When The Skyline View, a student-run paper from Skyline College, published their article in April 2015, I remember feeling something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Seen.
By then, it had already been over a year since I first reported the sexual harassment I experienced at the hands of Phi Theta Kappa’s executive director, Rod Risley. A year since the internal silence. A year since I’d asked, quietly, for someone to investigate. A year since I had been pushed out of my leadership role as an International Officer.
But in April 2015, Skyline’s student journalists did something PTK’s own national leaders refused to do: they told the truth out loud.
Naming Names in a Culture That Likes to Whisper
The article, written by Max Maller, named both me and Rachel Reeck. It laid out the timeline, the allegations, and the fact that PTK was still standing behind Dr. Risley despite multiple reports of misconduct. It included details that other outlets had sidestepped: physical harassment, verbal abuse, forced kisses, and the retaliation we experienced after speaking up.
It also documented the reality that Phi Theta Kappa had dismissed our legal claims not because they lacked merit—but because we were students, not employees. It’s a technicality that too many organizations hide behind. You can lead a national student body, but when abuse happens, suddenly you’re not “staff” enough to be protected.
Skyline printed that. And it mattered.
A Student Publication Took the Lead When PTK Wouldn’t
What continues to stand out to me isn’t just that Skyline View covered the story—it’s that a student publication had the courage to say what the institution wouldn’t. In that moment, a campus newsroom outpaced a global honor society in accountability.
PTK leadership issued another hollow statement in response, claiming full cooperation and ongoing investigations. But by then, the truth was already out. And for me, for Rachel, for the countless others watching from the sidelines—every article like this cracked the silence a little further.
This wasn’t a hit piece. It was a turning point.
They Tried to Bury Us. Student Journalists Helped Dig Us Out.
Let’s be clear: the Skyline View article didn’t just cover a story. It confirmed we were never crazy, never dramatic, never alone.
We were telling the truth. And now, we weren’t the only ones saying it.
That article proved that even in the face of a multimillion-dollar institution, students—when equipped with integrity and a byline—could still hold power to account. PTK’s official narrative was unraveling. And it wasn’t just Inside Higher Ed sounding the alarm anymore. It was local campuses. Advisors. Journalists. Peers.
People were finally paying attention.
We Are Still Talking, Still Telling the Truth
Phi Theta Kappa leadership can scrub press releases. They can deflect with awards and scholarships. But they can’t rewrite what’s in the archives. And this article, written by students, for students, is part of that archive now.
So, if you’re looking for the real story—not the one PTK handed to reporters, but the one built from lived experience and journalistic courage—read the piece for yourself.
It matters. It always did.
Read the Article
👉 Skyline College: “Phi Theta Kappa Director Faces Harassment Allegations”
Speak Up, Speak Out
Have a story of your own? You’re not alone. And you don’t have to carry it in silence.
➡️ https://www.andthenshespokeup.com/connect
The truth is still unfolding. And we’re not done telling it.