THIS WEEK, fraternity pledges finish attending the five events of the Inter-Fraternity Council's Pledge Education Week. This year, fraternities meet the Fraternal Organization Agreement's education requirement in three areas --- illegal drugs, alcohol and sexual assault -- if all their pledges attend the events that concentrate on those topics.
The IFC and Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life steepened the requirement over last year's, which demanded only a certain portion of pledges and brothers had to attend these events to fill requirements. In regard to the sexual assault program under the new requirement, an IFC official claimed that because of the wider audience and the graphic nature of the sexual assault presentation, one exposure should be enough. But deeper examination of the lifespan of this program reveals holes in the IFC's logic.
The need for sexual assault education in particular resonates in the University community. Justice Department figures from 2001 show that across the nation almost 3 percent of female students per academic year are sexually assaulted. Because many rape victims keep attacks secret, that statistic likely understates the problem's severity. Of the reported rapes in the Justice Department study, 10.3 percent occurred in a fraternity house.
Fraternities are axes of student life and the largest all-male collection on Grounds. In addition, their all-male membership gives them certain cultural traits. Combined with the aforementioned statistics, these characteristics give fraternities a special duty to help solve sexual assault problems.
This year, the IFC contacted One in Four to present to the pledges. "We give basically an hour-long presentation as if the audience has no previous knowledge of the issue," says One in Four President Jeremy Kokemor. One in Four employs "the Men's Program," a method developed by Dr. John Foubert, formerly a dean at the University. Studies show that this program reaches further and deeper than other methods of sexual assault education. While most programs' effects last only weeks or days, evidence available at www.nomorerape.org shows that the Men's Program significantly helps men aid assault victims and sensitizes them to rape for one academic year (about eight months) after they experience the program.
Though the Men's Program beats out other methods in durability, no data exist on its effectiveness after more than eight months. Kokemor stressed that One in Four focuses on giving audiences their first exposure to sexual assault education, saying, "There are other programs for those who have some knowledge of the topic."
It's difficult to overstate the value of the Men's Program, but judging from new requirements, the IFC has. Most Greek men will live fraternity life beyond the point the Men's Program has been proven effective, and alcohol can wash away even the most impressive programs. The effects of the Men's Program are profound, but not permanent.
Considering these facts, it becomes clear that fraternities' rape education must include more than just the initiates. Without sustained education across many years, even the best program's benefits melt away.
It does not suffice to expose all men in the Greek system to sexual assault programs without follow-up or re-exposure. To demonstrate their true concern, fraternities should acknowledge the evidence suggesting that three years of sexual assault education cannot fit into one sitting.
To recognize this, the IFC and Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life should negotiate requirements so that all Greek men have continued exposure to such education. Fraternities need to require full attendance for both pledges and brothers -- mere portions of membership do not suffice. They also need to sustain these programs, recognizing that unless proven otherwise by some yet-nonexistent research, the Men's Program does not live in the mind for three years. The IFC is right that reaching all Greek men is a good thing. Reaching some for just eight months, however, is not good enough.
In the name of a safer University, fraternity leaders must act more decisively. Fraternities have taken steps to widen exposure, but current evidence does not prove that they are sufficient. The University still waits for them to make a full commitment and require total participation in sexual assault education not just for pledges, but also in the years that follow.
(Michael Slaven is a Cavalier Daily viewpoint writer.)
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