Oakes family, VCU agree to create ‘national model’ for fraternity and sorority life – VCU News

By Brian McNeill

The Adam Oakes household and Virginia Commonwealth College have reached an settlement figuring out modifications to fraternity and sorority life that they hope will develop into a “nationwide mannequin” for universities and schools throughout the nation. 

Accredited right now by the Fairfax County Circuit Court docket, the settlement additionally gives for the household to obtain a financial settlement of $995,000 from VCU and the commonwealth of Virginia.

A joint assertion from the Oakes household and VCU follows:

“Adam was a beloved son, grandson, nephew, cousin, scholar and buddy. He had an amazing future forward of him and his mindless loss of life introduced unspeakable ache and tragedy to all who knew him. 

Adam is missed each day. His household and pals, in partnership with VCU, are devoted to creating a distinction for others in his reminiscence. 

This can be a blueprint to foster a safer and more healthy neighborhood for college kids who’re a part of fraternities and sororities and to create a local weather of respect and inclusion that’s wanted for educational success.  

By working to honor Adam’s life and legacy, we’re devoted to making a nationwide mannequin for universities and schools throughout the nation. A few of these modifications are already full or underway.

Adam died on Feb. 27, 2021, and nothing can take away the ache of dropping somebody so cherished. Our settlement honors his reminiscence, and our purpose is that it’s going to assist save lives sooner or later.”

Essential parts of this settlement embrace:

• Requiring college students to have efficiently accomplished 12 credit score hours at VCU and to satisfy all different eligibility necessities earlier than becoming a member of a fraternity or sorority; altering the size of latest member training to twenty-eight days; and prohibiting alcohol at any exercise of any fraternity or sorority that’s attended by new members.
• Designating Feb. 27 as an annual hazing prevention day and a day of remembrance of Adam Oakes and the causes and circumstances of his tragic loss of life.
• Requiring that any alcohol served or consumed at an occasion sponsored, endorsed or organized by a scholar group shall be supplied by a licensed third-party vendor following advance notification with VCU.
• Together with a hyperlink to the Love Like Adam Foundation web site on VCU’s Fraternity and Sorority Life web page and making a webpage, linked via the Fraternity and Sorority Life web page, that celebrates the lifetime of Adam Oakes and contains the circumstances of his loss of life.
• Incorporating bystander intervention instruction within the hazing prevention coaching required by Va. Code §23.1-820 (Adam’s Legislation) that focuses on helping people who’re being subjected to hazing, intoxicated, liable to sexual violence, bodily damage or in any other case in want of assist.  
• Posting on the VCU web site a report that gives abstract info for all issues wherein a scholar group was discovered answerable for a violation of the Scholar Code of Conduct. This report will embrace particulars that inform college students and fogeys of the character of the incident, together with whether or not any people had been injured. 
• Following college course of to create a bodily memorial to Adam on campus.