"That actually wasn't that bad..."

The compliment? rousing endorsement that forms the subject of today's post came as a result of a workshop I led last night with the men of a certain fraternity on campus. They came to me asking for a "sensitivity training." What they got was just a bit more than that.

Let's be clear, I wouldn't know the first place to begin on creating a "sensitivity training." I'm a decently sensitive guy but training on that subject isn't really in my wheelhouse. I'm certain I could throw something together to talk about generally being open to all forms of expression and identity but it's much easier if I'm given a topic in particular on which to focus. Being generally open to everything everywhere is freaking huge a little wide open.

Through conversation with the chapter leadership, we were able to identify that we really needed to focus in on Title IX related concerns. Now that I can handle. After all, I'm the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the University so I would hope I could talk on the topic. Although I can talk for days on this issue, no group of undergrads wants to sit through that so we needed another angle than just the "sage on the stage" model that comes with most educational settings.

My angle came in the form of values. You see, fraternities and sororities are, at the heart, values-based organizations. Despite the negative press that advertises the keg parties and hazing concerns, social Greek organizations should be known for their role modeling of the values they espouse. My fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, holds dear the values of virtue, diligence, and brotherly love. At the heart of everything, that's what we're all about. Anything that doesn't fit that, should fall by the wayside.

I think the men last night were pleasantly surprised to have the conversation about what they hold dear. We Greeks forget sometimes that we're supposed to be about something more than just the stereotypes. This organization had forgotten that too. Hopefully, by engaging one another in that conversation they can begin to focus again on what it means to be members of their chapter, what it means to be a man in their particular brand of Greek life.