The Update | June 18, 2019

The Update

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June 18, 2019

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Published

June 18, 2019

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Lorie Land

Industry Update Provided by NPC

The New York Times reported on a wave of student activism pressing colleges on sexual assault. Citing examples from wide-ranging campuses from Rhodes College (Memphis), to Swarthmore, Harvard, and Princeton, the Times highlighted efforts to boycott fraternity parties, and a response from fraternities to cancel parties to raise awareness for assault survivors. The story also notes that activists from multiple campuses are collaborating, sharing tactics and circulating similar slogans.

The Harvard Crimson covered the recent introduction of the College Freedom of Association Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. A priority for the National Panhellenic Conference (and the North American Interfraternity Conference), the legislation introduced by Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., would amend the Higher Education Act “to uphold freedom of association protections.” The Crimson’s coverage—which includes comment from Kevin O’Neill on behalf of the Fraternal Government Relations Coalition—also references pending litigation regarding Harvard’s policies regarding single-gender organizations.

Buzzfeed coverage highlighted the robust support received by Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., from South Carolina Alpha Kappa Alpha alumnae in her bid for the Democratic Party’s 2020 nomination for president of the United States. Harris joined AKA, the oldest Greek-letter sorority for black women, when she was a student at Howard University.

Grand Council Action

At its Friday, June 14, meeting Grand Council took the following actions:

Considered an alumna initiate candidate;
Approved the 2019 – 2020 budget;
Approved FHC loan payments schedule; and
Reviewed enterprise and entity risk management.

Exciting News from Theta Foundation

Thanks to your donations—and donations from Thetas all over the world—we granted $1 million to National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association (National CASA/GAL) … and achieved this goal months ahead of our target date! Through this unprecedented initiative, we’ve been able to widen the impact of Theta’s support by helping to provide National CASA with the resources it needs to become evidence-based and ensure the best possible outcomes for children—even those without a Theta college chapter or alumnae group nearby.

In recognition of this major milestone, CASA/GAL awarded Theta its prestigious Children’s Champion Award at the annual CASA/GAL conference in early June. The Children’s Champion Award is given to an individual or organization who has made a significant contribution at the national level to improving the lives of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. This award has historically been given to a member of Congress but has been awarded to Kappa Alpha Theta for our 30 years of steadfast commitment to ensuring that every abused and neglected child has the opportunity for a safe home, to establish permanence, and be provided opportunities to thrive.

Learn more on this blog post about the National CASA/GAL Conference.

35 Under 35 Award Winners

Congratulations to Kappa Alpha Theta's 2019 35 Under 35 Award winners! These inspiring young women exemplify Theta values and are taking the world by storm. Explore the 35 Under 35 page of Theta's website to learn more about our distinguished winners!

Government Relations Update

The Collegiate Freedom of Association Act has been introduced in Congress (H.R. 3128). It will be rolled into the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. It is a bipartisan legislative response to universities, like Harvard, that are restricting students' freedom of association rights. It specifically addresses sanctions against single-sex organizations. Here's the list of 14 cosponsors. Please contact your congressman or congresswoman and thank them for their interest. If they're not on the list, please encourage them to sign on.

On the anti-hazing front, the END ALL Hazing Act was introduced June 13 (H.R. 3267) to enact reporting requirements on college websites for hazing incidents on college campuses. END ALL stands for Educational Notification and Disclosure of student Actions risking Loss of Life by Hazing Act. We are working on securing more cosponsors. More outreach will happen this fall when school is back in session.

This is in conjunction with the REACH Act (H.R. 662/S.706). Report and Educate About Campus Hazing Act would require universities to include incidents of hazing in their Clery Act reporting and provide students with educational programming related to hazing. There are currently 66 cosponsors in the House and three in the Senate. Contact Director of Government Relations Laurie Connor with any questions.

June Vendor of the Month

Visit Theta’s Shop page to check out the June Vendor of the Month: Ali & Ariel! During the month of June, receive 15 percent off on all individual Shell Shack purchases using the code THETALOVE. If you’d like to see a vendor featured on the Theta website, contact Kristi Tucker, assistant director of alumnae engagement.

2019-2020 Foundation Chapter and Individual Grants

The applications and application guides for 2019-2020 Chapter & Individual Grants are posted on Theta’s Apply for Scholarships & Grants page. The Quarter 1 deadline is July 24 for programs beginning on or after September 1. Please direct any questions to Theta Foundation Programs Manager Mary Kate Smith.

High Five Friday Volunteers

Have you worked with an exceptional fellow volunteer recently (can be collegian or alumna)? Consider nominating her for High Five Friday! Email her name and role to Kristi Tucker, assistant director of alumnae engagement. And a very special thank you to YOU for all the work you do on behalf of Kappa Alpha Theta.