Risk management expert addresses safety, intervention in greek community

Kim Novak, director of Student and Campus Community Development at Arizona State University, stopped in Bloomington this weekend to talk about bystander intervention in the greek community.

Novak, a risk management specialist who has visited IU in the past, defined a bystander as “someone who witness a problem behavior and does not do something about it.”

Her visit Thursday and Friday, coordinated by the Interfraternity Council of IU, addressed the issue and how it related specifically to the greek system.

“Taking risks is part of college life, but let’s not talk anymore about getting rid of the risks in fraternities and sororities,” Novak said during her discussion Thursday. “Let’s talk about managing it, and let’s ultimately start to talk about our obligations to take better care of each other.”

IFC Vice President of Risk Management Justin Shukas, who helped coordinate Novak’s visit, said students are typically responsive to what she says.

“These are not the most exciting topics, but the one thing that separates Novak from other speakers is that she is able to better relate to people and allow them to talk about their real issues,” he said.

While the issues may not be the most exciting, Shukas said, they are applicable.

“We can apply bystander intervention to so many different topics, such as hazing or alcohol use,” he said.

And bystander intervention, both Novak and greek members said, is not a problem limited to the greek community. Shukas said he hopes talking about these issues will influence how the campus behaves overall.

Junior and President of Kappa Sigma Drew Morris said he attended all of Novak’s sessions and plans to incorporate her information into chapter meetings.

“Novak knows exactly what’s going on,” Morris said. “She’s actually out to help us. She wants us to have fraternity houses at Indiana. She wants fraternities and sororities to continue and to be prevalent.”

Senior and President of Delta Gamma Elizabeth Billman said bystander intervention is an element of her sorority’s new member training but that sessions with risk-management specialists are important because they help keep the greek community working together for a common goal.

“It’s not always an easy thing because the people who go to these things aren’t always the problem people. So it’s training for the executives, who can make sure the rules are being followed,” Billman said.