An NIU administrator has decided to ban fraternities’ little sister programs based on a sexual assault complaint filed last semester, one of several complaints the administration has received about little sister programs.

Jon Dalton, NIU vice president for student affairs, made the decision saying the single sexual assault was not the only reason for the ban but it “certainly brought the issue to a head.”

A Lambda Chi Alpha little sister filed the sexual assault complaint against a fraternity member after she allegedly was attacked at a fraternity party Dec. 2. Both she and her suspected assailant were minors, and alcohol was served at the party.

Other complaints regarding little sister programs have involved sexual harassment, alcohol abuse and sexual stereotyping, Dalton said.

Dalton said 80 percent of all little sisters are under the legal age for alcohol consumption which “promotes a threat to students’ safety and welfare.” He said he felt this was a valid reason to make the decision on his own to ban the programs.

Dalton said he discussed the issue with Interfraternity Council President Jim Valentine and Student Association President Paula Radtke. He did not take the issue to the IFC or the SA, however. “I don’t like to take action circumventing IFC, but these are welfare and safety issues. Action cannot be delayed,” he said.

Another factor in Dalton’s decision was the National Interfraternity Council’s recommendation to ban little sister programs at all fraternities. The NIC, composed of presidents of major national fraternities, made the recommendation last year.

NIU’s fraternities must terminate their programs by the spring semester. However, many have already done so.

Valentine said about six of the 15 NIU fraternities currently have little sister programs. “Most fraternities have nationals (governing chapters) who say they cannot have little sisters,” he said.

Little sister programs can distract an organization from completing its main goals of brotherhood and academics, he said. He added that since most little sisters are freshmen, dangerous situations can occur due to underage drinking. Valentine said, however, little sister programs are a good way for freshmen to enter the Greek system and allow men and women to meet.

Valentine said he asked Dalton to give fraternities until the end of the spring semester to end their little sister programs. “It’s sort of a transitional period until we can think of an alternative partnering system,” Valentine said.

He said fraternities and sororities pair up at Homecoming, and since there are more fraternities than sororities, the fraternities get together with their little sisters. Without the little sister program, IFC will have to establish another pairing method.