Required FSL Education 

All Members:

Orientation

Orientation is the first step in joining any of our four councils. Each council hosts their own orientation session, which occurs within the first weeks of each academic semester. These orientation sessions provide a broad overview of what to expect and what should be understood when preparing for membership in fraternity and sorority life. *Attendance at orientation is mandatory for anyone seeking to join a fraternity or sorority.

Topics covered include but are not limited to: 

  • Welcome and introduction by staff
  • Expectations of membership (i.e. social responsibilities, joining something bigger than yourself, financial commitments, etc.)
  • Understanding risk management (i.e. hazing, healthy behaviors)
  • Diversity of experience (i.e. understanding the history of the University's four governing councils)
  • Understanding of recruitment week or membership intake processes, who to contact regarding questions, etc.

New Member Academy (NMA)

After accepting an invitation to membership, each new member has one month to complete NMA. This online course, housed on ICON, is a broad overview of what it means to be a member of a fraternity or sorority at Iowa. NMA consists of six modules that introduce new members to concepts that are frequently discussed and used as topics of education across all chapters and councils.

The modules are: 

  • Overview of the FSL Community
  • Academic Excellence
  • Health, Safety, and Wellness
  • Access, Opportunity, and Diversity
  • Involvement and Leadership Opportunities
  • Bystander Intervention

Violence Prevention Education (VPE)

Violence Prevention Education is a tier-based educational system covering topics such as enthusiastic consent, bystander intervention, and healthy relationships. Every member of an FSL organization is required to attend one facilitated, interactive workshop each year of their membership, and the workshops are designed to scale and build upon previous education. 

During their first year of membership, each student must complete Tier 1 and during their second year as a member, they must complete Tier 2. During years three and four of membership, students must complete Tiers 3 and 4, where they have the choice of participating in three different workshops. These tiers are focused on increasing leadership in these areas. 

Tier topics are outlined below:

  • Tier 1: Enthusiastic Consent
    • Participants learn what consent is, how to set and communicate boundaries, and how to respond respectfully to rejection.
  • Tier 2: Bystander Intervention for Preventing Sexual Violence
    • Participants learn to recognize warning signs for sexual violence, bystander intervention skills, and how to apply those skills to real-world scenarios.
  • Tiers 3 and 4: Dismantling Rape Culture
    • Participants learn what rape culture is, how to recognize it in our everyday interactions, and how to actively dismantle it.
  • Tiers 3 and 4: Healthy Relationships
    • Participants learn how culture influences perceptions of relationships, recognize unhealthy warning signs, and actively build skills to engage in healthy relationships
  • Tiers 3 and 4: Bystander Intervention Creating Safer Communities
    • Participants learn to recognize warning signs for identity-based harm, bystander intervention skills, and how to apply those skills to real-world scenarios.

Alcohol & U

Alcohol & U is our yearly alcohol education requirement for chapters. This program is put on in collaboration with Student Wellness.

 

Chapter President/Council Officers:

Welcome Back:

Welcome Back is our annual gathering for returning student leaders. This program is led by facilitators and designed to provide a small group experience, allowing student leaders to come together in community and start the new school year off strong

Advance

This day-long program serves to kick off the spring semester and introduce new student leaders to the FSL staff and campus partners, set expectations, create community goals, and go over needed information.

All Council

All Council meetings occur monthly during the academic year and are an opportunity for student leaders to come together and discuss relevant issues in the fraternity and sorority community at Iowa. 

 

Additional Educational Opportunities 

LS: 1021 Current Issues and Leadership in Fraternity and Sorority Life

This course provides students who are members of a social Greek-lettered organization with the skills, knowledge, and information to reach their potential as leaders and council/chapter officers. This course focuses on the practical side of being an organizational leader and is balanced with understanding how to create a stronger fraternity and sorority community. Students will engage in self-reflection and authentic conversations with their peers to gain a greater awareness of Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Iowa and on the national level. 

This class is encouraged for all chapter leadership, it is not required. It occurs every spring semester.

Authentic Masculinity in Fraternity Cohort

The Healthy Masculinity Cohort Initiative is a once-a-month session led by trained peer leaders to explore individual definitions of masculinity and discuss gender socialization, leading to the dismantling of masculinity tropes to redefine fraternity. We utilize Bloom's Taxonomy and Men and Masculinities: Theoretical Foundations and Promising Practices for Supporting College Men’s Development by Tillapaugh and McGowan to inform the curriculum and program execution.