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Fraternal organizations on America’s college campuses are as old as our country itself. From “Animal House” to “Neighbors,” the image of fun-loving and risqué Greek life has been reinforced in pop culture and has provided much comic relief. But perhaps never before have fraternities and sororities been the center of such unwelcome attention.
Recent incidents involving the hot button issues of race and campus sexual assault have put Greek life under a microscope.
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For all the good these organizations do — creating a sense of community, fundraising for important causes, and forging lifelong friendships — it is often the poor choices that undergrads make that fraternities and sororities are most often recognized for. Racist, misogynistic and downright criminal conduct are a reminder that Greek leadership must remain vigilant to protect both their members and their reputations.
There was a time not too long ago when knowledge of this bad or offensive behavior remained confined to the frat or sorority house. That’s no longer the case, of course, with many Greek organizations having thousands of active members, each operating multiple social media channels.
While the exposing or “outing” of offensive rituals has contributed to progress and more responsible behavior, we all know that a few rotten apples can spoil the bunch. In the world of 24/7 social and online media, it doesn’t take much for the entire chapter or its national organization to be painted with a broad brush. While it may not be fair, no one in Greek life should be surprised.
The UVA/Rolling Stone saga is a cautionary tale of how vilifying the entire Geek culture is an overly simplistic and potentially dangerous approach. Even so, today’s collegiate landscape presents new realities. Awareness that one in five coeds is sexually assaulted — according to a 2015 study by the Association of American Universities — can’t be ignored. Just because this is a campus-wide problem, doesn’t mean fraternities and sororities shouldn’t be part of the solution. In fact, it presents an important opportunity for Greek leaders to engage in the current discussion around legislation on Capitol Hill intended to create safer college campuses.
Every National President or Executive Director should have systems in place to avoid a myriad of issues, and should know what their response would be if high-profile misconduct were to occur. In addition to building good will, taking important steps to prevent a crisis can keep a local issue from escalating into something that threatens to erode the trust and goodwill of a fraternity’s and/or sorority’s many stakeholders.
Here are some steps for every Greek organization to take to prepare for a potential crisis.
Have a social media policy. Or at least a defined set of guidelines that each member is required to sign their name to. For many fraternities and sororities, social media falls under an overall conduct code but this is not enough. Social media needs its own set of rules. It should be in writing and should set standards and an approval process for the chapter’s channels. To be effective, the policy should promote a degree of self-policing among members’ own social channels. Some sororities, for instance, have a single code word that sisters post when they feel a photo or a status update is inappropriate. A designated social media point person would email women notifications that they should to remove offending images immediately.
Encourage local chapters to cultivate a regular dialogue with the designated Greek Life advisor and other key College & University administrators. It always helps if you have an established, trusted relationship before a crisis strikes with those that will be asking the tough questions during a difficult situation. These individuals can be advocates in time of need, can vouch for an organization’s character and provide insight as to what the Administration is thinking in terms of discipline or sanctions. Being familiar with these expectations early on can help Greek organizations understand how the community at large views the offense and can react in a way that doesn’t appear tone-deaf. Depending on the severity of the incident, a good working relationship and reputation on campus can also help keep these issues out of the press.
Ensure all financial transactions occur in a transparent manner. From members to officers to alumni volunteers, the headlines about Greek organizations having thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars embezzled are sobering. To avoid such a scandal, make sure that a system of checks and balances is in place so one individual is not responsible for the checkbook. Mandate that a program such as Billhighway is used on the local level across chapters and that every dollar is accounted for.
Have an internal investigation and adjudication process that works swiftly and fairly. When a crisis breaks, especially one where multiple audiences are paying attention, it’s critical to appear thoughtful, organized and decisive. Gather the facts, speak to all of those involved, consider the evidence and issue a ruling. Be as transparent as possible while protecting your members as much as you can. While it’s important to allow for due process, the appearance of Greek leaders dragging their feet when their organization’s reputation is on the line conveys the impression that they just don’t get it.
Make sure your chapter is performing (and promoting) good works. Volunteering time in a community project, raising money for a local charity? Make sure the chapter is talking, writing and gaining visibility around these good deeds. This is one way to build a reservoir of good will that can increase the likelihood that others will give you the benefit of the doubt when the going gets tough.
An embarrassing episode has negative implications not just for Greeks, but for the host institution as well. In fact, for colleges and universities, the stakes are even higher. In addition to student and reputation damage, schools have to concern themselves with lawsuits and how admissions and donations could be negatively impacted. That’s why when Greek organizations have solid crisis planning in place it benefits all parties.
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Ashley McCown is President of Solomon McCown & Company.
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