Parents Who Have Lost Sons to Hazing Join Fraternities and Sororities to Form Anti-Hazing Coalition

NEW YORK -- In an unprecedented partnership, four families who have lost their sons to hazing are coming together with fraternities and sororities to fight it.
Jim and Evelyn Piazza, parents of Tim Piazza; Stephen and Rae Ann Gruver, parents of Max Gruver; Rich and Maille Braham, parents of Marquise Braham; and Lianne and Brian Kowiak, parents of Harrison Kowiak, have joined the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) to form a partnership that will focus on pursuing and strengthening state hazing laws and significantly expanding education and training for high school and college-aged students.

Other organizations within the fraternal community -- HazingPrevention.Org, the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) and Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values (AFLV) -- have committed their support to these efforts.

"After meeting with Jud and some of his colleagues, the other parents and I saw a sincerity to make change and a real interest to work with us. We collectively agreed forming this alliance made sense," said Jim Piazza. "While we may seem like strange bedfellows, we all want the same thing -- to end hazing, so other parents don't have to experience what we have."

When students arrive at college, nearly half have already experienced hazing. This Coalition seeks to address the problem earlier through education, while also strengthening accountability and transparency through new model state legislation.

"The best way to inspire change in college students is to touch their hearts," said Judson Horras, President & CEO of the North American Interfraternity Conference. "In working with these families, we have seen how deeply their personal stories resonate, and I've witnessed first-hand the powerful impact these parents have in helping young men."

"We can do more together than we can alone to address this societal problem," said Carole Jones, Chairman of the National Panhellenic Conference. "The fight against hazing requires that an entire community step up, including sorority women, who can and must do our part to create safer campus cultures where students advocate for one another."

The coalition will:

• Pursue state-based anti-hazing legislation that delivers greater transparency through stronger hazing reporting requirements, strengthens criminal penalties and encourages prosecution, calls for university accountability for bad actors, provides amnesty to encourage people to call for help, and calls for student education.

• Expand awareness and intervention education, including providing a platform for the parents to speak to tens of thousands of college students.

• Engage fraternity and sorority members in educating high school students to confront hazing and bullying.

Just this summer, these parents have spoken to more than 3,000 fraternity members at summer leadership conferences, including at Sigma Alpha Epsilon's where hundreds of students and alumni moved by the program lined up to speak directly with the parents. Parents are also being invited to speak with sorority women at both the local and national levels.

The group has already begun discussion with lawmakers, and hopes to work in several states this fall to introduce model legislation. At the federal level, the organizations will continue to advocate for the REACH Act, which -- if passed -- will require colleges and universities to publicly report hazing incidents under the Clery Act and provide expanded hazing prevention education and resources to students.

"We are in full support of this partnership and look forward to working together in the months ahead to change the hazing culture," said Steve and Rae Ann Gruver.

Further, this initial group of partners hopes to engage other organizations in the future.

"Our ultimate goal is to ensure no other child is killed or injured due to dangerous and illegal hazing," said Richard Braham. "It will take more than tougher laws, greater parental awareness and university oversight or a timely display of moral courage and decency to eradicate hazing. It will take all of these things, plus young people understanding that you don't become a 'better man or woman' by watching and remaining silent as your brother or sister is harmed or killed."

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About the North American Interfraternity Conference

NIC is a trade association that represents 66 national and international men's fraternities, with more than 6,100 chapters located on more than 800 campuses in the United States and Canada, with approximately 385,000 undergraduate members and nearly 4.2 million alumni. The NIC has introduced enhanced health and safety standards and programs, including last week's ban of hard alcohol in fraternity houses and events.

About the National Panhellenic Conference
NPC is the umbrella organization specifically charged with advocating on behalf of the sorority experience. It is comprised of 26 national and international sororities that are autonomous social organizations. Collectively, NPC sororities are located on more than 670 campuses with approximately 418,000 undergraduate members and nearly 5 million alumnae.

About HazingPrevention.Org

HazingPrevention.Org™ is dedicated to empowering people to prevent hazing, by providing education and resources, advocating on hazing prevention, and building partnerships with others. Major initiatives of the organization include National Hazing Prevention Week™, Prevent.Zone™ educational online courses, seminars, books, and educational resources that touch the lives of thousands of individuals, organizations, campuses and communities.

