BY PAUL WONG
Published September 2, 2002
To the Daily:
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I was equally offended and distressed by the Daily's editorial, Sexual assault at U: Greek system needs to step up (2/19/02). As a member of the Greek system here at the University, I believe it is unfair to label the initial efforts of the Interfraternity Council to raise awareness about sexual assault as an attempt "to repair the fraternities' broken image." Similarly, I think it is ignorant to insinuate that fraternity members are not aware that "sexual assault is, in fact, wrong," and that this "oft-overlooked statement has unfortunately not permeated the collective Greek psyche thus far." These cheap shots are unnecessary and unjustified and only serve to further embitter this campus against its own Greek system.
The organization of Students Acting for Greek Awareness (SAGA) was spearheaded by the IFC in an attempt to educate Greeks on the importance of sexual assault awareness. The current IFC officers have done an excellent job in addressing the negative stereotypes that pervade Greek society and to downplay their first step toward addressing sexual assault as simply face-saving tactics is unjust.
I attended the SAGA presentation at Alpha Gamma Delta with my fraternity brothers and was impressed by the informational content and comfortable atmosphere SAGA provided.
Fraternity and sorority members were afforded the chance to speak about these important issues face to face and I know that my brothers came away with a stronger sense of sexual assault issues here on our campus. I view these presentations as the beginning of a new chapter in the Greek system at the University.
Are these presentations a cure-all for the ills that plague our Greek system? Certainly not, nor were they intended as such. Yet they do represent the start of a new tradition here at the U, a Greek tradition built upon excellent leadership and a desire to redress past wrongs. Cooperation, not cynicism, is needed to effectively combat sexual assault on our campus.
Brandon Phenix
Education senior
President, Delta Upsilon Fraternity
