The Inter-Sorority Council held its inaugural new member program for sorority pledges in the Newcomb Hall ballroom Saturday. The program's goal was to share advice with new sorority women in making healthy choices during the pledge process.
"This event is part of the ongoing efforts of the ISC and IFC to educate its new members," said Aaron Laushway, assistant dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life. He added that this program was simply an extension of their efforts to inform new members rather than a reaction to a specific event.
During the roughly three-hour program, pledges listened to three different speakers discuss many of the choices they will face through the pledge process, as well as throughout their college careers.
"Today's event is about making the virtues that we want exemplified in our new members to be as concrete as possible," ISC President Cahill Zoeller said.
Speakers emphasized that it is important for women to make the best decisions for themselves and not necessarily for the ISC or their chapters.
During the three speakers' presentations, the audience was split into two smaller groups in order to facilitate more active participation
Marianne Bonday, assistant director for the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education, led a discussion about how women have a lesser tolerance for alcohol than men.
"I encourage you all to speak your mind and realize that you don't have to go with the rhythm or follow the pattern," Bonday said.
Senior Associate Dean of Students Shamim Sisson spoke about the sexual revolution and the choices it has made available to women. She warned the women not to let their guard down even in social situations where they typically feel comfortable.
Assistant Dean for Medical Education Christine Peterson lectured about sexually transmitted diseases and infections. She told the women that human papilloma virus is the most common STI, and that after four years of college a sexually active woman has an 80-percent chance of having had HPV at some point.
"There is no way a man can say, 'I have been tested for all STI's,' because no test has been developed to locate HPV in men," Peterson said.
Peterson warned the women that it is important for them to realize the choices that they have when it comes to sexual activity and to be aware that alcohol and other mind-altering substances can get in the way of their making the best decisions.
At the conclusion of the program, pledges gathered with their individual sororities. In the groups, new member educators from each sorority chapter led discussions about each house's creed and how their women should display those values in their daily lives.
Due to scheduling conflicts, only half of this semester's sorority pledges could attend the mandatory event. The remaining pledges will participate in the same event later this spring.
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