The Interfraternity Council is set to implement a new policy this semester regarding sexual assault prevention training for its members.
IFC President Kenan Lee Drum, along with the help of his executive board, developed an amendment requiring each fraternity to attend a sexual assault prevention program offered by an approved group, such as UNC’s One Act.
The new policy will require at least the executive board and new members of every fraternity to attend training — which will be tailored to Greek risk management guidelines — once every two years.
“With the IFC being the most visible men’s organization on campus, we hope to set an example for the students,” said Drum. “This kind of training is important, and we would like to be the leaders in this initiative.”
There are more than 1,200 students in 22 IFC organizations, causing capacity constraints for organizations like One Act. This limit is the reason for requiring training once every two years, but Drum said there has been positive feedback from the Greek community about these programs.
“The IFC exec board, the (Greek Judicial Board) and many chapters have already gone through this One Act training, and we feel that it will be extremely beneficial to every Greek organization’s members,” Drum said.
Former IFC President Peter Blumberg saw the potential of these programs when they were first piloted last year. Blumberg said the IFC executive board saw a better way to educate its members on an important issue and be proactive in preventing those situations.
“Sexual assault isn’t only an important issue for fraternities but for the University in general,” Blumberg said. “As young men, participating in these programs is an important and worthwhile experience.”
Aaron Bachenheimer, director of the Office for Fraternity/Sorority Life and Community Involvement, said the policy came from a meeting of the IFC presidents and Drum’s desire to institutionalize expectations on training based on the success of similar programs.
