Apparently, he thinks this means everyone else lines up behind him in the Buffett line 
A leadership role in what, The Limp Dick Society?Apparently, he thinks this means everyone else lines up behind him in the Buffett line![]()
Apparently, he thinks this means everyone else lines up behind him in the Buffett line![]()
"but only after we spend a massive pile of cash"Translation, "we'll be the first to implement a bunch of new rules that don't actually fix anything, then take credit for it"
So now the University is taking even MORE responsibility for frats. Will make it easier to sue the university when the next pledge dies. Really, really smart.
Barron promises to take a "National Leadership Role"
I think they are playing the long game- lots of prime real estate involved here- and who cares what it costs- they are using other people's money as alwaysYup. Instead of taking advantage of existing Pennsylvania law that protects universities from liability for fraternity issues, PSU's crack legal team leads it into the lion's den of liability. Morons.
I think they are playing the long game- lots of prime real estate involved here- and who cares what it costs- they are using other people's money as always
Protect the Shield...... and all the douchebag empty-suits that populate itBarron has the bureaucrat playbook and he's going through it page by page
Throw money at a problem. Check
Add more feckless administrators. Check
Hold a silly conference. Check
"Greek Response Team." That's sounds kind of funny.Just got an email - sorry if previously discussed:
Penn State's Board of Trustees today (June 2) supported a comprehensive set of new University initiatives focused on reforming the Greek-letter community. The new measures include an unprecedented transfer of responsibility to the University for disciplinary matters, which may include stringent sanctions for violations. These actions build upon a decade of efforts to address ongoing challenges associated with Greek-letter organizations.
Alcohol misuse among students is a challenge at nearly every college and university, including at Penn State. The problem is particularly vexing among fraternities and sororities across the country because the self-governance model of Greek life has failed to bring an end to excessive drinking, hazing, sexual assault and overly large disruptive gatherings within their organizations. The University and board are committed to implementing solutions that create a fundamental shift for Greek life in an effort to refocus on the positive aspects of these organizations.
"Our University community continues to mourn the death of student Tim Piazza and again sends our deepest sympathies to the Piazza family," said Penn State President Eric Barron. "I am resolved to turn the pain and anguish radiating through our entire community into decisive action and reform, concentrating on the safety and well-being of students at Penn State. These new safety and reform initiatives represent a significant departure from the Greek system's broken self-governance model and indicate steps necessary to address the complex problems."
New measures include:
There are other measures being discussed and will be instituted over time — all with a focus on prevention, monitoring and enforcement. These measures augment a series of actions taken earlier this year, which are being made permanent.
- University control of the fraternity and sorority organizational misconduct and adjudication process.
- Hazing that involves alcohol, physical abuse, or any behavior that puts a student's mental or physical health at risk will result in swift permanent revocation of University recognition for the chapter involved.
- Transition to deferred recruitment/rush process for fraternities and sororities.
- Strict social restrictions.
- Monitoring of social events by University staff members.
- Relationship statement signed by all fraternity and sorority members that clarifies the respective rights and responsibilities of the University, the chapters and their respective members.
- Further parent education: availability of report card, messages to reinforce with their students.
- Capitation fee for support of extra services, spot-checkers/monitors, and educational activities.
Barron will appoint a Greek Response Team, including government affairs and community relations, legal, police and student affairs, which will be responsible for directing and overseeing the implementation of these initiatives — reporting directly to the president on progress. This group will coordinate with local law enforcement, campus police and neighborhoods.
"The changes require significant shifts in the relationship among fraternities, sororities and the University," said Barron. "But true change will not happen without the chapters, alumni boards, housing boards, councils, and national organizations commitment and partnership in putting student safety first, and encouraging chapter members to bring safety issues to the forefront."
Recently, the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) also acknowledged that the fraternities' self-governance model is broken and has failed to prevent serious excessive drinking problems on college campuses. But NIC needs to take this further, including addressing the contradictory incentive created by its risk management policies that may deter individuals from calling 911 in emergency situations, according to University leaders.
