Developing A New Era For Greek Life At UW

by Matthew R. Caires, UW Assistant Dean of Students

Sept. 2, 2004 - Historically, fraternities and sororities at the University of Wyoming have been significant institutional assets for the university. In the past, a majority of student leaders involved with ASUW and campus honoraries have developed their leadership skills through their Greek experience. Many of these Greek student leaders have gone on to impact the university and the Wyoming after they graduated, including several current UW trustees, Pete and Al Simpson, former Gov. Mike Sullivan, and Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Kite.

However, at some point the UW Greek community lost its focus on leadership, scholarship, and service. As a result, involvement in UW Greek chapters has decreased from 25 percent of the student population in the 1970s to less than 5 percent currently; eight of the original 17 fraternities and only four of the original seven sororities still remain at UW.

Recognizing this trend, President Philip Dubois in 1999 charged the Greek Life Task Force to develop recommendations to arrest this decline and to improve the culture that exists within the UW Greek community. Since then, several important initiatives have been implemented as a means to improve the UW Greek community. Examples include:

House Mentor system. All UW fraternities and sororities have qualified house mentors or mothers residing within their chapter facility.

Greek Judicial and Standards Council. The students involved with the leadership of the Greek community have articulated specific standards and expectations for all UW fraternities and sororities. These standards and expectations will be enforced though a new governance body called the Greek Judicial and Standards Council. Violations of the Greek alcohol policy, fire and safety policies, etc., are examples of the types of infractions to be enforced through this body.

Academic Standing. The fraternities and sororities continue to make strides to improve their overall academic success. As proof, six of the eight UW fraternities achieved a higher grade point average in spring 2004 when compared to the all men's GPA at UW. The Interfraternity Council took a significant step forward to ensure the academic viability of the fraternities at UW by passing specific scholastic guidelines in Spring 2003. These unprecedented guidelines include rescinding social privileges for any chapter that does not maintain a specified overall chapter GPA.

Fire and Life Safety Initiatives. IFC and Panhellenic brought a national expert on fire safety to campus last spring. One result was that IFC and Panhellenic voted unanimously to endorse a new fire and life safety program for all UW fraternities and sororities. This new program was implemented last fall, and includes the requirement of monthly chapter fire inspections, an annual fire inspection by the Laramie Fire Department, and for the members to attend a fire safety education program every year.

These, along with many other new programs and initiatives, are dedicated to improving the environment of UW fraternities and sororities as living/learning communities. As long as the students involved with fraternities and sororities continue to refocus their efforts and energies on traditional fraternal values such as leadership, scholarship, and service, we will eventually embrace a new era for Greek Life at UW.

There has never been a better time to join the Greek community at UW than today. Our students, alumni advisers and university administration are committed to refocusing our Greek community on traditional fraternal values, which include leadership, scholarship, and service.

For more information about the fraternity and sorority experience at UW, and for information on how to join a chapter, contact the Office of Student Life at (307) 766 3296, e-mail at gogreek@uwyo.edu or visit the Web site at www.uwyo.edu/gogreek.

Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004