The start of a new school year brings many exciting opportunities for students: new classes, friends, and activities. Among those activities is the chance to join a fraternity or sorority during rush. While Greek life offers many benefits for its members, including professional development and community service events, students must be aware of the potential dangers that can arise during this time. To keep your campus and students safe during rush week, consider these updated tips:
Address Alcohol Use
Irresponsible and underage alcohol use remains a prevalent issue in Greek life. Pledging rituals and frequent social events often involve alcohol consumption, which can lead to dangerous situations. Research shows that prevention efforts focusing on alcohol education can significantly reduce alcohol-related risks. In fact, students who participate in alcohol prevention programs like Alcohol Wise report a 28% decrease in playing drinking games and a 30% reduction in peak BAC (blood alcohol concentration). Prevention programs should cover topics such as:
- Clarifying personal choices about drinking.
- Identifying the dangers of mixing drugs and alcohol.
- Understanding how alcohol can affect academic and social behavior.
Recognize Hazing Situations
Hazing is among the most dangerous activities occurring in some sororities and fraternities. In many cases, longstanding hazing rituals are accompanied by binge drinking. Occurring at colleges of different types–small, large, public, private, etc.–hazing has led to serious injuries and in some cases, the death of students. In order to prevent future tragedies, consider educating students about how to recognize hazing situations. Additionally, students should learn about the bystander effect and how to help those around them.
Support Sexual Assault Survivors
It is staff and administrators’ responsibility to provide a reliable support system and resources for sexual assault survivors. These resources must not only exist, but students must be aware of how to access them. With the support of online courses, staff can help keep students safe by developing strategies to bring about change in attitudes about sexual violence on campus. Students also need to learn the steps for reporting and preserving evidence of a sexual assault.
Enforce Campus Policies
Rules and regulations are vital to students’ success. In order to promote a safe and inclusive campus environment, those policies–including state and local laws–must be enforced by staff, including campus police, and local law enforcement. Students have the opportunity to make a positive change by calling out destructive and illegal behavior. Additionally, stricter enforcement of campus regulations can lead to long-term change resulting in a more positive and healthy campus climate.
By addressing these key areas—alcohol use, hazing, sexual assault prevention, and campus policy enforcement—administrators can make rush a safer experience for all students.
