UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will be working with RISE Partnerships to review the current state of fraternity and sorority life at Penn State and the impact of changes made since 2017.
Penn State implemented several vital reforms throughout the fraternity and sorority community following the tragic death of Timothy Piazza in 2017. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life has made significant progress and enhancements to University programs, services and support of the fraternity and sorority community and is committed to examining the efficacy of its efforts and continuing to advance this work. Collaborating with RISE Partnerships will bring an external perspective and expertise that will provide the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life with information about Penn State’s strengths and opportunities, benchmarking data from peer institutions, and recommendations to enhance the sorority and fraternity community.
“We are excited to begin this next chapter of fraternity and sorority life here at Penn State and believe RISE Partnerships will provide us with the resources, training, coaching and advice needed to help support and implement further changes for the fraternity and sorority community,” said Megan Pepper, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life is partnering with RISE, a company that provides a holistic approach to providing insights, skills and resources to higher education leaders looking to improve the fraternity and sorority experience on campuses. During this initiative, RISE will work in collaboration with the University and various stakeholders, including students, alumni, advisers and inter/national organizations, to analyze Penn State's programs, services and support, while benchmarking the University's progress over the last seven years.
The goals for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life align with RISE’s mission: “Working to create a world where higher education institutions benefit from the clear, positive contributions of fraternal organizations and where fraternities and sororities are worthy of being recognized as a necessary and irreplaceable part of the collegiate experience.”
“The University recognizes the positive impact fraternity and sorority chapters have on the community and is committed to having a thriving and safe fraternity and sorority community. Leadership development is at the core of the fraternity and sorority experience,” said Darcy Rameker, assistant vice president for Student Affairs. “We continually seek to enhance the fraternity and sorority experience. Utilizing RISE to provide an external, neutral review of our programs and initiatives will allow us to evaluate our current efforts and identify opportunities for the future. The University looks forward to beginning this collaboration with RISE and our fraternity and sorority community in the coming weeks and the continued work throughout the remainder of the 2024-25 academic year.”
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will utilize the findings from the review to learn from peer fraternity and sorority life programs; consider policy revisions, if recommended; and make sure its current programs best meet students needs. A summary of the report will be provided to the fraternity and sorority community when it becomes available.