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Old 07-05-2003, 10:03 PM
Firehouse Firehouse is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 780
OK Betarulz!, I'll Take A Shot

A university can be 'pro-greek' in one of two ways. One way is through benighn neglect. By simply leaving the greeks alone, a university can give a strong greek system the freedom it needs to draw strength from its natural popularity and success. In other words, just by staying out of the way a school can help the greek system flourish.
The second way a school can be 'pro-greek' is by encouraging each chapter to be among the top national chapters of their organization. That should be the focus of any 'greek life staff' types. These schools provide alumni organizational support, and fundraising advice. Some small, private universities like this because eventually it all accrus back to the university's benefit.

The third scenario, which sounds like the situation you describe at Nebraska, is not partiularly pro-greek. Those decisions that you describe - discouraging new student involvement with greeks - is most likely a personal decision by lower level administrators. It's usually not a matter of university policy, just the inclination of non-greek or anti-greek employees. You do say that the Nebraska greek life people are there to help. Unfortunately at some schools, the greek life staff is not helpful, and is overly impressed with their own importance.
At Nebraska, because the greek life administration is on your side, and because I know you have good alumni involvement, I'll bet that you can change the behavior and policies of those 'anti-greek' administrators just by identifying the problem to the university president or vice president and asking that it be changed in specific ways. I think you'll be surprised at your success. University presidents are very responsive to small meetings with influential people.
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