Fraternities required to undergo One Act training

An amendment to the Interfraternity Council’s constitution requiring each fraternity to undergo a University-approved sexual assault and violence prevention program at least once every two years takes effect this fall.

And over the course of the next two years, all members of IFC fraternities will be trained.

Though fraternities are allowed to participate in any University-approved program, One Act training is preferred, said Aaron Bachenheimer, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Community Involvement.

One Act is a skills training program aimed to equip students with intervention skills to prevent violence.

Kenan Lee Drum, president of the Interfraternity Council, said the IFC acted independently of the University and student government when it adopted the amendment in February.

Though student government was not the driving force behind the passage of the amendment, Student Body President Andrew Powell said he collaborated with the IFC Executive board during his campaign.

He also discussed the amendment in his platform.

“From the beginning it was led by the IFC, and I acted more in a supportive role,” Powell said.

Powell said he saw the passage of the amendment as a big opportunity for fraternities to be proactive in trying to address violence on campus.

He said in the past few years he had seen some breakdowns in communication and collaboration between fraternities and the rest of campus.

As a member of Chi Psi fraternity, Powell found himself in a good position to build a positive relationship between the IFC and student government.

“This is something that in the realm of violence prevention within the Greek culture I would be uniquely positioned to bridge some of the gaps between the fraternity system and student government,” he said.

The mandatory training has only been extended to fraternities in the IFC, but Powell said he would be open to working with other groups who wish to take the same initiative.

“Back when this was first crafted, you approach things from the community you’re in,” he said.

Drum said every IFC executive member and those on the Greek Judicial Board had participated in One Act training before the passage of the IFC amendment.

“You can’t have leadership without first participating yourself,” he said.

A One Act curriculum tailored for fraternity and sorority members, called One Act for Greeks, focuses on scenarios relevant to their experiences, including sexual assault and high risk drinking.

The specialized curriculum began about two years ago as a collaboration between Student Wellness and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Community Involvement.

“Equipping members of social fraternities and sororities with this knowledge and skill will continue to broaden the network of active bystanders, thus improving safety on campus,” said Katrina Hauprich, co-chair of the Steering Committee and Peer Educator for One Act, in an email.

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