USU Greeks seek campus support, recognition for service

By Cody Littlewood

October 6, 2008 | In the midst of all the organizations on campus there is one sector that is entrenched in the campus . . . the Greeks. Greeks statistically graduate at a higher rate; their alumni donate at a higher rate, are more successful after college, and are more involved than any other organizations.

The Utah State Greek system records more hours of service than the Utah State Service Center itself does, yet the Greeks on this campus receive less support from the university, students, and faculty than the rest of the organizations. The allotted budget for the Inter-Fraternal Council, the council that governs individual chapters, is $1,500. This budget comes from ASUSU. Tysen Maughan, treasurer for the Sigma Nu fraternity, stated, "I work with a $25,000 budget per semester. $1,500 doesn't go very far."

Greeks, who have proven to be the most valuable resource to a university after they graduate, are given little to almost no support at all in many other faculties by this university. The Universities formal rush for the fraternities consists of only 300 booklets of information about the chapters printed and paid for by the University. Everything else is provided by the individual chapters. Most universities sponsor large, Greek oriented activities to get students excited about rushing. Here the Greeks are shunned into a dark corner that the campus wishes to extinguish, but with a campus that continually strives to be BYU 2, what can you expect?

Greeks face some of the most difficult challenges of any organization. What ever happens at a chapter house falls onto the whole house. As far as the university is concerned there is no single person that is responsible, it is the whole house and IFC can remove them from the university IFC or push their nationals to pull their charter at any time with very little due process. For example, if a person were to hold a private party at their own residence and a random person sneaked into their home, the homeowner would not be responsible for the random person's actions. However, in a fraternity house, it could mean strict retribution from the university. Greeks are under constant scrutiny to maintain perfection, but when most surely a mistake is made the universities/IFC sanctions can devastate a house. For all of the punishments surely there must be some awards for actually sustaining perfection, eh? None. There are absolutely none. The only prize is a consolation prize of just being left alone.

Certain sanctions are placed on fraternities and sororities that only make recruiting quality people harder and fundraising nearly an impossible task. The incredible part about having such a large house is the venue it provides for social functions. Charging for parties, concerts, or other social functions is now illegal by university standards. This took away fraternities largest fundraising resource.

The campus went dry a decade ago, and now there is a push to try to make smoking illegal outdoors on campus. The university doesn't allow Rush flyers or posters to be hung up or distributed in any of the student living centers. Greek organizations can not even help incoming freshmen move into their dorms in hopes of showing new students that members of these organizations are just everyday people striving for something better. Greeks, especially during their recruitment, are left to their patio tables like a preacher saying, "I have something good here, come check it out." But like the preacher, the Greeks are left out to dry. Some will argue that Greek houses are supported, but it is hard for them to feel the support when every governing action of the University seems to be hindering them.

For all of the sanctions, expectations, and punishments that the university requires and for all of the incredible things that Greeks do for the campus as collegiates and alumni, one would expect the university to give full support to the Greek system. Sadly though, the support is hard to get. Greek houses are looked at, seemingly, by the university and the campus as just a bunch of troublemakers. Campuses nationwide that have large Greek systems, and who support the Greek houses, have more school spirit, stronger alumni support, and a higher graduation rate.

Greeks could do so much for the campus and are eager to get involved with the campus through their individual organizations. They could be a driving force on campus if they felt the support of the university and the campus. Try it for one semester and see what incredible things these organizations will do for this campus. Let this be an actual college experience, let this campus have fun, and support the Greek organizations.

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