Editor’s Note: The content in this article mentions sexual assault and drugging.
Following a recent report of sexual assault and drugging that led to Chi Phi’s suspension, Cornell’s Interfraternity Council voted unanimously during a Thursday evening meeting to suspend all Greek Life social events for the weekend.
In the IFC’s official statement, posted on its Instagram page, the organization announced the voluntary weekend suspension and said it is committed to the “health and safety” of members and guests and that “all forms of sexual misconduct” are unacceptable. The statement also explained that the organization extends its “sincerest sympathies to the survivor(s).”
Inside Thursday’s Meeting
At around 6 p.m. on Thursday, around 100 leaders from all 29 chapters of the IFC met for several hours to discuss how to respond to the Chi Phi suspension and repair Greek life’s image on campus, according to two IFC members who were present and requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive conversation.
“We were all brought in under the pretense that we were deciding an appropriate solution to display that IFC cares about the situation. … All the risk managers, presidents and socials of all the fraternities [were there],” one of the IFC sources told The Sun.
After demanding that the IFC work toward a “solution,” IFC Adviser Kathleen Wilhite left the room, leaving the student leaders to deliberate among themselves, the sources said.
The IFC members then drew up multiple plans. One was for each fraternity to contribute $1,000 to the Sexual Assault Prevention and Safety Club. $7,000 was pledged by various chapters within minutes. Those in attendance also proposed to suspend all Greek life social activity for the weekend, mandate SAP training for every fraternity and host a community event on Saturday advocating for SAP, according to the sources.
Plans for a community event on Saturday fell apart due to logistical concerns brought up at the meeting, with many in attendance saying they “found it difficult to do” given concerns about finding a space in a short amount of time, one source said.
When Wilhite came back into the room to discuss the proposals, she told the IFC representatives that some were not feasible, given that the semester was almost over and the donations were not a sufficient response, the sources said. The IFC sources said that Wilhite rejected the donations that had already been pledged to the Sexual Assault Prevention and Safety Club.
“It basically ended up after a lot of discussions — it wasn’t [Wilhite’s] choice, a lot of higher-up administration was texting her — but basically, it ended up like you were either voting or not voting to ban Greek life this weekend,” one source said. “And if you don’t, then Cornell administration is just going to do it.”
Although members felt that the initial proposals adequately addressed the problem, the sources claimed they were pressured into agreeing to the voluntary suspension and that if they did not agree, the University could impose a longer suspension.
“We went into the meeting thinking we were proposing a solution, and we came to a solution that quite honestly myself and a lot of other fraternities thought was a much better [one],” said the source. “And then we were kind of forced, pigeonholed into some politically correct one.”
Including the vote to voluntarily suspend activity for a weekend, the IFC also unanimously passed proposals to mandate SAP training within all fraternities starting next semester and plan for charitable events next week during the IFC-wide philanthropy week from Nov. 17 to Nov. 23.
Wilhite, IFC President Jon Yeung and a University spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Members of the Cornell Community may consult with the Victim Advocacy Program by calling 607-255-1212 and with Cornell Health by calling 607-255-5155. Employees may call the Faculty Staff Assistance Program at 607-255-2673. An Ithaca-based crisis line is available at 607-272-1616. The Tompkins County-based Advocacy Center is available at 607-277-5000. For additional resources, visit health.cornell.edu/services/victim-advocacy.