All incoming freshmen are required to attend the First Year Campus Acquaintance Rape Education workshop, but the founders of a new education program believe a few hours may not be enough to educate students.

Women’s Rights Initiative Through Educating Sororities is a newly established Registered Student Organization dedicated to “addressing the important issue of sexual assault within the Greek community.”

The four co-founders of the organization – Sari Donenberg, Casey Blum, Maggie Porter and Nicole Pytel – said this new organization differs from the FYCARE workshop because it allows women to come together.

The main goal of the organization is to promote education and awareness within the community in order to diminish the prevalence of sexual assault, said Porter, junior in AHS. The group plans to provide resources for survivors of sexual assault and volunteer at local women shelters.

“FYCARE is required, but this is voluntary,” said Donenberg, junior in LAS. “People interested in the subject matter are going to come, and I think it’s more prevalent among sorority women to be interested in this topic.”

Any male or female student is welcome to join, Donenberg said.

“We can start by educating peers through our sororities and eventually branching out to people who aren’t in sororities,” said Blum, sophomore in LAS. “I think we have to start somewhere.”

The organization’s first meeting was held Monday night. Sorority women brainstormed ways to publicize the new group.

“I enjoyed having a say and giving input on what this group is going to become,” said Lea Andrews, sophomore in Business. “I think just educating people to stop rape and sexual assault, that alone, is a huge goal.”

Paige Davis, sophomore in ACES, said the meeting was a great start.

“I think what we really want to do is make sure people know it’s a huge issue,” said Pytel, sophomore in ACES. “It’ll be a step in the right direction.”

The co-founders are hoping to hold bi-monthly meetings that will be open to the public once the organization becomes fully established.

“We have the resources and the power to make the initial step,” Porter said. “We know these goals will take a while, but as long as someone’s here to start it, it can continue on years from now.”