Page 3 - Sigma Chi - Cornell Fall 2018

Letter from Cornell university President Martha Pollack

Sent to the entire cornell Community on may 4, 2018

Dear Ithaca Campus Community, The following changes are effective Greek letter organizations must be held by
immediately: junior or senior students who reside in the
Greek letter organizations have a long • Substantiated acts of hazing will result chapter house.
history at Cornell University and have in a chapter’s suspension and loss of recog- • A comprehensive review of the
been a prominent feature of the under- nition. A minimum of three years will be Chapter Review Board process that governs
graduate experience since 1868. Members applied for those cases that include coerced recognition for fraternities and sororities
of these organizations have made great alcohol or other drug consumption, sexual will be conducted and submitted for my ap-
contributions to our university; year after and related misconduct, or other forms of proval. The review will include, but not be
year, sororities and fraternities have helped violence or mentally abusive behavior that limited to, structure, procedures, process,
to foster a vibrant community spirit on poses a threat to health and safety. Consis- membership and community expectations.
our campus and in Ithaca through leader- tent with current practice, all allegations of
ship, volunteer work and other forms of hazing will be reported to the Office of the The following change will take effect
engagement. Judicial Administrator to pursue individual fall semester 2021:
Unfortunately, over the years and in accountability for members associated with • All residential fraternities and sorori-
recent months that legacy has been marred the accused organization. ties must have a full-time, live-in adviser
by numerous incidents of hazing and oth- with clearly stated objectives and expecta-
er forms of misconduct. Cornell is not • Hard alcohol (more than 30% alcohol tions for the role.
alone in the struggle against hazing. It is by volume) is not permitted in a residential
a cultural problem in organizations at uni- chapter house at any time. I do not take these steps lightly. The
versities across the country, a nationwide The following changes will take effect stakes are high, and leaders of student
epidemic that claimed the lives of four fall semester 2018: organizations must come to understand
students on other campuses last fall alone. their responsibility to promote the health
Today, the outcome of yet another in- • Each Greek letter chapter must sub- and safety of our campus community.
vestigation of hazing violations at Cornell mit a new member education plan prior to I want to emphasize that holding Greek
was announced. This latest incident along participating in new member recruitment. letter organizations to these high standards
with other pending cases and allegations of Chapter leadership will assume account- does not represent an attack or an attempt
hazing on campus are extremely disturb- ability for adhering to the approved plan. to diminish the role of these organizations
ing. Even more troubling is the fact that • Prospective and current members in student life. To the contrary, this effort
these are just the latest episodes in what must participate in mandatory educational is intended to strengthen fraternities and
has become an ongoing pattern of hazing programming (including, but not limited sororities and to help ensure that they re-
and other offenses by members of various to, university expectations, hazing aware- main a part of Cornell for years to come.
Greek letter organizations at Cornell. This ness, and policies on alcohol, drug use, and The student experience today is different
misconduct threatens the health and safety sexual and related misconduct) in order to from what it was in the past; community
of our students and casts a shadow over be eligible to participate in the new-mem- expectations have shifted; and behavior
our community of scholars. ber recruitment and intake processes. around hazing must change, too. It is time
I believe that it is important for the for leaders and members of Greek letter
community to understand that the be- • A systemwide, online scorecard will organizations to demonstrate the efficacy
havior in question goes well beyond in- be published and updated annually to in- of self-governance over elements within
nocent fun. It includes extremely coercive, clude, among other things, the full judicial their control and to meet the expectations
demeaning, sexually inappropriate and history of each chapter. that go along with rec-
This website will be
physically dangerous activities that jeopar- publicized to the cam- “ It is my hope that ognition as a part of
dize students’ health and lives. The danger our Greek letter the Cornell commu-
of such reckless actions cannot be ignored. pus community and to nity and of our shared
Such activities are not tolerated in society the parents of all stu- organizations will values.
and must stop in our Greek letter organi- dents. emerge stronger I look forward to
zations. • A comprehensive as a result of working together to
It is time to elevate behavioral ex- review of event man- eradicate hazing be-
pectations among leaders and mem- agement guidelines these measures. ” havior, to elevate the
bers of Greek letter organizations. To will be conducted and Greek experience, and
that end, and after extensive discussions submitted for my approval. The review will to present an example for other universi-
with many stakeholders, including fac- include, but not be limited to, the training ties to follow.
ulty, students, parents, alumni and the required for sober monitors, the use of in- It is my hope that all of our Greek let-
board of trustees, I have directed the dependent bystander intervention services, ter organizations will emerge stronger as
Division of Student and Campus Life to the distribution of beer and wine for large a result of these measures and more fully
work with student and alumni leaders events, and the number of large events per- embody the best that Cornell has to offer.
to finalize and implement the following mitted.
changes aimed at protecting our students Sincerely,
and improving cultural norms in Greek The following changes will take effect Martha E. Pollack
letter organizations at Cornell. in spring semester 2019: President
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• Leadership positions in residential

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