About the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors

Through programs, publications, networking opportunities and other resources, AFA represents the community of fraternity and sorority advisors and is the leading voice in aligning the fraternity/sorority and higher education experiences.

About the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values

The Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values (AFLV) accelerates progress in fraternity and sorority communities, reaching more than 300 campuses and 4,000 student leaders and professionals through change-enabling experiences.

2018 Phi Kappa Theta Directory Announcement and FAQ

Membership Directory Announcement and FAQ Page

Update: Directories are scheduled to ship September 21.

Phi Kappa Theta is working with Publishing Concepts (PCI) to create our official Membership Directory. PCI is a company that creates and publishes directories for educational institutions and membership organizations. The Phi Kappa Theta Membership Directory, which is published every four years, is very popular for brother-to-brother use and helps the Executive Office maintain our database.

PCI will be contacting Phi Kappa Theta brothers to gather information for the Membership Directory. Brothers will be contacted first through postcards and emails, then through follow-up phone calls, if necessary. We hope you contact PCI to verify your most up-to-date information. We understand there might be hesitation to provide your information to just anyone, so we want you to know that their request for your information is legitimate.

Brothers can purchase in advance a printed copy and/or digital publication immediately; however, there is no obligation to purchase. The Directory can help you search and maintain contact with brothers, share your most recent information with the chapter so you can be included with chapter events and activities and more.

Thank you for your participation and for supporting this important Fraternity initiative! If you have any questions regarding this initiative, please review the Membership Directory FAQ below. You may also contact our Director of Brand Management, Keith Harshbarger at 317-536-4750 or via executiveoffices@phikaps.org.

Frequently Asked Questions By Members

1. I received an email/postcard/phone call from a company asking for my personal information. They said they were working on a directory for Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. Is this a legitimate project, or is it a scam?

   • We have partnered with PCI (also known as Publishing Concepts) to produce our new Members directory. PCI is a company located in Dallas, TX that publishes directories for educational institutions, fraternities, sororities and military organizations across the nation. This project allows Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity to receive important updates to our database so we know more about our Members and how we can better serve you and future Members.

2. How do I know my information will only be used for directory purposes?

   • Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity has a contractual agreement with PCI that states:

     • a. The names, addresses and information provided to PCI by Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity for the publication of the Directory will be held confidential by PCI, except to the extent that they are utilized in, or in the preparation of, the Directory and except as required by court order or law.

     • b. The Directory will be made available only to Members of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. Upon completion of the project, PCI will return to Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity any and all electronic files that have been supplied by Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity or produced by PCI in connection with the production of the Directory.

3. I would like to verify and update my information. How may I do this?

   • If you have received a postcard or an email with a telephone number, you may call the number to speak with a dedicated representative for the Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity project. The representative will verify all the information we have on file for you and make any updates where needed. If you have received an email with an embedded link, you may go to the online site to review your information. If you have questions, you may call PCI’s customer service desk at 1.800.982.1590.

4. Can anyone purchase a directory?

   • The Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity Members Directory is available for sale only to Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity Members.

5. When will I receive my directory?

   • Directories are scheduled to ship on September 21.

6. Can I choose some or all of my information not to be printed in the directory?

   • When you call to update your information, you can tell the representative what information you would prefer to have excluded. You may also communicate this information to the PCI customer service desk (1.800.982.1590) or to National Headquarters.

7. I ordered a directory/package over the phone and would like to cancel my order. How do I do this?

   • Call the PCI customer service help desk at 1.800.982.1590, and they will take care of this for you.

NIC Fraternities Ban Hard Alcohol in Decisive Action

INDIANAPOLIS—In an important, decisive action to enhance health and safety in fraternity communities, the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) recently adopted a Standard prohibiting hard alcohol from fraternity chapter facilities and events.

At its Aug. 27 Annual Meeting in a near unanimous vote of its 66 inter/national fraternities, the Conference determined that each organization will implement the new Standard by Sept. 1, 2019, across their more than 6,100 chapters on 800 campuses.

