From May 2013 through April 2014, we witnessed and were subject to inappropriate sexual behavior from Dr. Rod Risley, the Executive Director of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. In April 2014, we began contacting the Board of Directors and other Phi Theta Kappa staff to make them aware of the sexual harassment and assault from Dr. Risley and we urged them to investigate this matter.

 

Before this website was established, our efforts were unsuccessful, Dr. Risley still held his position, as well as the staff and Board members who have tolerated the disregard for this matter. Questions and complaints were widely unanswered and ignored.

 

On April 28, 2015, Thomas Siler of the Phelps Dunbar Law Firm in Jackson, MS, informed us that he had been retained by the Board of Directors of Phi Theta Kappa to investigate the allegations of sexual misconduct by Dr. Rod Risley.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the results will be given to the Board of Directors and thus, we ask that each of you to continue to advocate for transparency during and after the investigation. Additionally, we still assert that any persons found to have been involved in the mishandling of the allegations be removed from their positions immediately.

Our purpose is: To help protect the students of Phi Theta Kappa from being harmed in the future and allow the organization to focus on its mission to “recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students.”

 

This is a timeline of our story.

 

This is how you can help.