[Opie25]

As a fraternity and sorority advisor, I would have to agree that there are definately some advisors out there that need to move on. But, I also believe that sometimes we give our greek advisors a bad rap...I know I did sometimes as an undergraduate. I don't know if your really realize as an undergraduate the amount of work, effort, and time put into this position (or should be put into it if you wish to be succesful).

I honestly think that this job (if done well) is one of the most difficult positions to have. You have to find a balance to make a number of consituents happy: alumni, university officials, headquarters, consultants, NIC, NPC, NPHC, NALFO, FLA, undergraduate members, non-members, university faculty and staff, police, and even the city in which the university is located. It is a lot to balance and try to make everyone happy and still be fair and keep your sanity...of course add in a few major crissis a year and working 70-80 hours a week, and if you are lucky you have a day off during the week (for me saturday...that's it), and being on call 24-7-365(being "on call" or duty).......and add on a little attitude, verbal assualts (sometimes physical threats), and extremely low pay (most of the undergraduates after graduation will start at a higher salary than your greek advisor...and a large percentage of them have Master's degrees), little to no personal life (or time for one) and there you have it....the life of a greek advisor...sound fun?

The problem comes into play when we have people acting as filler, and they do not have the best interest in the fraternity and sorority community at heart...they give all of the advisors who strive for the best for the community and their undergraduates a bad name.

I think a MAJOR question that is missing in this "evaluation" is one (or ones) that deals with the campus climate and acceptance and willingness to move forward and make positive changes.

1) What positive intiatives have the IFC/MGC/PC/NPHC made?
2) What parternships have the greek organizations made with the campus community? The city?
3) How much time do they dedicate to community service?
4) How many times do they publicize the positive things they do (on and individual and chapter basiss)?
5) How many times to they challenge the status quo or just accept it because, it's the way it's always been?
6) How many chapters have been closed do to improver actions or behaviors from members?
7) What affect has the negative publicity from events had on recruitment?
8) What is the ratio of social events to community service hours? Alcohol free social events to "wet" events?
9) How many members of the greek community can go to sleep at night and use their founding principles, creeds, symphony's, etc. as a check list of things they've done/practiced/been/accomplished and check them all off for that day?
10) Are the members living their ritual/philosophy/creed everyday?
11) How often do they point fingers or assign blame to others, and not accept their part in the problem (or solution)?

Okay...I'm sure that everyone is tired of reading (and some probably angry) so I will let that be that....

The final thing that I want to say is that it takes PARTNERSHIP to have a succesful community of any type so my final question is....are you a partner or an outsider?

We can all make a difference if we tear down our walls, and stop pointing fingers and realize that we can all do better, we can all make a difference and need to be united in order to do so!

Please don't automatically assume that your greek advisor is out to get you.....in most cases that is not true.

Hopefully your advisor is there because they had a positive expereince and just want to insure that other people have that same positive experience and so that their children will one day be able to wear their own badge and maybe just maybe the advisor will be able to look back and think, "I made a difference." The question for everyone is, "Did you?"

Thanks for reading. Great thread.

Together Forward!

o.p.i.e.