Tightrope

Sigma Nu Fraternity took the lead in 2004 by offering online alcohol education to its membership with AlcoholEdu for College. That commitment remains today. In a partnership with Plaid, a leading provider of innovative and research-based online health and safety education, the Fraternity is excited to offer the Tightrope course, a program that addresses not only alcohol use but also drug abuse, hazing, sexual assault and misconduct, and mental wellness.

About Tightrope

Since Spring 2004, Sigma Nu Fraternity has partnered with leading third-party providers to offer online education and prevention programs to its members. Starting with AlcoholEdu for College, an interactive, online alcohol misuse and abuse prevention program, which was offered from 2004-2008, then CommunityEdu, formerly known as GreekLifeEdu, from 2008 to 2025, and now Tightrope.

We realize that by joining Sigma Nu, you are not only entering a new environment with new friends and social opportunities but also with new responsibilities. With so many exciting things going on around you, you need to be prepared to deal with all sorts of situations that may come your way.

We are excited to offer Tightrope – a non-opinionated, science-based course addressing the critical issues of alcohol awareness, drug abuse, sexual assault and misconduct, hazing, and mental wellness for fraternity and sorority members. By leveraging the latest research and trends and incorporating multiple evidence-based learning theories, Tightrope achieves behavioral change objectives, helps students practice safe decision-making, and empowers students to make well-informed decisions by providing simple strategies to help keep them and their friends safe.

What is Tightrope?

Tightrope offers a confidential experience for each student. The course includes:

1. Five modules of content.
2. Intuitive and engagingn online learning features including gamification, video, competitions, and comprehension checks.
3. Refusal and protective strategies and tips for helping a friend.
4. Answers to students’ most common questions about alcohol, drug abuse, hazing, sexual assault and misconduct, and mental well-being.

Tightrope empowers our members to make well-informed decisions to keep themselves and their peers safe.

Learn how to create a user account and get started with Tightrope.

Tightrope FAQ

Why Tightrope?

7 out of 10 students involved in a team or social organization experience at least one hazing behavior*
Alcohol consumption and sexual activities are common hazing practices across all types of student groups*

*Allan, E.J. and M. Madden. (2008). Hazing in View: College Students at Risk, Initial Findings from the National Study of Student Hazing. Retrieved on March 12, 2008, from the National Center for Hazing Research and Prevention: http://www.hazingstudy.org/publications/hazing_in_view_web.pdf.

Since first partnering with third-party providers to provide online health and safety education, over tens of thousands of Sigma Nu members have completed CommunityEdu and/or Tightrope, including over 80% of current collegiate members. After engaging with CommunityEdu and/or Tightrope, Sigma Nu members have a higher rate of abstention and lower rates of heavy episodic and problematic drinking. It is becoming quite clear that Sigma Nu members are becoming better educated on the perils of alcohol abuse and misuse earlier in their collegiate careers. Additional data shows that Sigma Nu members overwhelmingly agree that the course: helped them acquire new skills, stimulated them to tell their friends about something they learned, and helped them learn new facts about hazing and sexual assault.

"These [CommunityEdu and Tightrope] are the most effective programs we've seen in terms of changing attitudes and behavior," said Brad Beacham, Executive Director of Sigma Nu Fraternity. "Knowledge gives college students the power to make informed, healthy decisions about alcohol use. We want our student members to not only have the education, but also the know-how to apply it. Based on our past successes with these leading online health and safety education providers, we are excited about this new partnership with Plaid to provide students with leading online education that will better prepare them to make well-informed decisions when it comes to alcohol, hazing, drugs, sexual assault, and mental wellness."

We can help empower our chapters by encouraging the undergraduate membership to complete this program.

Utilizing Tightrope

It is our goal to have all members - initiates and candidates - who have not previously completed Tightrope, or its predecessor, CommunityEdu, complete the online program by May 1, with a passing grade of 80% or higher on the final exam. Reaching this goal will benefit not only the individual members but the entire chapter.

Member Instructions:

Login following the PlaidLMS login instructions.
Complete all five modules of the program (through the Final Comprehension Exam) by May 1

The full program takes approximately 120 minutes to complete, and it may be completed in multiple sittings. After completion of the program, users will take a comprehensive final exam. A grade of 80% or higher on this exam will result in credit for completing the Tightrope Program. This should be completed by May 1. Completion of the program is required for a member to be counted towards the chapter's incentive percentage.

The key to Tightrope being effective for your chapter is for all members - initiates and candidates - to complete the program. We expect that chapters and individual members will accept this special invitation to help strengthen our Fraternity and to position themselves and their chapter for success.

Financial Incentive Policy

As an incentive to participate, the High Council of Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc. has approved the following policy:

Collegiate chapters of Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc. may qualify for the lowest available, per member risk management assessment within their applicable tier after 90% of the chapter’s membership has completed the Tightrope education and prevention program. A per member risk management assessment surcharge of $25 per member will be billed to a collegiate chapter in which less than 90% of the chapter’s membership has completed the program. Any such surcharge will be applied annually, toward the end of the applicable academic year (with a specific time to be determined by the Executive Director).

To qualify for this incentive and to avoid the per member surcharge, all members of a chapter should complete the program by May 1.