Miami University Greek Life Members Must Complete New Training

BY ALEX McKEON
Miami University journalism student

Miami University Greek Life is launching a mandatory new training program after a run of suspensions for chapters on campus.

Jenny Levering, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, told a Miami University Board of Trustees committee that all students who intend to join a Greek chapter must complete a training course in Greek life education, alcohol and hazing.

“We have developed a two-part, online course, that will be hosted on Canvas, so students are familiar with the course,” Levering said in a Dec. 8 report to the trustees' Academic and Student Affairs Committee. “It is an introduction to Greek life: the values, the leadership and what we want them to know.”

Levering said the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life created the new training in reaction to the suspensions of chapters, typically for alcohol or hazing infractions. She reported that Beta Theta Pi, Pi Kappa Phi, Zeta Beta Tau, Sigma Nu, Phi Kappa Tau and Phi Kappa Psi -- all currently suspended -- each have a clear path to reinstatement.

In addition to the online training -- being launched this month -- the Greek community will implement a program to educate the community about how to help fight hazing and alcohol abuse. Levering said her office wants Miami and Oxford "to know that hazing doesn’t have a place in our community.”

Transitioning to new leadership

The Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association are supporting the new training with new leadership. IFC elected Cameron Snyders as its new president while Anne Weidner is taking over as president of Panhellenic.

Snyders eluded to the need for structure to make measurable change.

“We feel the more structure our program has, the more we can avoid issues we saw from last year,” he said. “This hour by hour programming should hopefully cut down on that.”

Outgoing Panhellenic President Elizabeth Nelsen agreed that chapters must follow their own rules to stay on track.

“We have really looked to combat what has been identified as a high-risk period with our member organizations,” said Nelsen. “They have worked to eliminate the Panhellenic hand in IFC recruitment to finally follow our national and campus bylaws as well as help IFC follow their national bylaws.”

Weidner agreed that structure is critical. "We want to make sure everyone is on the same page, so we all know where the change is moving with the new leadership and some of the new initiatives in the spring,” she said.

Photo: Students involved in Greek life at Miami are facing changes. -- Contributed photo