Task force hears from fraternity and sorority members

Members of fraternities and sororities turned out in large numbers for a campus forum organized by a University Senate task force Nov. 3.

The Senate Task Force to Address Sexual Violence and Survivor Support was seeking input on the 23 recommendations the group forwarded to the University Senate, including establishing a central office to coordinate sexual and gender violence to requiring more Title IX training. Other recommendations included mandatory sexual assault prevention classes, expanded women’s self-defense training, a review of mandatory reporting rules and confidentiality for reports to the university ombudsperson.

The approximately 100 students in attendance were mostly affiliated with Fraternity and Sorority Life organizations on campus and came to express concern about one recommendation: a possible halt to the expansion plans for additional Greek chapters at the UO.

“Fraternity and Sorority Life is passionate about changing the culture at the UO. We can fix this problem. We can do it together,” said Chase Salazar, a UO student and president of the Interfraternity Council.

Salazar and many other speakers asked that planned expansion not be stopped and instead asked for representation by fraternity and sorority leaders on a senate committee that will help apply the task force recommendations.

Speakers expressed concern about the recent data about sexual violence at the UO and commitment to continue education and prevention efforts. 

“We are looking at scary numbers and you are arguing for expanding with no assurance that these numbers will go down,” task force Co-Chair Carol Stabile said.

Student interest in fraternities and sororities has increased in recent years at the UO and at campuses nationally. While the UO has not had authority over the chapters that are located off-campus and in houses often owned by national organizations, the university has formal relationships to coordinate training, conduct, academic standing and risk management and recently expanded the conduct code to apply to off-campus behavior. 

A female member of a sorority who identified herself as a minority student and a survivor of sexual assault shared her view on the importance of a support system and urged the task force not to stop expansion plans.

“At the University of Oregon, I’ve had the opportunity to have a support system, and I can only hope that opportunity can be given to more women,” she said.

Other students spoke about the need for gender awareness training and inclusion of graduate students in training efforts and climate surveys, and a desire for collaboration between students, faculty and university leadership. 

“I want to thank our students for being so organized,” said Randy Sullivan, co-chair of the task force. “We’ve all got to work together.”

Sandy Weintraub, UO’s director of student conduct and community standards and member of the task force, echoed Sullivan’s comments and added that the recommendations are “a call to action and a call to further discussion.”

The University Senate will vote on the recommendations at its Nov. 5 meeting at 3 p.m. in Room 115, Lawrence Hall.

—By Julie Brown, Public Affairs Communications