UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform has partnered with NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education to present a three-part webinar series, "Leading Fraternities and Sororities Through a Return to Campus and COVID-19," intended for senior-level student affairs leadership. The webinars will focus on strategy, prevention and intervention, as well as connecting staffing to strategy. 

“The Piazza Center is excited to partner with renowned scholars and leaders to think critically on making research-informed decisions to guide fraternities and sororities toward safer and stronger outcomes,” said Stevan Veldkamp executive director of the Piazza Center. 

The individual sessions will center on new and important findings that improve professional practice to restore and transform the fraternity and sorority experience. Each program in the series will draw from timely research focusing on the intersection of fraternity and sorority issues, solutions and professional practice.

“Vice presidents for student affairs (VPSAs) face numerous challenges in supporting students' safe return to colleges and universities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stephanie A. Gordon, NASPA's vice president for professional development at NASPA. “Issues of health, safety and well-being are critical — and particularly salient given the pandemic — across student communities, including unique issues within fraternity and sorority communities.

“Possibly now more than ever, research-informed approaches are important to equip VPSAs in developing strategies for their institution’s fraternities and sororities. NASPA welcomes this new partnership with the Piazza Center to provide the latest research in order to successfully lead fraternities and sororities during these times.”

The webinar series, which begins Nov. 4, includes interactive panels and presentations by scholars, consultants, and university and college vice presidents. Webinars include:

• Strategy matters: How to build the ideal approach for your campus fraternity and sorority community. 
• Effectiveness of intervention and prevention strategies for substance misuse and hazing: How student affairs can create prevention and intervention strategies informed by research.
• Staffing and strategy matter: How to build the ideal strategy for your campus fraternity and sorority community.

The Association of Fraternity and Sorority Advisors and the NASPA Fraternity and Sorority Knowledge Community are providing additional support for the series.

The Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform is a multidisciplinary research center dedicated to uplifting fraternity and sorority life. The center establishes new insights into understanding the complex issues facing fraternity and sorority life and empowers higher education to help create a fraternity and sorority experience that is safer and more meaningful. The center produces actionable data to give practitioners, campuses and headquarters the evidence needed to enact significant change on their campuses for the over 750,000 members across more than 770 campuses with fraternity and sorority life.