If you are planning on participating in Fall Formal Recruitment 2024, please ensure that you are registered for SW 301 through KU.

KU PANHELLENIC ASSOCIATION PASSES CAMPUS SEXUAL Violence Prevention standing rule for new members

University of Kansas Panhellenic Association has passed a standing rule giving new members access to a gender-based violence prevention training seminar

The seminar was created in conjunction with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center SAPEC) and the members of the Panhellenic Executive Board. Participation in this course will eliminate all weekend and evening training obligations new members previously had, in order to get the information in a more feasible way.

SW 301. Prevention is Possible: Taking Action Against Campus Sexual Violence

Course Description:

College students experience elevated rates of sexual violence, and they also have played a

pivotal role in making positive changes to campus sexual violence policies, support

resources, and social norms. This course will equip students with the knowledge and

tools to prevent sexual violence by creating a culture of consent, both at KU and in their

future communities. Over the eight-week interactive seminar, students will learn to

identify different forms of sexual violence; become familiar with campus and community

support resources for survivors; and gain an understanding of research-based strategies

for effective campus sexual violence prevention. Through group discussion and analysis

of news articles and visual media, students will engage with topics including strategies

for consent communication; the impact of misinformation and rape culture on sexual

violence prevention and response; current and historical examples of student-led campus

violence prevention efforts; the relationship between social identity, equity, and sexual

violence; and the impact of how alcohol and other drugs impact capacity for sexual

consent. By the end of the course, students will plan their own prevention strategy to

address sexual violence on campus or in the community. Note: KU Athletics, the KU

Panhellenic Association, and KU IFC require first-year members to enroll in this course.

The course is open to all KU undergraduate students.

Students who are required to take this course:

  • Individuals who participated in Fall Formal Recruitment and received a bid will have

two semesters to enroll in the course: the fall semester they go through recruitment

and the spring semester directly following. However, classes in the spring will be

limited.

  • Individuals participating in Continuous Open Recruitment have two semesters to

enroll in the course, these being the two semesters directly following the semester in

which they accepted a bid to their respective chapter.

Academic Credit

This course is worth 1 academic credit hour. There is a scholarship offered by the University

of Kansas Panhellenic Association that covers the cost of the course. Click here for more

information regarding the scholarship.

Excusal and Alternative Course Option

If the subject matter of the course causes critical discomfort, students can be excused from

fulfilling the course requirement. This is a “no questions asked” policy and students do not

need to provide details about why they request an excusal. Additionally, students can take

an alternative, trauma-informed version of the course through the KU CARE coordinator. To

request excusal from the course or to learn more about the alternative course option, please

contact the KU CARE coordinator at care@ku.edu.

The requirement to complete this course can be found in the Bylaws of the University of

Kansas Panhellenic Association, Article III Sections 1-3.

For More Information: 

Carolyn Abel
Director of Interfraternal Relations & Member Development, University of Panhellenic Executive Board
pharelations.ku@gmail.com