Fraternities are still on restriction at East Carolina University in Greenville, even though police have concluded that a rape reported late last month did not happen. More on Greek life in the East and the new awareness effort aimed at fraternities and sororities at ECU.
Sexual assault on college campuses is making national headlines. East Carolina University in Greenville had a recent scare. On January 25th, Greenville Police received a report that an 18 year old female was allegedly raped at a university fraternity. Greenville P.D. Public Information Officer Kristen Hunter says early on, little information was being released to protect the identity of those involved. The incident occurred at the Sigma Phi Epsilon house on 505 East Fifth Street around 1:30am during a house party. According to a press release from the national Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity in Richmond, Virginia, members of the ECU fraternity asked two uninvited guests to leave the premises of their off--‐campus facility after finding the couple engaged in a sexual act. When fraternity members realized that the description of an alleged attacker matched that of the male they had escorted from their home, they immediately called Greenville Police.
The Pitt County District Attorney’s Office and Greenville Police have since conducted a thorough investigation and released their findings Thursday afternoon. It was determined that the incident in question was consensual. No charges were filed.
The case, however shocking, may be of value when it comes to preventing on campus sexual assault. In response to what happened that Sunday morning, East Carolina’s Interfraternity Council readily agreed to a self-imposed moratorium on all social events. President of ECU’s Interfraterinty Council Evan Ball says the IFC and the Chapter Presidents voted at a meeting on Wednesday to modify the suspension, allowing social events at third party venues while prohibiting the use of alcohol.
“It’s been different. We’re all social fraternities here and I know a lot of our members are evaluating why they joined. It’s more than just drinking and partying.”
While social gatherings at college fraternities have a reputation of being revelrous, Ball says Greek life is meant to promote leadership qualities, lifelong relationships and social connections.
“I’m trying to better myself, I’m trying to be a positive impact and all this kind of stuff. You know, a lot of people don’t quite see it like that but I think we’re all out here to better our education, and really make more connections in school and really just get involved on campus.”
Greek life is comprised of 38 chapters at East Carolina University, of which 23 are fraternities. Ball says the recently renovated Sigma Phi Epsilon house sleeps up to 18, and each person has responsibilities inside the residence.
“They have a housing corporation that has all of these positions that kind of maintain and help the guys run the house. But then it comes down to the housing manager which is supposed to keep all the guys in the house accountable for whatever they do, you know like not having drugs, alcohol that kind of stuff.”
Beyond any authority inside the house, both fraternities and sororities at ECU are required to follow the national standard, FIPG or Fraternal Information and Programing Group risk management policy. Executive Director of Marketing and Communications for the Division of Student Affairs at East Carolina University Chris Stansbury says FIPG contains guidelines and rules from making sure underage drinking doesn’t occur, to having a guest list when holding social gatherings with non-members in attendance.
“It’s really making sure we are in alignment. That’s the office of Greek Life as their professional staff, they work with the students to help them fall in line with what those protocols are.”
The FIPG also includes a zero tolerance rule against sexist or sexually abusive behavior on chapter premises or an offsite location.
The recent incident at ECU has served as a wakeup call to university officials, student leaders, and fraternities. President of ECU’s Interfraterinty Council Evan Ball says they are evaluating and reforming risk management policies, specifically addressing non-members attending IFC events and the involvement of alcohol at these events.
“We’re taking all kinds of new precautions actually. We’re going to do a registration system so any kind of fraternal social event is going to have to be registered through the Greek life office and there’s going to be a lot of stipulations around that. There’s going to be a lot of rules that happen. A lot of new things we’re trying to create and push through.”
According to an ECU press release, Ball is quoted saying “the Interfraternity Council, University, national organizations, and chapter presidents will draft a risk management plan in the coming days to identify and address the recurring issues facing our chapters.” Across the entire campus, Student Affairs Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Chris Stansbury says East Carolina University is stepping up their sexual assault prevention and education programs.
“we take every reported incident as very important because one of the stigmas nationwide on college campuses is that there is a hesitation from victims to crimes related to sexual assault or sexual misconduct. So the university is actually very forward thinking in wanting to encourage students to, if they’re not sure or if they’re sure, whatever the case is, there are options and manners in which they can report that.
Students can report sexual assault directly to police or to ECU’s counseling center.
“The main thing we try to get out there is go ahead and speak up, get that out there, and let people help you and provide you resources.”
Stansbury says they have also updated their initiative “ECU Cares.”
“There’s a hotline that gives you direct access to things like the Police Department, the counseling center, the Dean of Students office, if you need to report something as a victim or you’ve seen something. That hotline is available at 737-5555.
East Carolina University has also added a new website www.ecu.edu/ecucares. It includes information and resources that inform people on how they can file a report and how to safely intervene if you witness a sexual assault.
