This story contains mention of sexual misconduct, hazing and self-harm. Those in need of support can call the Ottawa Distress Centre Crisis Line: 613-238-3311 or the Sexual Assault Support Center of Ottawa Crisis Line: 613-234-2266.
The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) offered strategies to prevent sorority and fraternity hazing and strengthen access to campus health care at a Jan. 22 council meeting.
CUSA executives unanimously passed motions to adopt the “Greek letter organizations policy” and to endorse a proposed mental health ancillary fee.
“This [Greek letter] culture has hurt so many people,” said Aiden Rohacek, CUSA associate vice-president.
“To protect students, we have to take a harsh stance.”
Under the new policy, CUSA cannot certify sororities and fraternities, limiting Greek letter organizations’ access to campus space for events and recruitment.
CUSA is “committed to taking action on recent investigative journalism by the Charlatan on alleged hazing,” the policy read.
The Charlatan’s Oct. 30 report detailed six students’ accounts of alleged hazing within Alpha Pi Phi’s (APP) Carleton chapter sorority.
The sources’ allegations include: hand-feeding ice cream to nude APP mentors; a culture of substance abuse; incidents of sexual misconduct; delayed investigations relating to these incidents; a student’s mental health decline; and performing a “sexual” dance in front of hundreds of people at an event called Greek Olympics.
CUSA’s university affairs committee first adopted the policy on Jan. 17, but it now reflects the entire student government’s stance.
“This sort of acknowledgement is what the student body has been advocating for,” said CUSA president Mohamed “Faris” Riazudden.
“All of these recommendations and policies are going to have long-lasting effects.”
But constantly monitoring Greek letter organizations’ use of campus space can be complex, Riazudden added.
“Students have to notify [campus safety] if they see these kinds of violations,” Riazudden said. “It gets even more difficult on weekends and after hours.”
Greek letter organization culture must be “actively discouraged,” Rohacek said.
“I want to make sure we understand the importance of this [motion] being passed today, but our job does not end here,” Rohacek said.
“I hope that this is a wake-up call to a lot of frats and sororities that their current status quo doesn’t work.”
CUSA has also recommended Carleton implement “more specific language” in its space usage policy, Riazudden said.
Clinic waitlists ‘continue to grow’
Executives voted in the motion to support a new mental health ancillary fee after hearing Kristie Tousignant’s presentation on the state of campus health care.
Tousignant, the director of Carleton’s health and counselling services, said the university clinic has seen an increase in students engaging in self-harm.
“We’re also seeing more and more domestic students without access to primary care,” Tousignant said. “Our community waitlists are really long, and they continue to grow.”
Tousignant said adding a new $25 ancillary fee for every undergraduate student would allow Carleton to hire a group therapy counsellor and mental health nurse.
“The intent is to create effective staffing ratios,” Tousignant said. “I’m also very worried about heading into multiple years of deficit and potentially having to cut services.
“That’s the last thing I want to do with what’s happening in our world.”
Featured image by Elissa Mendes.