In addition, the University has begun critical conversations regarding legislative initiatives for the entire student population:
"The board supports the important actions taken today by University leadership," said Penn State Board of Trustees Chair Ira Lubert. "These significant changes set a new standard among universities dealing with the challenges of Greek-letter communities. We hope this is a start for our fraternities and sororities to address these serious problems and focus on the more positive contributions these individuals and organizations make here at Penn State and beyond."
- Support for a congressional proposal to expand Clery Act reporting to include hazing violations;
- Continue discussions with state officials on ways to strengthen penalties for hazing, especially hazing that includes alcohol, and on increased statewide educational initiatives on the dangers of hazing and dangerous drinking; and
- Advocate to expand the current law on Medical Amnesty for Underage Drinking to apply to the individual who requires medical assistance.
"Greek Response Team." That's sounds kind of funny.
Will they wear armbands?"Greek Response Team." That's sounds kind of funny.
I think it ends up looking like this."Greek Response Team." That's sounds kind of funny.
I would definitely prefer the Swedish Bikini Team."Greek Response Team." That's sounds kind of funny.
Actually there's plenty of evidence to support the claim that they're trying to lead research in child maltreatment prevention. Lots of new faculty and a $20mil grant from NIH to establish a center. PSU was already a leader in prevention research so it wasn't a huge step to take anyway.Reminds me of The Rod's statements about PSU becoming a leader in compliance, as well as a leader in child sexual abuse research and prevention. Later he and others in PSU leadership went to add to the initial statement as to how many other Universities were reaching out to them to follow their lead. From discussions I've had with a significant number of University administrators, I'd say they were deluding themselves on the first statement. As for the second statement, there appears to be little evidence to back up their claims.
As for what the BOT and Barron decided today, here are a few articles:
PennLive: Penn State takes charge of its fraternities and sororities following student hazing death
Onward State: Board of Trustees Approves More Lukewarm Greek Reform, Imposes Capitation Fee For Greek Members
Daily Collegian: Greek councils lose self-governance, subject to university monitoring
Daily Collegian: Board of Trustees pass resolution pertaining to greek life four months after death of Timothy Piazza
Some quick thoughts on what's in the articles:
- kind of overkill, IMHO, to lump the sororities into the problem, and the capitation fee. The sororities don't have houses, and can't have alcohol at their chapter rooms (in the dorms)
- if the Onward State article is accurate about the slide indicating that only juniors and seniors should live in frats, that could cause serious financial problems for the frats. For most of them, they are dependent upon the freshmen and sophomores that live in the houses to make them viable. Many of the juniors go abroad for a semester. And while there are exceptions, most of the senior frat members move out of the frat house into a senior house, in part because they're far more into going to the bars and somewhat tired of the frat scene. I would guess that PSU's rationale on this is that they are looking for more mature students in the frats, and also kids that are over 21, but it would appear that PSU really did not analyze the dynamics of the situation
- the earlier steps, and the rules adopted today, could really create problems for the frats, and push those problems more into the apartments. For most freshmen and sophomores, frats are the best place where they can get alcohol. And surprise, surprise, that is something that pretty much all college students are looking to partake in, whether they are under 21 or not. So if frat parties can not serve alcohol to those under 21, what would be the incentive for freshmen and sophomores to join frats/go to frat parties, and what would be the incentive for freshmen and sophomores to join sororities? The kids will still want to drink, and will now find alcohol at apartments/houses that are outside of the Greek structure. So basically PSU is kicking the can down the street, and dumping it onto the apartment owners
The former is impossible to determine and the latter might be tough to figure out in some cases.
- Hazing that involves alcohol, physical abuse, or any behavior that puts a student's mental or physical health at risk will result in swift permanent revocation of University recognition for the chapter involved.
Actually there's plenty of evidence to support the claim that they're trying to lead research in child maltreatment prevention. Lots of new faculty and a $20mil grant from NIH to establish a center. PSU was already a leader in prevention research so it wasn't a huge step to take anyway.
