The Fraternal Movement in Washington: Changing Public Policy to Improve the Experience.

The Fraternal Movement in Washington:

Changing Public Policy to Improve the Experience

Who Are We?• The Fraternal Government Relations Coalition

(FGRC) consists of the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) and the Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee (FSPAC) as equal partners.

• Mission Statement:• To build a permanent platform for an integrated

federal government relations program supporting the objectives and needs of fraternal life.

History• Coalition formed in April 2011• Remain nimble and prepared to react

quickly to opportunities or issues facing the fraternity community• Strong communication channels are

intact with the Coalition partners

Public Policy Agenda• Addressing Campus Sexual Assault• Limiting Alumni Volunteer Liability• Passage of Collegiate Housing and

Infrastructure Act• Student Housing and Safety

Public Policy Agenda• Preservation of Member Rights• Freedom of Association• Title IX

• Ensuring Rights to Due Process• Charitable Giving

Addressing Campus Sexual Assault

Campus Sexual Assault• Student safety is one of FGRC’s highest priorities• Committed to prevention of campus sexual assault

and to protect students from threat of sexual assault• Fraternities and sororities providing leadership:• NIC Presidential Commission on Sexual Violence and

Abuse Prevention• NPC Task Force on Student Safety and Sexual Assault

Awareness

• Potential to be addressed through HEA reauthorization and/or standalone legislation

Limiting Alumni Volunteer Liability

Limiting Volunteer Liability• Increasing barriers to alumni volunteer

involvement:• Required background checks• Reporting requirements• Increasing liability requirements

• No additional training/support from institutions• Additional barriers = additional challenges in

recruiting and retraining alumni volunteers• Encouraging policymakers to address through HEA

reauthorization

Student Housing & Safety

Student Housing & Safety• 61% of chapter houses lack fire sprinklers• $1 billion of projects on the docket to be addressed, but in

need of funding• 250,000+ students living in fraternity/sorority housing

nationwide• Fraternities and sororities are the second leading not-for-

profit landlord after host institutions• Fires continue to plague college campuses; in particular off-

campus housing with over 17 fires in the last 14 years with 60 deaths

• Not-for-profit student housing groups are not currently treated equally under the law

Student Housing & Safety• The Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act

(CHIA) (H.R. 1449/S. 654)• CHIA would result in all not-for-profit housing being

treated the same under the law. Institutions can use tax-deductible contributions for brick & mortar and so can fraternities and sororities.

• Fraternities and sororities often lack the financial capacity to make critical safety improvements to existing housing stock.

• The ability to use charitable contributions for housing infrastructure will support small businesses and the construction industry.

Preservation of Member Rights

Freedom of Association• Opportunity to create or join single-sex

organizations• Compliance with Title IX provisions• System level restrictions on

fraternity/sorority communities• Encouraging lawmakers to use HEA

reauthorization process to reaffirm value of Title IX single sex organization language

Due Process Rights

Due Process Rights

• Protecting the due process rights of all students• Handling complex judicial cases• Preserving constitutional protections• Standard of proof

• Significant implications for students & institutions

Preserve Charitable Giving

Preserve Charitable Giving• Problem: The federal government

continues to look for new revenue sources.• One option: Reduce the value of tax-

deductible charitable contributions for high-income taxpayers (singles making over $200,000/couples making over $250,000)

Preserve Charitable Giving• Solution: Ask members of Congress to resist

efforts to reduce the value of charitable deductions• Our organizations rely exclusively on

charitable contributions to fund scholarships, leadership development programs and community service programs.• 65% of our leading donors would reduce

contributions to our organizations if the value of charitable giving was reduced.

• 50% of our leading donors would reduce their annual contribution by 30% or more under such a scenario.

How Has the FGRC Addressed the Key Issues and Extended the Reach of the Fraternal Community?• Regulatory • Mental Health Awareness Promotion Fall 2013• White House “invitation only” forums

• Girls Leadership and Civic Engagement• Listening Session on Sexual Assault• Student Mental Health

• Visits to Congressional offices regarding Dear Colleague letter• Legislative• IRS Form 1099 influence• Charitable giving deductions with tax reform review• Serving as a stakeholder in any hazing legislation (federal and

state)

Members of Congress

NIC Members 74%

NPC Members

10%

NPHC Members

16%

What Can You Do to Help This Effort?

• As leaders of our fraternal organizations, we should help to create the rules to make fraternities and sororities more effective, instead of being stuck with rules that hinder our success.

• Let us know who you have a personal relationship with that could provide us with a means to directly communicate to on the issues and opportunities. • Complete the RAP Index at http://www.myrapindex.com

• Periodically review two important websites for additional communication.• Fraternal Government Relations Coalition (FRGC):

http://www.fgrc.com• Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee (FSPAC):

http://www.fspac.org

What Can You Do to Help This Effort?

• Sign up for the FSPAC News Alerts that will share time-sensitive information on pertinent legislative and regulatory issues/opportunities.• Be able to help with a letter-writing campaign

when an issue arises where we need to “canvas” the members of Congress.• Consider making a donation to the FSPAC to

help fund our efforts to be involved in the legislative process.