Before Phi Delta Theta’s probation can be lifted, the fraternity that was the center of many conversations this winter will participate in sexual misconduct education.
In December, controversy sparked over a holiday photo depicting the fraternity brothers with a black blow-up Beyonce sex doll. As a result, the fraternity’s international organization and the Fraternal Health and Safety Initiative — a consortium of eight fraternities — have mandated the sensitivity training.
The program, “Taking a Stand: Preventing Sexual Misconduct on Campus,” will be offered to Phi Delta Theta chapters throughout the country. However, Penn’s chapter will have to foot the cost of the programs and cannot resume social activities until their completion, said Associate Executive Vice President of Phi Delta Theta International Sean Wagner.
The chapter’s director of education will lead the programming, initially introduced by FHSI in September. The curriculum, “Taking a Stand,” was created to tackle pressing social issues on college campuses, including sexual misconduct, binge drinking and hazing on over 350 college campuses. The overarching goal of the program is to foster conversation around the topic of sexual misconduct. The curriculum was not specifically created to address the holiday photo incident on Penn’s campus.
According to FHSI, “Taking a Stand” will be adapted by each chapter to meet the fraternity’s specific needs.
Nationwide, the Phi Delta Theta International fraternity “will be providing sexual and relationship misconduct education to its nearly 12,000 undergraduate members located at over 190 college campuses during the 2015 calendar year,” Wagner wrote in a statement on Jan. 9.
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