You may feel like you are at capacity, but much of what occupies your time is filler. It is unnecessary, it may not be worth the time, or it may fall outside your authority or expertise.
This filler work is not your job, but you do it anyway. You accumulated it because it feels better to chase shiny objects than to subject each one to critique.
When we're working with new fraternity/sorority professionals, they often ask us what they should be reading or studying. Our team reads A LOT, so we have a lot of recommendations. It was difficult, but we compiled all list of our favorites. These are the top 25 books we recommend most often. If we had it our way, they would be required reading for everyone working with fraternities and sororities. Enjoy! The New Fraternity/Sorority Professional's Reading List
This sounds reasonable, but why do these strategies fall short (when used alone)?
There is more oxygen in the air in Vegas, we have increased exposure to risky situations in college, and there are social taboos against calling out a friend. Environment is a powerful enabler, and despite our best attempts to be the one to do things differently, the world around us always has a trump card.
On a recent hazing prevention project, we asked students how they felt about a series of situations commonly associated with hazing. To our great surprise, 75-98% of students found each situation to be unacceptable.
The lesson? We don't need to preach about the perils of hazing. Or hammer home the rules. Or argue about what's ethical. They get it!
