Dartmouth sororities announce new policy

[exlurker]

Update Friday, May 20:

http://thedartmouth.com/2011/05/20/news/panhell

Originally Posted by flirt5721

From the Panhellenic Presidents
http://thedartmouth.com/2011/05/16/opinion/sandmeyer

An explanation of what they are trying to accomplish and they also acknowledge that the policy needs work.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

In a lot of ways the result doesn't matter. The fact that they're standing up and saying 'No' together does.

I'm all for the message they're trying to send, but I don't think this is the way to go about it. Certainly not with a "24 hour" rule.

[flirt5721]

http://thedartmouth.com/2011/05/20/news/panhell

[33girl]

I don't like this part at all.

If the alleged victim is unaffiliated, the Panhellenic Council as a whole will contact the president of the organization to which the alleged perpetrator belongs, according to the policy.

I would be somewhat pissed if a group that I either chose not to be a part of (or that didn't choose me to be a part of them) was in effect filing charges without my consent to satisfy their agenda.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I don't like this part at all.

If the alleged victim is unaffiliated, the Panhellenic Council as a whole will contact the president of the organization to which the alleged perpetrator belongs, according to the policy.

I would be somewhat pissed if a group that I either chose not to be a part of (or that didn't choose me to be a part of them) was in effect filing charges without my consent to satisfy their agenda.

Um, if you're unaffiliated, why do you care if Panhel isn't having an event with them anyway?

There are no charges filed. Basically they're saying that the fraternities can't slack off because a victim is not in a sorority. Otherwise the chapters are creating two classes of women - those protected, and those not. In this way, all are protected.

[33girl]

I = an unaffiliated woman.

#1. I might be friends with the members of this fraternity and not want to see anything negative happen to them. Which is why I would care about them not having mixers. (As if this is only about not having mixers. It will definitely get across campus that they've been "censured" [for lack of a better word] by Panhel and that can have a negative impact on the group in many ways.) Which leads to...

#2. What happened may have been misinterpreted. I should not have to go and explain to a bunch of women I have no affiliation with the details of something that is none of their business.

#3. I don't care to have my name or person associated with any sort of "discipline" by a group of sorority women.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I = an unaffiliated woman.

#1. I might be friends with the members of this fraternity and not want to see anything negative happen to them. Which is why I would care about them not having mixers. (As if this is only about not having mixers. It will definitely get across campus that they've been "censured" [for lack of a better word] by Panhel and that can have a negative impact on the group in many ways.) Which leads to...

#2. What happened may have been misinterpreted. I should not have to go and explain to a bunch of women I have no affiliation with the details of something that is none of their business.

Which is why the requirement is 'investigation' not 'boot the bum out.' The point is fraternities cannot ignore assault, but must at the least look into it. As the article notes, most national orgs appear to have some sort of procedure and the locals are creating/have created them. if any of them read "upon sorority threats, evict the bastard" I'd be very very surprised.

Additionally at no point does the supposed victim have any requirement to go to Panhel. Seems like they can talk to the fraternity if it's needed to clear things up and problem solved. This is pretty much what should happen if there's an incident anyway. "Hey no, it was no big deal, yada yada yada." "ok, cool wanted to be sure you weren't hurt." or whatever.

#3. I don't care to have my name or person associated with any sort of "discipline" by a group of sorority women.

Then you probably won't bring the matter to Panhel in the first place. You'll note it says that they will only respond if the matter is brought to them.

It's not really about being in a sorority or not, it's just the best leverage and organization that the women have.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Then you probably won't bring the matter to Panhel in the first place. You'll note it says that they will only respond if the matter is brought to them.

Actually, those two things are not the same, per the article.

“The role that we are certainly not taking on is one of detective,” she said. “If something occurs we are only going to be able to respond if it is brought to us — we are not going out and searching for things.”

Under the new policy, when a sorority president becomes aware of an alleged case of assault against a member of her sorority, she will notify the other Panhell presidents. The president of the alleged perpetrator’s organization will then be notified, according to the written Panhell policy released to The Dartmouth.

If the alleged victim is unaffiliated, the Panhellenic Council as a whole will contact the president of the organization to which the alleged perpetrator belongs, according to the policy.

It says nothing about WHO can bring the matter to Panhel. Example: Drunk Diane and Drunk Dave are having a fight at the ABC house. Drunk Dave shakes Drunk Diane. Nebby Nancy (who doesn't know either party) sees this, is enraged, and contacts Panhel.

Maybe LocalLove9 can shed some light on whether this is truly the case, but the way this article is written, it certainly seems like the above scenario can happen.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I don't like this part at all.

Originally Posted by 33girl

If the alleged victim is unaffiliated, the Panhellenic Council as a whole will contact the president of the organization to which the alleged perpetrator belongs, according to the policy.

I would be somewhat pissed if a group that I either chose not to be a part of (or that didn't choose me to be a part of them) was in effect filing charges without my consent to satisfy their agenda.

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Um, if you're unaffiliated, why do you care if Panhel isn't having an event with them anyway?

Originally Posted by Drolefille

There are no charges filed. Basically they're saying that the fraternities can't slack off because a victim is not in a sorority. Otherwise the chapters are creating two classes of women - those protected, and those not. In this way, all are protected.

Protected? How are they protected? Because an organization that they’re not a member of isn’t going to have a party at the fraternity’s house this weekend?

I'm going to have to agree with 33girl here.

It doesn't matter who reports this to Panhel, it's not the job of sorority women to speak on behalf of all women on campus.

If you choose not to have social events with a fraternity because of an alleged incident involving a sorority member, so be it. If you want to get involved in the life of a young woman who has nothing to do with you or your organization, you need to back off.

I mean, what will this lead to? Questioning of the “victim” by Panhellenic to determine how serious the incident is? Ridiculous accusations by crazy girls (yes, this happens), leading to the cutting of ties between two organizations which is based on nothing at all? It's a slippery slope they're heading down.

To think that fraternity men will only be held accountable if sorority women watch over all of the women on campus is ridiculous. If a female student feels that her personal space has been violated, she can go to the school or to the police and file a report. I’m sure at that point, the whole school will know, and Panhellenic can make a decision based on that information. But a “random” (whether it be the victim, or someone who claims to have heard or saw something happen) reporting a problem to Panhellenic is going to cause more problems than I think Panhel wants to deal with.

If an incident turns out to be no big deal, the “victim” won’t make it one. If it is and she reports it (to the proper authorities), then you can make a decision based on charges brought against the fraternity member. The end.