Evaluate your Greek Advisor!

[nyrdrms]

Thank you BSUPhiSig for sharing your insight with us as an advisor!

[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.

[BSUPhiSig'92]

I have to agree with you Opie. I think the good advisors are called to the job, the bad ones count the days until they can move on. You make a lot of very accurate points about the realities of these positions. During the school year, especially Panhellenic Recruitment, Greek Week, other big event, 70-80 hours a week is not unusual. Never, ever figure out what you earn hourly! It is too depressing.

For me the biggest downside is having bosses who just don't get it, and fail to see the improvements in the chapters over the last four years (higher gpa's, fewer risk management problems, more campus involvement, better events, etc) and don't provide me with a budget, a grad assistant, and won't even seriously consider the subject of Greek housing. My immediate supervisor
is most interested in my reports and paperwork and tells me I spend too much time with students!

Honestly, I love what I do, and I love the impact I have on my students. On a campus like ours, many students view me as the only person in "authority" that they can come and talk to. In this position, (if you make the connection with your students - that makes all the difference) not only are you an advisor on Greek matters, but a personal counselor, career counselor, academic advisor, financial advisor, and I am sometimes called on for Roadside Assistance (Greek advisor who can change a tire and owns jumper cables). It's worth it though for the times when I get invited to events like our Alpha Phi chapter's Parent's Luncheon and they introduce me saying things like "John's more than just an advisor to us, he's kind of like a surrogate dad away from home." (I teared up on that one) Or you get the invitations to weddings and graduation parties, or they bring their parents by to meet you when they come to visit.

A lot of times the Greek Advisor takes on the role of the "Them" in "Us vs. Them". On many big campuses, most Greeks have never even met the Greek Advisor, so their perceptions of that person are all based on policies and punishment. If you were actually to sit down and talk with your Greek Advisor, your opinion of that person might change
(of course it might not either, there are one or two of them out there that I feel the same way about ) After all, most of them are Greek too!

I know, I know, too d@$n wordy again. I'm shutting up now!

[33girl]

Opie,

Several of us posting are from schools where Greek life is just not valued, and trust me it shows in the school's choice of advisor. As for my specific case, when the first thing our Greek advisor did when she set foot on campus was accuse my chapter of hazing with absolutely no basis in fact (my big came back from spring break on crutches - she fell at home with nary a sister in sight, and somehow was "hazed"), sorry, but that's not someone that deserves any respect. We later found that she had wanted to pledge one of our more prestigious chapters and was denied a bid. It showed in her attitude toward us through the years that she was still very bitter about it.

I will add that she is no longer in that capacity thank heaven, but the damage she did to our Greek system is something that will take a long time to recover from.

Please accept that there are advisors out there who just plain suck...rather than spouting the ever-popular "you need to make postive change" rhetoric or criticizing us for telling the truth.

[Pi Kapp 142]

Try this one on for size.....we do not even have a greek advisor.

[Opie25]

Originally posted by 33girl

Please accept that there are advisors out there who just plain suck...rather than spouting the ever-popular "you need to make postive change" rhetoric or criticizing us for telling the truth.

I do accept that...there are bad people in any position/field/career.... including greek adivsors...that's why I agreed with that in my original posting. I just think that it takes more than having a good greek advisor to have a "succesful" community....there are other factors that play into it. A greek community could have a horrible greek adivsor and still be considered succesful (for how long, I don't know...but it's possible). Likewise, struggling greek community's could have a great greek advisor that just might be less affective system-wide in the time that they are at that institution. Does that make any sense?

My message probably got lost in my rambling post.

I definately know there are bad greek advisors...I had a HORRIBLE greek advisor at one time as an undergraduate...she wasn't even greek, was the only one who accepted the job, carried on improper relationships with students (and consultants), and at one point flat out told two of our groups (that went alchol free nationally) "That they would never survive, and too bad they wouldn't be here in the future." So believe me I am in no way denying that there are bad greek advisors, I'm just saying that they aren't all bad, and that it can be a difficult position to fill with a qualified and efficient person sometimes.

In fact, my bad experince with this advisor as an undergraduate is one of the things that motivated me to go to graduate school and become a greek adivsor. I didn't want someone else having such a bad greek advisor or experience, and hoped that I would be able to make a difference in someway.


My post was in no way meant to be critical of anyone for telling the way that they feel...that's everyone's right...I'm just posting my own views and experiences as is anyone else.

I hope that might clear things up a little...sorry for any confusion.

o.p.i.e.

[33girl]

Opie,

No prob. Trust me I've thought of going into the field myself for the same reasons...except I would probably not last long before I beaned someone, most likely my boss.

And oh,

Originally posted by Opie25
, carried on improper relationships with students (and consultants)

she did that too. Gross.

[madmax]

Most advisors suck. It would not bother me if greek advisors were eliminated. We do all the planning, organizing, and put in the work.

The problem is that they don't don't work for the Greeks. They work for the university and their main priority is protecting the interests of the university.

[Tom Earp]

madmax, you are totally wrong!

Our Greek Advisor is one who is head of a Department! His son is now his Brother!

He attends all functions when he can in his busy schedual.

He makes Formal Functions and Mentoring Functions with the Alum and Active Chapter!!

We had one who was there for 10 years and became an Ass when he left campus!

School advisors can be of great value to the Chapter. If they are not doing their job, then replace them!!!!


