About the Steering Committee
In fall 2014, President Taylor W. Reveley III established the Task Force for Preventing Sexual Assault and Harassment. President Reveley charged the Task Force to undertake steps to address the following areas relating to sexual misconduct: campus climate, prevention and education, training for faculty and staff, and investigation and adjudication.
In fall 2015, the university wide Task Force for Preventing Sexual Assault and Harassment released their findings. The Final Report of the Task Force on Preventing Sexual Assault and Harassment identified the Fraternity/Sorority community as a special subpopulation of students at a higher risk of sexual violence. Specifically, 2015 Climate Survey data found that members of the F/S community are observing and experiencing acts of sexual misconduct at higher rates than unaffiliated students.
In response to this report, the F/S Community convened their own task force. The Fraternity/Sorority Life Task Force on Sexual Assault and Prevention reviewed the findings of the Final Report, collected further community-specific information, and developed an action plan. They included recommendations to improve the experience of F/S members around the prevention, education, and response to sexual misconduct. They identified three areas to focus their efforts: prevention education, survivor support, and environment/climate.
The Final Recommendations were released by the Fraternity/Sorority Life Task Force in April 2016. The 16 recommendations, both short term and long term, work to create sustained change in the F/S community. The first recommendation called for the creation of a Steering Committee, with the purpose of informing and advancing prevention initiatives for the F/S community.
The rationale for the formation of the Steering Committee is the implementation of a large scale education program for F/S community will be most effective and standardized, if it is overseen by a group of students and staff across the institution. The Steering Committee keeps university administration informed of the education program’s progress and also enables different offices to participate in program implementation. Just as the William & Mary Task Force recognized the need for a Coordinating Committee following its work, The Fraternity/Sorority Life Task Force recognized the need for a unified body to continue to assess the effectiveness of sexual assault prevention education.
The Fraternity/Sorority Sexual Misconduct Prevention Steering Committee is comprised of students and administrators from across the university.
- The Assistant Director of Health Promotion/Sexual Violence Prevention Specialist
- The Director of the Haven
- Equity Specialist and Compliance Investigator of the Compliance and Equity Office
- The Assistant Director for Student Leadership Development
Student representatives appointed by the Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Panhellenic Council Presidents:
- Two Interfraternity Council Representatives
- Two National Pan-Hellenic Council Representatives
- Three Panhellenic Council Representatives