"At their core, fraternities are about brotherhood, personal development and providing a community of support. Alcohol abuse and its serious consequences endanger this very purpose," said Judson Horras, NIC President & CEO. "This action shows fraternities' clear commitment and leadership to further their focus on the safety of members and all in our communities.

"This is the latest in a series of NIC Health & Safety Initiatives launched in the last year, including Conference-wide adoption of medical Good Samaritan policies; piloting further measures to reduce alcohol; developing SocialSafe, an online event management platform and app; testing measures to reduce hazing in the new member experience; and advocating for stronger anti-hazing laws.

"Our IFC and member fraternities eliminated hard alcohol from facilities and events on our campus several years ago and have seen a positive shift in our culture when it comes to the health and safety of our members and guests," said Seth Gutwein, Purdue University IFC President. "With all NIC fraternities implementing this critical change, it will provide strong support for fraternities to move as one to make campus communities safer."

Under the resolution passed by the Conference, each NIC member fraternity will "adopt and implement a policy by September 1, 2019, that prohibits the presence of alcohol products above 15% ABV in any chapter facility or at any chapter event, except when served by a licensed third-party vendor. Chapter facilities and events outside the United States may have one additional year to achieve compliance. Any member fraternity that does not have a business meeting between Sept. 1, 2018, and Sept. 1, 2019, will be granted a one-year extension in adoption." As with all NIC Standards, this is a minimum expectation; when member fraternities and campuses have more restrictive policies, students and chapters will still be expected to follow those.

Click here to view this release online and here for more information, including Frequently Asked Questions. Download a PDF of the release here.

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The North American Interfraternity Conference is a trade association that represents 66 inter/national men's fraternities, with more than 6,100 chapters located on more than 800 campuses in the United States and Canada, with approximately 385,000 undergraduate members and nearly 4.2 million alumni.

Trying New Things and Making a Difference

A Look at How One Small Decision Can Impact the Lives of Thousands

by Jared Grieve
Kansas State University, '19

"My advice is to take chances in your life, no matter how little, because you have no idea where you might end up."

Jared Grieve
Kansas State University, '19
2018 Phi Kappa Theta Executive Office Intern

I have lived in Kansas my entire life, so if you told me I would have a chance to live in a big city over 600 miles away, I would have just laughed and called you a liar. This past summer I had the best opportunity to do just that.

This is my story, from a small town in Kansas to making an impact around the country.

Growing up, I was what some people might call your average Midwest kid. I played football, basketball, baseball and golf. Although, I was never the star athlete or the smartest kid on the block, I knew that some day I would have an opportunity to make a positive impact on the world around me.

After graduating from high school in 2015, I decided to attend college and pursue a mechanical engineering degree. During my senior year of high school, I decided to start looking at colleges to attend. Because I have never lived out of Kansas, and probably because I was too scared to leave, I decide to narrow my search to only schools in Kansas.

Growing up, I thought the University of Kansas would be where I would end up. But the minute I walked onto the campus of Kansas State University I knew that this was the place where I wanted to live.

Bill Snyder, Hall of Fame coach, and current coach of the K-State football team said, “We came to Kansas State because of the people, stayed because of the people and returned because of the people, and that remains unchanged.” I can’t say how true this was for me.

“Family” is a word used all the time at K-State and to tell the truth, I really had no idea what it meant to K-State until I arrived on campus. Manhattan, Kansas, is truly one of the best towns in the Midwest, consistently ranked as one of the “Best College Towns in America” and I am so happy to have called this place home the past few years. The people are truly the ones that make the difference. And the people here have really helped me learn what being a servant leader is all about.

During the spring of my senior year all I could think about was how excited to move into my dorm and start college. But then I saw a letter about Greek Life at K-State. I have never considered myself to be someone who would join a fraternity, but I was interested in the idea.

Throughout that spring I attended many different recruitment events at many different fraternities. While I did receive bids from other chapters, I knew there was something different about Phi Kappa Theta.

When I joined the Kansas Iota Chapter, there were about 40 members. During my first year, I loved most of my experiences, but good things don’t always come easy. Throughout my first year, I could tell that the chapter was having some issues. There were groups forming in the house and many different visions of what a Phi Kap should be.

