and wanted to see each and every one of us work to our fullest potential. I’ve made so many new friends and learned more about my peers that were involved in organizations like Break the Silence, Gryphon Society, Marching 97, and more. I became more aware about the resources we have (and don’t have) available to us as students, as well as the changes that need to be made to create less of a divide between students involved in Greek life and those not affiliated.

As I reflect back on the first day of LeaderShape, I was surrounded by complete strangers as if I was starting my first year at Lehigh all over again. Now, I have many strong connections to people that I know I can always seek out if I am in need of help, no matter what. I hope to take the lessons I’ve learned from LeaderShape with me forever as I continue to lead with integrity and great confidence, and to implement great changes both in my chapter and the Lehigh community.

Feature Friday: Nick Furgason, Phi Sigma Kappa

Big thanks to Nick Furgason of Phi Sigma Kappa for kicking off Spring 2018 guest blogging!

In my opinion, being an Orientation Leader is the single best way to get the absolute most out of one’s time at Lehigh. The friendships we all made, the skills we learned, and the new perspectives we gained in such a short span of time is so unique and this experience extends to all types of Lehigh student. No matter how different someone’s path at Lehigh may be, one thing every student who comes to this university has in common is they go through orientation. As an Orientation Leader, it was up to all 80+ of us to put down our baggage so to say and realize that being an Orientation Leader is about one thing— being there for the First-Years.

During our staff trainings it didn’t matter that I was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa, or that I was from Colorado, or that I didn’t have a major, or I spent most of my time working on Dance Marathon; all that mattered was that I was there for the same reason as everyone else and I wanted to be a positive influence on someone and help new students find their way here at Lehigh. The same went for everyone else that sacrificed 10 days of their summer break to come back to school early, train from what seemed to be sun up to sun down, and carry box after box up the stairs of Dravo. What chapter we were or were not in, or where we fell on the social hierarchy didn’t matter. We were all OLs.

This sense of unity is so unique and so freeing in an environment that seems so stuck in its rigid tradition of Greek hierarchy. This experience allowed me to see outside of my social bubble and meet new and amazing people from so many different fraternity and sorority chapter and people who weren’t in chapters at all. It gave me a hope and yearning for everyone else to look beyond their bubbles too.

Hazing Prevention Week 2018

Don't miss out on participating in Hazing Prevention Week!  There are several ways to get involved, but most importantly, STEP UP!

Sunday Feb 4th: Message to the community from Vice Provost Dr. Ric Hall
Monday Feb 5th: Hazing prevention webinar & social media campaign
Tuesday Feb 6th: BYOL discussion & workshop
Wednesday Feb 7th: Tim Mousseau keynote and workshops
Thursday Feb 8th: Awareness day via tabling and Rep your Org!
Friday Feb 9th: Brown & White Friday!

 For more information or to get involved, email Corey Gant at jcg216@lehigh.edu. 

IFC Statement Regarding Hard Alcohol

Dear Lehigh Greek Community,

The Lehigh University Interfraternity Council Executive Board has decided to place an indefinite ban on hard alcohol at any event sponsored by IFC fraternities. These include social events, recruitment events, and anything related to New Member Education. In light of the alarmingly high number of alcohol-related transports over the past semester and the numerous alcohol-related incidents at colleges and universities across the country, the IFC Executive Board feels that this ban is necessary in order to create a safer environment for its students.

Chapters who are found in violation of this ban will be subject to, at minimum, an indefinite suspension of all chapter activities as determined by the IFC Executive Board. Each violation will be evaluated on a case by case basis, and chapters may be subject to harsher sanctions including a suspension of recruitment or losing eligibility to take a new member class. The IFC is taking this very seriously and these sanctions will be strictly enforced.

We suggest that you have a serious discussion with your executive boards and risk management teams to re-evaluate the events that you may have planned for this semester. This self-imposed ban is an attempt to focus on the health and safety of our community members as well as regain the credibility we have lost in recent semesters. It's on us, as a community, to create a safe environment for students while holding all members accountable. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the members of the IFC Executive Board.

Sincerely,

The Interfraternity Council Executive Board

Parent & Family Webinar Series

Questions about fraternity and sorority recruitment?  Want to know more about the new member education process?  OFSA staff members host many webinars specifically for parents and families throughout the academic year. Please see below for dates and times.  You can join live or click on the link after the webinar to view a recording.

