Tri Sigma

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Tri Sigma is committed to promoting a safe environment and educating students and advisors on harm reduction. Sigma Sigma Sigma upholds the following philosophy toward harm reduction: 

• The Sorority urges all members to practice the principles of personal dignity, self-discipline, and dedication to social standards worthy of Sigma Sigma Sigma. 
• Through education, training, and mature adult guidance, we provide the tools to help students make responsible choices and to understand the consequences of their choices.  The organization will hold chapters and individual chapter members accountable for the choices they make. 
• The Sorority expects personal responsibility from its members and accountability through local accountability. 

Harm reduction is less about policies and more about taking care of one another, creating a culture of care, and caring enough to confront another member if they are demonstrating harmful behaviors.  

This program has been recognized with the CPN Seal of Prevention, an honor awarded to institutions of higher education and fraternity/sorority organizations that have demonstrated leadership in digital prevention programming focused on student safety, well-being, and inclusion.

 

PROACTIVE EDUCATION

To help members recognize these harmful behaviors and to provide outlets for reporting, the following prevention education is provided to Tri Sigma collegiate members:

• GreekLifeEdu - Tri Sigma partners with Vector Solutions to provide high-quality, interactive, prevention programming. Tri Sigma requires all collegiate members and new members to complete an online program called GreekLifeEdu which includes information on safe alcohol use, hazing prevention, and sexual assault prevention. This online education will empower members to make well-informed decisions about issues that affect their college years and beyond.

• Mental Wellbeing - Tri Sigma believes that for students to thrive academically and in their Tri Sigma membership, it is important to have strategies for approaching challenges, including self-management, self-advocacy, and building a support system. Vector Solutions' "Mental Well-being for Students" program equips undergraduates with essential skills and information to navigate the stressors and emotional challenges associated with college life. The course helps learners practice self-care, recognize when they or their peers are in distress, and take action to find additional support.
• Sexual Assault and Staying Safe on Campus - Tri Sigma is a proud sponsor of the Its On Us national campaign to prevent sexual assault on campus. Through this partnership, we sit on a national council that will continue to develop resources and materials to help in the prevention of sexual assault and the overall health and safety of our members.
• Hazing Prevention - Tri Sigma is also a sponsor of HazingPrevention.org, a national organization dedicated to its mission of encouraging people to prevent hazing in college and university student groups. They provide education, develop resources and build partnerships with others who believe in the work we do. Tri Sigma is an active participant in Hazing Prevention Week, has a zero-tolerance anti-hazing policy, and includes anti-hazing education in all annual new member, member, officer, and advisor training. Zero tolerance means any Tri Sigma member found to be in violation of our hazing policy will immediately have her membership terminated. 

 

REDUCING HIGH-RISK BEHAVIORS

In-person experiential programming is provided to student leaders and collegiate chapters. including:

• Prevention Institute - A biennial in-person program focused on helping students develop the skills needed to create their own local prevention plan, including chapter retreats to proactively prevent high-risk behaviors within their chapter. This program won the 2020 AFA/CoHEASAP Award for Outstanding Alcohol/Other Drug Prevention Program award. Programs that demonstrate creativity and overall effectiveness in alcohol/other drug abuse awareness and education; or leadership that supports the elimination of high-risk drinking behavior.
• Sigmas Striving for Safety - In addition to facilitating the Prevention Institute, SAFE Team volunteers assist assigned chapters with safe event management and organize visits to local chapters to host a weekend-long harm reduction program for all chapter members. The goal is for each chapter to receive a proactive visit each triennium. The day-long program focuses on engaging all members in being harm reductionists, building communication and conflict resolution skills, and identifying and confronting high-risk behaviors in their community.
• STRIDES - Collegiate chapters that violate the National Policies of Sigma Sigma Sigma are placed on a Chapter Supervision Program. There are four steps to the Chapter Supervision program. If a chapter struggles to follow sorority or university policies, a 3-day program called STRIDES (Sigma Training on Risk - Intervention, member Development, and chapter Evaluation for Success) is hosted by the SAFE Team and utilizes Appreciative Inquiry to guide the chapter through their challenges to create a positive change. Tri Sigma won the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) Oustanding Change Initiative Award in 2020 for our work on the STRIDES program. This award recognizes major initiatives or long-term plans that have led to positive changes within the campus fraternity and sorority community or the inter/national organization and measured improvements, results, and positive outcomes. 

 

TAKING ACTION

Report Concern

Anti-Hazing Hotline

Tri Sigma is a sponsor of the Anti-Hazing Hotline, an anonymous hotline that anyone can use to report hazing. It is a toll-free number. We encourage all sisters, new members, parents, etc. to call (888) NOT-HAZE or (888) 668-4293 if you have any concerns about hazing in your chapter. You may also complete an online form. 

If you would rather speak to someone who directly works with the chapter, please call our National Headquarters (540-459-4212) and ask to speak with the chapter’s associate director of chapter services. It is our common practice to keep those who report concerns anonymous. It is helpful to know the caller's name and phone number for follow-up questions. Concerns and documentation may also be emailed to sigma@trisigma.org.