Bloom announces reforms to Greek Life
By Kaylee Lindenmuth | [email protected]
BLOOMSBURG, Columbia County – One of the nearest colleges to the Shenandoah Valley is reforming its Greek Life system, school officials announced today.
Bloomsburg University in Columbia County, about 25 miles north of Shenandoah, announced a set of reforms intended to curb “dangerous drinking, hazing, sexual assault, and other negative behaviors and consequences found in the Greek Life system around the country,” according to a media release.
“Today, Bloomsburg University is taking important steps to strengthen fraternity and sorority life on campus and protect the safety and well-being of our student-members so that their experiences can be cherished and admired,” said BU President Bashar Hanna in the release. “With these changes, we have established new standards of excellence to which we can all strive. As a community, we have put a stake in the ground with respect to our values and standards for the benefit of our fraternity and sorority communities, and most importantly, for the safety of all our students.”
The new initiatives, school officials said, were established following conversations with other institutions which have taken similar measures.
Actions taken by BU include renaming and restructuring the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, former the Office of Greek Affairs. The office will be headed by Nicole Cronenwett, who has over 15 years of experience in fraternity and sorority life. The office will report directly to the university’s president and will receive additional staff.
Additionally, the school is implementing the following:
- A zero tolerance policy regarding hazing. “Hazing involving alcohol, physical abuse, or any behavior that puts a student’s mental or physical health at risk will result in swift permanent revocation of University recognition of the chapter,” the university said.
- The development of a risk management policy. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will work with chapters to create risk management plans and policies, intended to ensure the safety of its members.
- A requirement for recruitment plans from each chapter.
Among other initiatives, the university is looking at new member processes, chapter operations, among other items regarding Greek Life. Each chapter must now have a faculty advisor.
In the next 18 months, university officials say, the entire Greek Life community at BU will be in a probationary period as the reforms are implemented. Organizations and individuals not meeting the requirements will be held accountable, the university added.
“Meaningful change cannot be created in a vacuum,” said Hanna. “We will need for each fraternity and sorority member and their respective organizations to be committed to a healthy and safe experience here at Bloomsburg University. I thank in advance our students, alumni, alumni boards, Greek councils, and the inter-/national organizations for joining us as partners as we implement these changes. Together, we can ensure that fraternity and sorority life will thrive and prosper within BU’s community for years to come.”
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