Campus-wide greek image problems

[archangel689]

Typically sorority rush is extremely successful, we had some 200 (out of 1200 freshman) girls sign up for formal rush. And I hear tell it went extremely well last night.

However, fraternity rush here has been showing incredibly poor turnouts. We've had three IFC events, one event only had two independents show up. These two independents were already set on which fraternity they wanted to join anyhow, so their presence was almost illrelivant. The other two events had no more then 14 independents show up.

I conducted a campus wide survey and discovered that only 40 some of the ~450 male freshmen are even considering Greek Life.

One of our ~100 year-old local fraternities died this year.

The problem has been discussed here and there, but there has never been a REAL effort to solve this problem.

The problem truely lies in several factors.

Greeks don't hold power where they should. No one feels the need to rush, they don't need to be greek to be an SGA president (our current sga president is anti-greek as they come), or an orientation chairperson, they don't need to be a greek to go to parties, etc.

It is true that greeks are more qualified for campus leadership positions then non-greeks as they have far more leadership experience. However, the current campus leaders and faculty are ignorant to this fact.

Other factors are with the Director of Greek Life, which many feel is unqualified and unorganized. In fact our campus has one person for this position when a campus our size should in fact have about 5 people helping the Director, we have a few graduate assistants, thats about it.

Many feel he picks favorites among the groups. Many feel that the campus higher ups want an incompetent person in this position because they want to kill off greeks entirely.

In light of that, several years ago another recruitment tool was taken from us. The greek carnival which drew huge attendance from independents was moved from fall, to winter, and placed on a football field covered by a bubble (where no one can see it).
Now few to no indepentents come to the carnival.

I should also point out that the carnival committe is not even entirely composed of greeks. in fact a majority of the committe are independents!!!! It is LUDICRIOUS.

suggestions?

[Betarulz!]

Originally posted by archangel689
In fact our campus has one person for this position when a campus our size should in fact have about 5 people.

From the sounds of it, your school is smaller, and I was surprised to hear you say that you need more people for the position of Greek Life Director...I find this startling b/c I go to a school (the University of Nebraska - Lincoln) that has a very large greek system and we only have one Greek Affairs Director and she has one secretary. I'm not sure what exactly more you expect from your director but why not take a different approach.

A lot of the work done for Greek Affairs that is visible to others is done by a group I'm a part of called Greek Ambassadors. We organize things like the All-Greek Study Break during finals week, the All Greek Talent show, Greek Info sessions during HS Senior visit days... as well as other things that are asked by Panhellenic or IFC or Greek Affairs.

That's suggestion #1: Start a Greek Ambassadors group (they don't need to be called ambassadors, it's just the name that a lot of groups related to recruitment to the University use...there are University, Honors and Arts & Sciences ambassadors too). Pick the best and brightest of greeks at your school. Have their goal be to serve as a resource for Greek Life office, as well as be a liason between the Greek Chapters and new students, prospective members, parents, and alumni. See if this group could be put in charge of the Carnival and have it moved to either the spring or fall (which ever would be more effective). They should also be in charge of setting up functions that are only for greeks that might be attractive to other students. We have an all greek talent show at a local establishment and if you wear letters or prove your membership you get a reduced price. We also have an All Greek Study break during finals week with free food and drinks and music. It's a high point of the week for me, as I finally get a chance to get out of the house or library, get some free food, and see everyone that I haven't seen in a couple of days.

Also if this group is in place it could have an impact on helping your Greek Life Director understand what the chapters want and how he is perceived and perhaps more likely to be what you were hoping for in a director.

If you'd like more info on what we do as Greek Ambassadors PM me...

Suggestion #2

Find ways to make greek life stand out...you say that people don't need to be greek to get ahead on campus. Find someway to change that, or to make the Independents feel like they are missing out on something. Whether that means you close your parties or what I don't know. Make it goal to have a strong Greek run for Student body prez, and if they are the only greek, make sure that everyone who is greek votes for them.

Make sure that incoming freshmen know that greek life is available...a big push to people coming in to your university could help. I get the feeling that a lot of HS students don't really think about fraternity life until someone suggests it or they follow a friends lead. If you could get the word out early, like right when they make the decision to come to your school that might plant the seeds.

Make sure to sell your brotherhood...that's something that can't be offered by being independent...I can see an ad campaign in the dorms right now...signs that something like "30 years from now you wont' come here and show your kids the dorms...Go GREEK!" or something like that...

PM and give me a better idea about your survey and I'd like to offer more help

[33girl]

Originally posted by archangel689
In fact our campus has one person for this position when a campus our size should in fact have about 5 people.

Dude, Pitt only has one Greek advisor, I really doubt y'all are going to get five people. As far as the incompetency factor...we dealt with it at Clarion for AGES and finally it turned around, but not fast enough. You have to bring in alums and national people and tell the Greek advisor when he's screwing up. Sooner or later he will get disgusted and quit.

I don't understand this deal about the carnival - if it's a Greek carnival all Greeks should be on the committee. But if it's been changed to a campus-wide carnival, there should definitely be independents on it.

No, you don't have to be Greek to have a social life or be a campus leader, and I don't feel you should - then you get accusations of "The Machine" and the like. Are the current fraternity members going out for things like SGA, orientation leaders, peer tutors, etc, or do they not do anything except be Greek? All your chapters should have a rule that members must be involved in at least one other campus activity. If you don't, that makes you look like you just care about your fraternity, not the campus as a whole.

Plus, look past the freshmen...sophomores, juniors, and seniors can pledge too. Since you are in the city I wouldn't be reluctant to pledge older guys - a lot of them will probably stay nearby after they graduate.