Hell If I knew that one day there would be an ideal position for someone like me I would be in seventh heaven!!

To be in postition to work with Young Greeks would be something I would more than love to be able to do!

If you have a problem with advisores, maybe you have a problem with your Org.?

Can a Bad Advisor be BAD, You damn betcha!

A good school advisor for your Org. can be of a great benefit for you unless you screw it up! Si?

[oceanphi01]

All the organizations on this campus would be better off if the Greek Advisor we have now would leave. Panhellenic did a philanthropy called Relay for Life and not only did the Greek Advisor not show up when she promised to, but we were the only ones from Florida Tech that stayed the entire time. She promised to being a tent for those walking, food, and drinks during the 15 hour walk-a-thon. She never showed up and when someone from Panhellenic tried to call her, she didn't answer her phone even though she was home. She has done this repeatedly, say that she'll do something for us then blow us off completely. And it's not just my chapter that is having problems. It's all of the Greeks on campus, but no one will listen to us. And the interest in becoming Greek has gone down since she came on my sophomore year. Several of my sisters are going to write a letter to the President of our school who is Greek explaining the situation and what all has happened. Because it is really making us look bad.

Okay, sorry for venting, but I needed it.

[Opie25]

oceanphi01:

You should definately confront her appropriately. She has a duty to you, the greek community, the university, and the surrouding community. If she is repeatedly not following through and doing her duties then I think you (or someone or serveral someones) has every right to talk to her about it.

We tell our students all the time, "sometimes we are going to make decisions that you don't like or you may think that we let you down (and in some cases maybe we have..we are human) but when that happens you have EVERY right to talk to us about it and confront us appropriately about the situation." Afterall, we (greek advisors) confront the chapters when they have done something inappropriately...it should go both ways so that everyone can be there best....and if it doesn't work and she doesn't try to change...then maybe you should go to her supervisor and let them now, and maybe they will have to let her go.

So definately confront the situation. I would try talking to her (if you haven't), and if you have then go to her supervisor, and follow the appropriate chain of command. I wouldn't go right to the president (unless that's the supervisor) because often times they will just ask if you have talked to ther person and followed the chain of command...they can be touchy sometimes about the beuracratic-ness of the whole collegiate system

Good luck, and if you need anything post and let me know...would be willing to talk to you about it.

[dznat187]

While I am not happy with the way my Greek advisor in undergrad ran things (specifically not comign to our council meetings and never enforcing rules) I definately do not feel that we woudl be better off without them. As I believe MadMax said, "we do all teh planning....etc." I'm sorry but if all of greek life was left up to greeks, it would die in about 2 minutes. we need the suppotr, we need the connection between us and the administration. and while i feel i would have been a better greek advisor than the one i had, i also know he had other responsibilities such as orientation which many other advisors do too. plus i have been given the opportunity to meet and work with some really great greek advisor (West Chester Univ.-best Greek advisor ever!!!, Penn State, the new one at Lehigh in fall, E. Illinois, Wazzou). The good greek advisors are out there. I agree with alot of people who ahve said that we have to colaborate with our advisors. they arent gonna know what we need or how to help us unless we talk to them. so many people at my school would bitch and complain but never went to our advisor. i soon found out that if i went to him, he would try to help us as best he could. Save a few misguided advisors, very few want to see greek life die off.
Being a greek advisor is alot of work and many times the pay and respect from students does not outweigh the stress, long hours and personal investments involved. I hope it will for me. I am starting grad school for higher ed in the fall, to start my journey to becoming a dedicated greek advisor that can help all of you out.

[gpb1874]

wow, interesting post! thanks for bringing it up. i agree with the post about GA's usually being straight out of grad school and not too far removed from their chapter. i know there are some that can do a great job, but i don't think it is right to expect someone so young to be able to do so many things to serve a greek community, expecially for the pay. i'm an assistant director for student activities and could make more my FIRST YEAR of teaching than what i do now. and i gave up teaching for this! i really do enjoy it tho!

[Tom Earp]

OKAY, so I did not read all or understand all of the posts.

Greek Life Advisor at PSU, Ks. Seems to have Her own Agenda, do nothing but work on a MBA.

Greeks at PSU have languished for years. No expansion of Sororitys for at least 6-7 years. (We Have Three).

Six Fraternitys including LXA but not sure how much longer We will be there. SX, PKA, STG, SPhiE, and PSK.

No interaction what so ever, no direction either.

In my mind, She is a waste of time and money. Why did they not have things like this when I could have become one.

Agreed, this could be one of the most influencial seats of the Adm.

There is so much more that a Member of a GLO can learn from being a member of a GLO than just Reading Books.

[Drunkie679]

At long BEach State, they went though 3 greek advisor within the past two years, all of them are bad. I know at WGRC, are greek system was the laughing stock of the greek community, within a year, 3 fraternity have been removed from out campus, for dumb reasons. Our fraternity got kicked of campus because of someone who was removed from a chapter, yet national still kept our charter and we actually have a better chance at rush then the five fraternities that are left. Because of the negative image the greek system has because of a few bad things, they over look all the good things that each organization does. Kappa Sigma, won presidents cup three years in a row, and they got kicked off because someone who did not get in said they were hazing, and had no proof. It sucked because a lot of my friends were in that house. And the whole time all this was happen, the greek advisor did nothing to defead us, he actually helped the school get rid of the three fraternity saying that they are " examples" of bad greeks.