Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Greek Leaders Take Stand Against Sexual Assault

Thursday, November 12, 2015, By News Staff
Share

“Even if you’re initiating a conversation, just one, then that’s one more conversation than was happening earlier,” says Tristan Ruzic, president of the Syracuse University Panhellenic Council. “If you can just prevent one more person from becoming a statistic, you’ve done your job.”

A stamp at a local bar

An entrance stamp at a local bar

Ruzic is spearheading a campuswide Greek Life initiative to raise awareness about sexual assault prevention. She has organized a union between the various Greek councils at the University to tackle the all-too-prevalent issue of sexual assault on college campuses, and she emphasizes that while Greek life is only one part of the larger issue, it is still their responsibility to take action in doing all they can to prevent sexual assault from occurring.

Expanding upon this idea, Ruzic also reached out to other schools across the country, seeking to create solidarity among the Greek community on a national scale. To date, Ruzic has the support of Greek leaders at George Washington University, Indiana University, Texas Christian University, Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania and Oklahoma State University.

“Our goal is to facilitate a dialogue,” explains Ruzic. “We want to share useful information, tips and strategies. What worked for us? What didn’t? Where have other campuses achieved successes, and how can we build upon that success here on our campus?”

After all, this is no easy task. Ruzic fully acknowledges the vastness of the problem she is addressing, and realizes that sticking only to traditional methods of communication may not deliver the results she hopes for. So, together with the University’s Greek councils, Ruzic has been exploring alternative methods of getting the message out.

“We (Greeks on campus) have so much programming, sometimes the importance of one thing gets lost,” she says. “We need to raise awareness without people having to change their regular, daily schedules.”

Now, all along Greek row, fraternities and sororities are displaying massive “Yes Means Yes” banners on the sides of their houses. When students go to popular college bars, their entrance stamps read “Be Sure” and “Consent is Sexy.” Members of the Greek community have flooded their social media accounts with the official “Yes Means Yes” banner, and existing campus organizations dedicated to preventing sexual assault have joined the Panhellenic Council’s initiative.

In response to Ruzic’s work, Caroline Heres of the Girl Code Movement says, “I think it’s great! I think that the Yes Means Yes legislation is fantastic, and that it really does create a more positive outlook on the issue. We’ve worked with the Panhellenic Council before; we had a walk last semester that was sponsored by them, and I want to work with them more in the future.”

The Girl Code Movement was founded by Syracuse University students to address the problem of sexual assault on campus, and in the few short years since its creation, it has already received national news coverage for its efforts.

“My main objectives for the Girl Code Movement are to really begin and carry out a conversation regarding student-to-student sexual violence on campus,” says Heres. “I believe that talking about this in a student-to-student environment will create a better foundation for working to end it on campus.”

Moving forward, Ruzic has plans for several big events on campus. This Friday, Nov. 13, at 3 p.m., members of the Greek councils at the University will be meeting in the Quad for a demonstration to raise awareness of the issue. Additionally, Ruzic and the Panhellenic Council have set the goal of bringing at least one speaker to campus per semester.

“I think it’s time we put our resources and ideas together,” states Ruzic. “This is a nationwide epidemic, and it’s on us to be a part of the solution.”

 

This story is by Austin Galovski, a work-study student in the Office of News Services.

  • Author

News Staff

  • Recent
  • Men’s Soccer Team Gives Back to Syracuse Community for Season of Support
    Friday, June 2, 2023, By Kathleen Haley
  • June 30 Deadline Set for Fiscal 2023 Year End Business
    Wednesday, May 31, 2023, By News Staff
  • DPS Accepting Sign-Ups for R.A.D. Summer Session
    Wednesday, May 31, 2023, By Alex Haessig
  • Syracuse Stage Adds 2 Musicals to 50th Anniversary Season
    Wednesday, May 31, 2023, By Joanna Penalva
  • Supporting, Advocating for Trans Youth Will Help Them Thrive As Adults
    Friday, May 26, 2023, By Daryl Lovell

More In Campus & Community

Men’s Soccer Team Gives Back to Syracuse Community for Season of Support

After their hard-earned National Championship season, energized by an outpouring of support, the Syracuse men’s soccer team wanted to respond in gratitude back to the community. Team members Noah Singelmann ’22 and Julius Rauch ’24 started a program, Sincere Impact,…

Project Mend Builds Community Through Writing for Those Impacted by the Justice System

For many years, Patrick W. Berry never told anyone that his father had been incarcerated for much of his life, as had several other members of Berry’s extended family. In fact, he tried not to think much about it. But eventually,…

June 30 Deadline Set for Fiscal 2023 Year End Business

Cash Operations has set a deadline of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, June 30, to receive deposits at the Bowne Cash Operations office for credit in fiscal year 2023. Deposits should be made as early in the day as possible on…

DPS Accepting Sign-Ups for R.A.D. Summer Session

The Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) is currently accepting sign-ups for its R.A.D. summer session. R.A.D., which stands for Rape Aggression Defense, is a nationally known self-defense program. This women-only self-defense course is being offered exclusively to Syracuse…

Syracuse Stage Adds 2 Musicals to 50th Anniversary Season

Syracuse Stage announced two musicals that will complete the lineup for the organization’s 50th anniversary season. Audiences are immersed in the soulful music of Billie Holiday with Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Oct. 18 through Nov. 5. Closing…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2023 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.