Campus Life

Greeks CARE finishes first year of working to combat sexual violence

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — After participating in the inaugural year of Greeks CARE, approximately 160 students from various Penn State fraternities and sororities now have the tools to examine their roles in preventing sexual violence, supporting survivors and facilitating culture change within the Greek community and beyond.

Greeks CARE, a collaborative venture between Penn State’s Center for Women Students and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, was piloted in fall 2015 under the name "The Ten Man/Woman Plan," based on a program from the University of Maryland. For six weeks in spring 2016, participating chapters sent approximately six members to the weekly hour-long sessions, facilitated by two trained undergraduate students and staff from the Center for Women Students and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. Content changed weekly to focus on topics including gender stereotypes, sexual violence, consent and more.

“We wanted to make sure the voices and concerns of students were central to the development of the program and issues presented,” said Erin Farley, programming coordinator of the Center for Women Students. “Shannon Rafferty (undergraduate student) was instrumental in bringing the idea of the program to Penn State, and the future success of the program should be credited to the many students who not only participated this year but also want to help in the upcoming year.”

Chapters that participated in Greeks CARE for 2015-16 include: Sororities: Alpha Chi Omega, Kappa Delta, Pi Beta Phi, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Alpha Phi, Sigma Kappa, Zeta Tau Alpha, Omega Phi Alpha, Alpha Omicron Pi and Alpha Delta Pi Fraternities: Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Pi, Theta Chi, Delta Chi, Alpha Sigma Phi, Alpha Chi Rho, Chi Phi, Kappa Sigma, Phi Kappa Theta, Sigma Lambda Beta, Beta Theta Pi and Delta Tau Delta.

Additional chapters/organizations will be recruited for 2016-17 sessions.

“With Greeks CARE, we are showing that there is a problem on campus, and the first way to fix a problem is admitting there is one,” said Zach Watkins, a freshman member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Last Updated April 22, 2016

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