Greek Re-evolution

Betarulz! · #1 09-22-2003, 05:50 PM

U of Nebraska to promote Re-evolution of Greek Life

This is a 2 year grant funding this program here at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. I think it's pretty interesting. Our chapter is applying to be one of the first groups to be a part of it. I've read some other information on it and it cites the failure of the "change or die" attitude many administrations and even International GLO's have taken as the message to undergraduates.

If we become one of the chapters to participate I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.

Tom Earp · #2 09-22-2003, 06:08 PM

WOW, this is so special!

I am totaly underwhelmed with the generous grant of $300,000.00.

They are going to study and promote non drinking in Greek Social Organizations, while I guess, none of the same said Organizations are doing the same thing!

OOOOOOO My sarcasim runs rampant! Da!

BSUPhiSig'92 · #3 09-23-2003, 12:03 PM

Hmm interesting. I sometimes wonder how much can really be done to curb drinking in college when so many students have been drinking for several years by the time they get there. I sometimes wonder too, why it seems there are so many campus horror stories now with a 21 year old drinking age as opposed to when it was legal at 18. I have always theorized that it may be the same reason as why the national consumption of alcohol tripled during prohibition.

Anyway Betarulz, keep us posted on what your chapter and the U. are doin with this.

Tom Earp · #4 09-23-2003, 05:50 PM

BSUPhiSig, cooler heads pervail. Ah Prohabition, the Great American Experiment that made Rich People of the Kennedys, Brofhmans (SIC), Copone' and others a ton of money.

A lesson should be learned from the Europeans about drinking! They wean them on wine and bier! Oh, we do not learn anything from them anymore, "Freedom Fries!"

Once again our Federal Govt. telling to do this as is the right way or they will cut off Highway funds!

Betarulz! · #5 12-04-2003, 01:09 PM

I've got more info on this now. My chapter was one of 5 fraternities and 3 sororities chosen as pilot chapters. I've got a really busy day today so I'll post more about this later.

I will say that the program sounds interesting, and I've decided that the University of Nebraska has to be one of the most pro-greek campuses in the country now, despite what I've said earlier.

BSUPhiSig'92 · #6 12-04-2003, 01:58 PM

Well that sounds good. Keep us posted, I want to know more.

Betarulz! · #7 12-05-2003, 12:08 AM

Okay, finally done with my major projects for the week.

We had the director of NU Directions, UNL's alcohol awareness program, come and talk to us at formal dinner on monday. The reasoning behind the program is to combat the growing feelings of many universities that the greek system should be done away with. The hope for this program is to change the destructive culture of alcohol in the greek system and benefit chapters in all other areas of greek life. The hope is that they can take our greek system across the country and say this is what we did and now rush numbers are up, grades are up, philanthropy is up, reputation among faculty is up.

The director actually said that he wanted the end result to be that the Vice Chancelor, the Dean of student life, and other high ranking university administrators to tell incoming students that they personally (the administrators) felt better about the student's potential to be successful with them living in the Greek system rather than have them living in the dorms!!! I'd say it's already the case that greeks are more successful but I think it would be a major coup to have high level administrators feel the exact same way...and to have it apply to the whole system.

Basically all I know right now is that all the members of the 8 pilot chapters have to go take surveys either monday or tuesday to establish where everyone stands. It's going to provide the base line, and each student will get a report stating what their habits are and how that relates to the rest of those taking the survey. The chapters will also get information on their chapter in comparison to the system as a whole.

I will say that I think they are going about creating the program the right way. The steering committee has a couple greek undergrads, as well as a handful of greek alumni as part of the mix. Also the fact that it isn't about removing all alcohol from the greek system will probaly be helpful.

I guess Tom is dissappointed by the amount of money in the grant, but I think for a 2 year program it is more than I would expect.

Also an incentive is that all the pilot chapters are going to receive part of the grant to utilize in some way to help the chapter...whether in improving the house structurally or in some other way.

All in all there is a lot of potential.

Hootie, I have no idea which sororities are pilot chapters...I'm not entirely sure which fraternity chapters are either but I think Sigma Chi, DU and Sig Ep are along with us.

ETA I forgot to mention that they are changing the way in which alcohol violations are designated. There now are clear guidelines on what constitutes an individual violation and a chapter violation. They are really striving to change the way greeks are disciplined, the people who came and talked to us said it was no longer goign to be the university waiting and lookign for chapters to screw up. One example: Each chapter to be considered university approved housing has to have a complete set of guidelines concerning alcohol in the house. Used to be that was a punishment handed down from Judicial affairs. It's no longer a reactionary set up, which I can only see as a good thing.