January 8th @ noon - Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment https://drive.google.com/file/d/18PxzyLGwoVSbIkw2iQ_Dgxf87LGCSuDB/view

January 15th @ noon - IFC Recruitment: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12RI2R_kcTLl11FMbsP_0H2pa5hx4Rlz0/view?usp=sharing 

January 22nd @ noon - New Member Education: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aXRaBSWHClE8GQxq0LGyKNCANw4pB2Rp/view

February 5th @ noon - Hazing Prevention: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kmxMJNNW1As9-zE5MrR-NvQJq6pQbGz1/view?usp=sharing

For further information, please visit the Parent & Family section of our website at https://studentaffairs.lehigh.edu/content/parent-and-family-information 

Hazing Prevention Awareness Message from Vice Provost

Please see below for an email from Vice Provost Dr. Ric Hall that was shared with all students on January 12th.

Dear Students,

This email is long but important.  I strongly encourage you to read it in its entirety.

First, and foremost, I hope you are enjoying a restful winter break following an academically successful fall semester.

Below is a message from the Lehigh Hazing Prevention Coalition.  It was written in 2015 and remains timely and relevant in 2018.  Rather than revise or rewrite the document, I want to re-share it with those of you who are now juniors and seniors, and present this important information to the freshmen and sophomores who were not yet  Lehigh students in October 2015.

As I have shared with many Lehigh audiences, groups, and individuals, I am clear and unwavering in my support of Greek Life.  Our university's history is in many ways (positively) tied to the history of several of our fraternity and sorority chapters.  I am also mindful that the majority of our undergraduate student population (60-65%) chooses not to join or affiliate with Greek organizations. However, with such a large percentage of student members, it is undeniable that Greek life in some way touches the lives of the entire community.

While remaining optimistic that the future of Lehigh's Fraternity & Sorority Life community is bright, I am also a realist.  Lehigh is not immune to the individual and organizational behaviors that have been recently demonstrated on campuses around the country. Alcohol abuse, sexual assault, hazing-related injuries and fatalities - all in no way related to the ideals of Greek letter organizations but a sad, dangerous, and ongoing reality - are recurring themes in news articles, court cases, and campus & online discussions.

For Greek life to not just survive, but thrive, at Lehigh, all such behavior cannot, and will not, be an acceptable or otherwise "ok" component of our students' Greek experience. Period.

Many who are reading this message will soon be involved in Spring 2018 IFC and Panhellenic Recruitment, either as current or prospective members.  The Division of Student Affairs, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, and
dedicated advisers, chapter officers, and members have a shared commitment to ensure an optimal and safe experience for all students.  Again, I implore you to read the message below, which includes Lehigh's Hazing
Prevention website (https://studentaffairs.lehigh.edu/hazing-prevention) and our anonymous hazing reporting form.

And while this message is intentionally sent prior to the spring fraternity and sorority recruitment period, hazing is not confined to Greek organizations. We've all seen/read of hazing acts committed by athletic teams, marching bands, and other clubs and organizations.  I encourage you to participate in Lehigh's annual Hazing Prevention Week, which will take place February 5th-9th.  During this week, efforts that students, faculty and staff have put in place to prevent hazing on our campus will be highlighted. Please feel free to check out the "Lehigh Greeks" page on Facebook for more details.

Lastly, expect to see me and other Lehigh leaders throughout Spring Recruitment.  Social functions, service events, information sessions etc. that are presented to prospective members and are non-esoteric/non-ritual occasions, are all of interest as I continue to learn and experience Lehigh's culture.  While there will certainly be parties and social
functions, I look forward to prospective members learning of programs that more closely align with the ideals of our campus chapters, like Pi Beta Phi's Read>Lead>Achieve initiative, or Sigma Phi Epsion's Balanced Man Program, or even Theta Chi's position on Human Dignity and proud sponsorship of HazingPrevention.org.  And as a fraternity member who remains active with my local alumni chapter, I know that fun and socializing are important and inherent to the Greek experience.  I simply encourage all involved to avoid behaviors that you would not want your parents, or senior university leadership, to see or hear associated with you and/or your chapter.

As always, I'm happy to discuss or clarify this or any other student-related topic.  In the meantime, I wish you all safe travels back to Bethlehem and a successful spring semester.

Sincerely,

Ric Hall

Click here to view President Simon's 2015 statement