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February 15, 2022
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The Update | February 15, 2022
Industry Update Provided by NPC
This Week
Student Life reported that Delta Gamma will cease operations of its college chapter at Washington University in St. Louis. In the article, Assistant Director for Sorority and Fraternity Life James McLendon cited the anti-sorority activism movement, COVID-19, and older members of the chapter graduating as factors that have significantly decreased membership numbers, contributing to the national organization’s choice to remove the charter. Delta Gamma is not the first sorority on campus to close in recent years, as Pi Beta Phi and Alpha Omicron Pi also closed during the 2020-21 academic year. (Note: Delta Gamma announced this news to the National Panhellenic Conference [NPC]) family on Feb. 4.)
In an opinion piece for Inside Higher Ed, Professor Charlotte Hogg compares learnings from sorority recruitment to the academic job market – drawing both positive and negative parallels between both experiences.
Last Week
The parents of University of Missouri student Daniel Santulli, 19, have filed a lawsuit against the national organization of Phi Gamma Delta and individual members of the Missouri chapter. According to the details of the lawsuit, Santulli was forced to drink a bottle of hard liquor by chapter members on Oct. 20, and he was later found in cardiac arrest and has sustained significant brain damage as a result. Per university records, in the past 5 years, Phi Gamma Delta at the university has been found responsible for six alcohol-related offenses and two hazing violations.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that after a second sexual assault report that took place at a house on Greek Row at the University of Utah, all fraternities and sororities on campus will be unable to hold social events for two weeks. The first sexual assault report took place in September 2021 following a social event at the Kappa Sigma fraternity. The second was reported this week, though officials have not yet revealed additional details. This suspension will ban all Greek social activities and require each fraternity and sorority leader to speak to the university about reported assaults. (Note: NPC officials have learned the suspension is related to social events, specifically those held inside fraternity facilities. The suspension is scheduled to be revisited on Feb. 10.)
Two Weeks Ago
Virginia Mercury reports that on Wednesday, Jan. 26, the Virginia State Senate unanimously passed anti-hazing legislation SB 439, or “Adam’s Law.” The law is named after Adam Oakes, a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University, who passed away in February 2021 after an alcohol-related fraternity hazing incident. The legislation will affect both fraternities and sororities and make hazing education a requirement, require universities to post all instances of hazing on their official websites and give students immunity for reporting hazing offenses. (Note: NPC and NIC have been working closely with the Oakes family throughout this process. The bill that passed the Senate was updated to address our biggest concern, and we are confident additional changes will be made in the House version.)
The Bulletin
The February issue of The Bulletin has been emailed to all college and alumnae chapter officers and advisors and posted in Theta Portal > Chapter Portal > HQDocs > The Bulletin. Workforce members always have access to The Bulletin via Igloo > Files > The Bulletin. The Update is Theta’s main communication source for the workforce, and The Bulletin is Theta’s main communication source for college chapter officers and advisors and alumnae chapter officers.
Theta Foundation 2022 Scholarship Application Deadline Reminder
The deadline for Theta Foundation’s 2022 Scholarship Application is coming up soon! More than $850,000 is available to support members pursuing undergraduate and graduate study during the 2022-2023 academic year. All applications and recommendation forms are due by 6 p.m. EST on Wednesday, March 2. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the resources on Theta’s website, including upcoming help sessions. Please contact Foundation Programs Director Mary Kate Smith with questions.
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