University Health Services (UHS) is creating a new violence prevention position embedded within Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) in response to circulating conversations about combating sexual assault and misconduct on college campuses, according to a university message sent to all students Thursday morning.
“Incidences of sexual violence extend beyond fraternities and sororities, but research shows these communities are at higher risk, both as offenders and victims,” Lori Reesor, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, said in the university statement. “Dedicated staffing will help University of Wisconsin-Madison coordinate and sustain specialized prevention and support strategies that address the unique needs of this population.”
The role builds on “existing programs, partnerships and efforts that have included bystander intervention training, peer support initiatives and education to help students recognize risks, prevent harm and support one another,” Sam Bowen, UHS assistant director for Violence Prevention, and Maggie Hayes, FSL director, told The Daily Cardinal in a joint email statement.
Last month, UW-Madison reported two possible drugging incidents and sexual assaults at off-campus fraternity houses in an emailed WiscAlert at the end of September. The university has not yet named the fraternities.
Bowen and Hayes said the new UHS position will be housed organizationally within the Violence Prevention unit of UHS Prevention but will work within FSL.
This position has not yet been filled. Bowen and Hayes said the hiring process will be a joint effort between UHS and FSL, seeking candidates with professional experience in both violence prevention and Greek life.
Bowen and Hayes said the new position will also coordinate with campus partners on intersecting issues such as hazing and high-risk drinking.
According to the 2019 Association of Alcohol Universities (AAU) report, alcohol had been consumed by either the victim or perpetrator in 77% of sexual assaults at UW-Madison.
The campus-wide message mentioned administering a new campus-wide sexual assault climate survey this spring — though UW-Madison is required to collect new data on sexual assault every three years, one professor noted in the first university faculty senate meeting Oct. 5 they were unable to locate data more recent than 2019.
The president and vice president of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi), an off-campus fraternity, were arrested by the Madison Police Department (MPD) last month for a hazing incident. AEPi is not recognized by the university, but the university said in a Sept. 24 statement following the arrests the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards “will investigate any students implicated in the incident according to its nonacademic misconduct process.”
Staff members raised concerns to Interim Chancellor Eric Wilcots about doing more to combat sexual assault on campus during the Oct. 5 meeting. The university message addressing sexual violence prevention and support was released a few days later.
Zoey Jiang is the Associate News Editor. She has covered breaking news on a variety of campus issues, federal changes affecting UW-Madison and local community stories.
