A one-hour DBI overview talk will be a prerequisite for participation in Interfraternity Council or Panhellenic Council recruitment this fall. Students taking part in recruitment through Coed Council, the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations or the National Pan-Hellenic Council must complete that training before the end of their first term as a member.
Chapter presidents of the Greek Letter Organizations and Societies voted to approve the initiative, a Greek Leadership Council policy, GLC accountability chair Sarah Lucas ’15 said.
“Members of Greek houses, especially of fraternities, are in a unique position to make a difference, and this training will hopefully give them the tools to do so,” IFC president Wil Chockley ’15 said in an email.
Many coed, NALFO or NPHC organizations conduct rolling recruitment, Lucas said, which allows them greater flexibility. Ultimately, however, all potential new members — including those who have completed DBI training in the past --— must attend a DBI overview talk.
This lecture-based session, offered for the first time this spring, provides participants with information about sexual assault issues and mobilizes students to look out for each other, Lucas said.
Ten DBI sessions are scheduled between May 11 and May 13, according to an email sent to the Class of 2017 on Tuesday by GLOS. Additional talks will occur this fall. Carpenter 13, where facilitations are held, fits up to 150 people.
DBI program developer Jennifer Messina ’93 will facilitate all trainings, Lucas said.
Lucas said that the new initiative targets students before they enter the Greek community and “capitalizes on the changing perspectives of individuals.”
Lucas said the program is not limited to first-years or affiliated students.
“Our primary goal is to get a jump start, but I would love for more of campus to get involved,” Lucas said.
Alpha Theta coed fraternity president Cristy Altamirano ’15 said in an email that all students should hear a DBI overview talk, as it addresses issues that affect the larger campus.
“We provide the social spaces in which dangerous spaces could arise, but if more people were DBI-trained, then there would be a reduced chance of anything bad happening,” she said.
Former IFC president Gunnar Shaw ’14, said in an email that his council had envisioned a similar type of initiative, adding that DBI training is a crucial aspect of social education that students should have prior to joining a house.
“Instituting this policy represents a cultural shift that the Greek system desperately needs,” he said.
Alpha Delta fraternity president Mike Haughey ’15 said the policy is a step in the right direction, noting that it is part of a continually evolving process.
Phi Tau coed fraternity president Josh Schiefelbein ’14 said that although DBI training might not be as relevant to his organization because it does not host as many alcoholic events as other fraternities and sororities, he believed all current and future members would benefit from the skills taught in the training.
Of nine first-year students interviewed, some expressed support for the program while others questioned its effectiveness. The majority of students were uncertain about the details of DBI training, and a few were unaware of the policy change itself.
Julian Bonorris ’17 said he believes that further action is needed, though he supported the initiative. Emily Castle ’17 said that any program combatting sexual assault would be beneficial.
Emma Garcia ’17 said she was unsure how effective the training would be, noting that although DBI seems helpful in theory, it may not be in practice.
Following recruitment, new members will participate in Movement Against Violence training, which complements the DBI overview talk but is tailored specifically to each Greek organization, Lucas said.
Members of Greek organizations are currently required to participate in a one-hour MAV or DBI training session during their first term in residence after they have joined an organization. Over sophomore summer, members participate in a second one-hour session — a skills-based training in which groups of students discuss potentially harmful scenarios and effective solutions, Lucas said.
The College also offers a third, more comprehensive six-hour DBI leadership training.
Presidents of Sigma Nu and Zeta Psi fraternity and Alpha Xi Delta and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority declined to comment. All other presidents of IFC, Panhell, coed, NALFO or NPHC did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
Schiefelbein is a member of The Dartmouth staff.
