Hazing Prevention Week Presentation

This event is open to the Lehigh community.

Center for Academic Success

Recruitment Schedule Changes

Due to anticipated hazardous weather conditions on and around Lehigh's campus, both IFC and Panhellenic recruitment events on January 19 & 20 have been changed/postponed. See below for further details. 

Panhellenic 

Saturday, January 19th - All Rho Gammas and PNMs, please arrive at Rauch at 8:00am. Round Four will begin at 9:00am. A more detailed schedule will be discussed at this point.

Sunday, January 20th - All originally scheduled events are cancelled and moved to Monday, January 21st. PNMs have received notification of the new schedule.


IFC

Sunday, January 20th - All IFC Kick Off events are cancelled and moved to Monday, January 21st. The events will take place from 4-6pm in UC 303 & 308 (same as originally scheduled.)

Email communications have been sent to all registered men and their parents, as well as all Chapter Presidents regarding this matter.

Social Host Training

Mark your calendars!!

This training is MANDATORY for Chapter Presidents, Social Chairs and Risk Managers.

Message from University Leadership

This message was sent to the Lehigh Community on January 15

Dear Members of the Campus Community,

The Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law  -- a new Pennsylvania law spurred by the 2017 tragic death of the Penn State sophomore following hazing activity at a fraternity --  was recently enacted and is intended to focus on prevention, enforcement, transparency and accountability for hazing activities on college and university campuses. The law is applicable to campus organizations that include clubs, athletic teams, fraternity and sorority chapters and other groups.

We support this legislation and are committed to ending hazing on our campus.

One element of this law is a requirement to publish all reports of hazing violations from 2013 through 2018. That listing is now available on the university’s hazing prevention site, which also includes important information about university and Pennsylvania policies, reporting options and Lehigh’s long-standing efforts to address this important issue. 

Based on the number of reports that were made during the past five years, hazing is far too often viewed by students as an accepted form of social bonding or as a typical and harmless rite of initiation. The Piazza tragedy and many other senseless deaths on college campuses underscore the reality that this behavior is far from harmless. It has been accepted for far too long, and that must change. 

An important first step is acknowledging a culture that accepts hazing, and vowing to evolve into one that will not tolerate it. Key to that evolution is encouraging students and others to report this behavior, which is critical to holding organizations and individuals accountable. In considering the reports over the past five years, you will note that many investigations were hindered by the lack of corroborating testimony or evidence, or by the anonymity of the reporter.  Whether this is borne of fear for retaliation or a casual acceptance of this behavior, this silence is, in effect, a tacit endorsement of hazing. This cannot continue if any cultural change is to happen.

We are posting this information not only in accordance with a new law, but with the hope that sharing these details – however unseemly and disturbing -- will shine the spotlight on this activity and support our view that it is dangerous and completely unacceptable. 

We also hope this transparency will encourage others to come forward without the need for anonymity, and to play a pivotal role in helping us address a deeply troubling issue that threatens the lives and well-being of our students.

Sincerely,

John D. Simon, President

Patrick V. Farrell, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Ricardo Hall, Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Message from University Leadership

The following was sent to Interfraternity Council Chapter Presidents on January 14

Following up on my December 27 email to you, I'm writing to update you on the current investigation into hazing allegations against an IFC chapter.

To date, information - including social calendars, lists of possible recruits, and communications with potential new members - has been gathered from each IFC chapter. While there has been no definitive indication that one chapter is responsible for the specific hazing behaviors highlighted in the allegation, the overall communication by all chapters to potential members causes great concern.  Specifically, IFC organizations regularly sent text messages to potential new members, encouraging them to consume alcohol in a prohibited and unhealthy manner and/or promoting a culture that is focused on heavy alcohol consumption. Invitations were sent for parties that occurred throughout fall semester, including every night of the week regardless of academic calendars. 

To be clear, all 21 year old students have the right to consume alcohol.  However, the recipients of the invitations (potential new members) are overwhelmingly freshmen and well below the legal drinking age.  Further, such wholesale reliance on alcohol to attract new members poses potential risks to the health and safety of students, while being inconsistent with IFC's Recruitment Bylaws and the stated ideals of every North American Interfraternity Conference member organization.  

I look forward to engaging with you and other members of Lehigh's fraternity & sorority community in the days and weeks to come as we determine how we "got here" as well as work together to initiate a positive and sustainable shift in our culture.

In the meantime, Spring 2019 IFC Recruitment will take on a slightly different look for those chapters that decide to participate.  You will read in the attached document that all spring semester 2019 recruitment and new member education activities will be "alcohol free".  That is, alcohol will not be present at any event attended by potential, prospective, or new members during the spring 2019 recruitment/new member education period. 

I strongly encourage you and other fraternity leaders to discuss this with your respective chapters, to include members residing both on and off campus. While I am certain the prospect of alcohol-free recruitment will be met with alarm by some, I also believe others will be supportive, or even relieved.  

Chapters may opt to not participate in Spring 2019 IFC Recruitment.  But any chapter wishing to participate in Spring 2019 IFC Recruitment will be required to agree to the terms of an alcohol-free recruitment/new member education period. Those chapters agreeing to the terms of the agreement will begin Formal Recruitment on January 20, as scheduled. 

Once each chapter has reviewed its respective Agreement, please communicate directly with the IFC advisor on whether or not the chapter will participate in Spring 2019 IFC Recruitment.  Each chapter should also deliver its signed Agreement no later than 4:00 pm on Sunday, January 20 (start time of the IFC Recruitment Kick Off Event).

Thank you (all of you) for your leadership within the Greek community and here's to a positive and productive spring semester.

Sincerely,

Ricardo D. Hall, Ph.D.

Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Parent and Family Webinar Series

Missed the Panhellenic Parent and Family Webinar? Have questions about Sorority recruitment? No worries! Click here to watch the recording from Tuesday's webinar. 

There is still time to register for the IFC Fraternity Recruitment Webinar! Join us on Tuesday, January 15 at 12pm for more information on Spring 2019 IFC Recruitment.  Click here to register. 

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