Actually there's plenty of evidence to support the claim that they're trying to lead research in child maltreatment prevention. Lots of new faculty and a $20mil grant from NIH to establish a center. PSU was already a leader in prevention research so it wasn't a huge step to take anyway.
Wow, just wow...so what can she discuss? Was she able to find State College when you spoke to her?She flat out told me she knew nothing of the Second Mile, was not from the area, was an Academic and because she was an Academic she could not possibly discuss the failures of Second Mile leadership, CPS & licensed professionals in this entire saga.
They're a leader in prevention science specifically, but that's been over the course of 25 years. Child maltreatment specifically is a growing field. It's still to be seen whether they're effective at building their research program and how that translates to practice. Long way to go. I'm in that department (HDFS).I don't dispute the faculty and the center. However, I don't think that makes them the leader in prevention, and only time will tell how much of a leader they may become in research.
The Second Mile was long gone by the time she got here. I'm not really sure what she's supposed to know or tell a random person about it. The grant is for state and national reaearch. She's not an investigative journalist. She's also not the only person hired in that area - they made money for something like 12 hires across the University. The focus was never on uncovering the secrets of local misconduct, it's a research program.FWIW I spoke with Dr. Jennie Noll over the phone shortly after her department was awarded this NIH money.
She flat out told me she knew nothing of the Second Mile, was not from the area, was an Academic and because she was an Academic she could not possibly discuss the failures of Second Mile leadership, CPS & licensed professionals in this entire saga.
So much for identifying the factors that contributed to the very shitstorm at Penn State that resulted in CREATING her position at Penn State and AWARDING her money to be used for research at Penn State.
I have totally given up on these researchers & advocates - it's clear that they value funding over asking questions of their peers & public officials that might disrupt that funding.
They're a leader in prevention science specifically, but that's been over the course of 25 years. Child maltreatment specifically is a growing field. It's still to be seen whether they're effective at building their research program and how that translates to practice. Long way to go. I'm in that department (HDFS).
Oh for sure, that's actually the point of the Prevention Research center and the EPIScenter which work on scaling up prevention programs and seeing how well they work before distributing them widely. DARE didn't work as intended but nobody knew that until they actually studied it. Social science has a replicability problem but they do produce some good practice as well.Yeah, it's the difference between theory and practice. In theory, there's no difference. In practice there is. That's why, for example (so you know I'm not picking on the softer sciences) we have the disciplines of both chemistry and chemical engineering. What works in the the lab often does not work the same way when scaled up.
She was able to find her funding source.Wow, just wow...so what can she discuss? Was she able to find State College when you spoke to her?
Always a good move to admit you weren't doing enough right before you get sued. Brilliant!So now the University is taking even MORE responsibility for frats. Will make it easier to sue the university when the next pledge dies. Really, really smart.
Don't worry. The "Greek Response Team" has everything under control.So now the University is taking even MORE responsibility for frats. Will make it easier to sue the university when the next pledge dies. Really, really smart.
This simple line here describes the PSU of the last 5.5 years to a tee.Always a good move to admit you weren't doing enough right before you get sued. Brilliant!
Tom Kline agrees.Always a good move to admit you weren't doing enough right before you get sued. Brilliant!
So this researcher begins her research in ignorance of the very local charity that was used as a grooming service for a pedophile while state agencies tasked with protecting children failed to do so, to the extent of allowing the pedophile to adopt multiple children. WTF will her research consist of? Is she going to recommend giving 11 year olds condoms so they don't get STDs when other ignored pedophiles abuse them?The Second Mile was long gone by the time she got here. I'm not really sure what she's supposed to know or tell a random person about it. The grant is for state and national reaearch. She's not an investigative journalist. She's also not the only person hired in that area - they made money for something like 12 hires across the University. The focus was never on uncovering the secrets of local misconduct, it's a research program.
She's not working in a vacuum. She's at PENN STATE!!! We were kind of notorious a few years ago for this very topic. The people charged with protecting children utterly failed. I have no doubt the injection of millions into pointless directionless research will make PSU a leader.