After the end of my freshman year a change had to be made. Unfortunately, that was a membership review, which took our chapter down to seven members.

Our chapter decided that everything we do should always live out our mission that “Phi Kappa Theta activity develops men to be effective leaders who passionately serve society, Fraternity and God.”

To make an impact on the lives of our members, this is what had to be done. That November, I was elected to the position of Chapter President.

During the second semester of my sophomore year I started to really look at what my future had to hold for me, and really, I did not like what I saw. I knew that I could be a decent engineer, but something was missing.

Through arguing with myself, I decided to change my major to Organizational Management. I knew this was a great decision from the first day. With this new major I could really see how I could make an impact on the people around me.

That summer I had the privilege to represent our chapter at the Phi Kappa Theta Biennial Convention in Washington D.C.. During the convention I learned about the open positions on the Undergraduate Advisory Committee (UGAC).

When I heard about this, I knew that this was going to be where I can start to make a major impact. After being elected to represent the Midwest Province, I was also elected as Chairman of the UGAC. With this, I also serve as a member of the Phi Kappa Theta Board of Trustees.

Through this position, I have been able to travel to the chapters in my Province assisting with things from recruitment to governance models. With this, I started to really make a positive impact on those around me.

This most recent summer was my chance to live out of Kansas for the first time. I was offered an internship with the Executive Office of Phi Kappa Theta, which meant I would be moving to Indianapolis. To say I was excited would be an understatement, but going from a population of 5,000 to 900,000 is just a little intimidating.

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Facilitating at the University of South Dakota.

After getting settled, I was ready to get started. I worked on many different aspects of the Fraternity, some of which I had no idea were even a part of the operations of a not-for-profit organization. Most of my work was focused on member engagement and chapter operations, spending a lot of my time developing resources for our collegiate leadership.

With resources that we already had, I compiled and developed a day-long recruitment workshop. Not only was I able to develop the workshop, I traveled to the University of South Dakota to be the facilitator of the new program. I received great feedback from the chapter and I could tell when I left that I have made a positive impact on their chapter and possibly hundreds of members to come.

Another project that I got to work on was the planning and logistics of this summer’s national conference, IMPACT18 in Orlando, FL. The work of Dr. Michael Brown, his team of coaches, the national staff and all alumni involved made this experience an unforgettable one.

The theme of the conference was “Live Beyond Yourself” which is our fraternal commitment to servant leadership and our passion to “Give, Expecting Nothing Thereof,” Luke 6:35.

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2018 Phi Kappa Theta Executive Office Staff.

This conference was extremely beneficial to everyone who attended, especially myself since servant leadership is such a major part of my life.

As I return to school I take back more skills and inspiration to make an even bigger impact on the world, investing in that which will outlive myself. I also take time to reflect on how all of this would not be possible if when I was in high school I just threw out the letter about Greek life.

My advice is to take chances in your life, no matter how little, because you have no idea where you might end up. My one small decision to even consider Greek life has made a life changing experience on my life. With this, I have left an impact on thousands of people around the country.

I have to say, I am truly blessed to have been given these great opportunities to make a difference in the lives of many. Probably the most important people who have really shaped who I am today are my parents. They are my biggest role models in my life teaching how to be loving, generous, humble and are the main reason I am able to do the things I am doing today.

I will end with a few things Dr. Brown explained that will happen if you live your life as a servant leader. Your impact will outlive you, your final days on this earth will be without regrets and your example will be emulated by others who follow.

Visit myfraternitylife.org for more information on the #myFraternity initiative raising awareness of fraternities that build better men.

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About Jared:

Jared Grieve is an undergraduate student at Kansas State University. Brother Grieve is also the Chapter President for Phi Kappa Theta’s Kansas Iota Chapter at Kansas State.

He grew up in Paola, Kansas, and graduated from Paola High School in 2015. Brother Grieve is currently a senior at Kansas State University, studying business management.

He serves as Chairman of the Undergraduate Advisory Council for Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity, representing the Midwestern Province, which includes chapters in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. Through this position, he also serves on Phi Kappa Theta’s Board of Trustees.