December
18, 2019
To all of the Greek chapters at Lehigh
University,
On August 8, 2019, the Office of Fraternity
& Sorority Affairs received a letter outlining details of the writer's
experience with Lehigh’s Greek community. This letter suggested inappropriate
behavior related to use and misuse of alcohol, as well as significant social
pressure to attend parties in order to be considered for membership into your
chapters.
Every IFC, Panhellenic, and CGC chapter
president was interviewed by the Office of Student Conduct. While almost all
chapter presidents agreed that some of the alleged behaviors occur at Lehigh,
none of the presidents believed the alleged behaviors to have occurred in their
particular organization.
At the end of the investigation, there was not
enough credible information provided to move forward with conduct charges for
any individual chapter. That said, the acknowledgement of issues like
those described in the August 8 report elevates our concern about persistent
cultural issues that permeate the fraternity and sorority community. In
addition, the Office of Student Conduct has received other recent reports that
align with some of the statements in the anonymous letter. As of now, we have received two reports of
alleged hazing in the past few weeks, and those chapters have been notified as
the first step in the student conduct process.
The timing of this letter is purposeful, and is
intended to serve as a warning to the fraternity and sorority community.
We want to clearly state our expectations of the Lehigh community in advance of
the formal recruitment season ahead of us. As you know, Lehigh has an
institutional commitment to our students, as well as a legal obligation to
address and investigate all allegations of hazing related behaviors. We will
continue to do so in the future, and we will not tolerate behavior that creates
an unhealthy or unsafe environment.
Lehigh has made significant efforts to support
and invest in our fraternity and sorority community. We have worked to
share clear expectations and to provide our students with tools and strategies
for promoting a safe, respectful environment. These efforts are illustrated
through programming such as Intervene, Base Camp, Social Host Training, and
Pregame. Additionally, Lehigh’s Hazing Coalition is working to improve the
Medical Amnesty Policy, a New Member Bill of Rights, and a Hazing Amnesty
Policy. Lastly, the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs is leading the
effort to improve the Social Policy.
While we are working at a university level to
foster a strong fraternity and sorority community, making a change to our
community’s culture requires partnership. In addition to our commitment
to respond to behaviors that do not meet our community expectations, it is also
imperative that your organizations take the time to truly and candidly assess
your recruitment strategies, social environment, and shared expectations of one
another as members of the FSL community at Lehigh. The greatest potential
for improving this community rests among those of you all who inhabit it. By setting expectations, holding one another
accountable, and striving to cultivate a community characterized by respect and
care for one another, our fraternity and sorority community can excel.
Lehigh University is committed to supporting a
positive FSL experience and to helping your chapters be successful, and we have
great hope for the positive growth of this community through partnership with
our students.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you
next semester.
Katherine Lavinder
Dean of Students
Holly Taylor
Assistant Dean of Students
University Wide Current and Future
Responses
- Panhellenic Recruitment: recruitment rule revisions, positive Panhellenic contact
- Advisor Academy
- Recruitment Chair and New Member Education Institute
- Revise New Member Education Plan approval process and expectations
- New Member Hazing Academy (during new member semester)
- Hazing Coalition
- Medical Amnesty Policy
- Development of New Member Bill of Rights
- Development of Hazing Amnesty Policy
- Revision of Social Policy
