Greek leaders discuss report, voice concerns

In a meeting with representatives from Pitt’s Greek community Tuesday night, Director of… In a meeting with representatives from Pitt’s Greek community Tuesday night, Director of Public Safety Deborah Furka and Director of Student Life Birney Harrigan discussed the recommendations of Furka’s report on the Greek system.

Most of the voiced concerns centered on infringement by the University on existing Greek autonomous policies.

“I’m concerned about us losing our ability to manage ourselves,” Delta Tau Delta President Shawn Bowers said. “A line does exist, and it needs to be maintained.”

Using social functions as an example, Bowers said that DTD has between 17 and 23 sober brothers at every party to make sure that all policies are followed safely.

“It’s ridiculous how carefully we manage it,” he said, adding that the report did not include such self-management. “It seems like no one’s even aware of the things we do.”

Harrigan said that the goal of the administration was “to help you better manage yourselves.”

“I don’t think the intention is to make this an onerous experience for you,” she said. “The object here is to work together.”

Bowers and other leaders said that they were looking forward to working with the University, but that they wanted to preserve Greek autonomy.

“I don’t want it to seem like I’m fighting the University,” he said. “I’m glad this is finally happening.”

Interfraternity Council President Keith Mineo said that he appreciated the report in general, but thought that some of the numerous planned committees were “quite questionable.”

Harrigan said that there would be an advisory committee with Greek student representation to help discuss and implement suggestions in the report, but said it was not yet decided how many of the other suggested committees would be separate or who would comprise them.

Panhellenic Association Treasurer Stephanie Hadgkiss said that personal communication was the most valuable part of the process so far.

“A lot of the things we do we submit on paper,” she said, “but a little more face-to-face communication could help clear up some of the things.”

Other issues addressed included the report’s suggestion for a “live-in ‘housing director,’ the cost of which could be shared between the University and the fraternities,” which Bowers said would be “a bad situation,” and instead offered to work with the University to come to some kind of compromise. PHA President Alissa Krutoff and others supported the idea of a housing official stopping by the houses on regular duty tours, which could enforce standards and still preserve privacy.

Bowers said Pitt police already monitor social functions on the Hill, but Furka, the report’s compiler, said that currently, police patrolling parties is not sufficient supervision.

“They are primarily looking for violations of law and not necessarily violations of University policy,” Furka said.

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies and Dean of Students Jack Daniel, to whom the report was addressed, was not present at the meeting, according to Harrigan, in order to let students deal with the issues more directly.

“He wants students to get this done,” she said.

Krutoff said that she felt the last meeting, held privately Thursday night with executive boards of the Greek governance organizations, was more productive, but still was pleased with the progress.

“It all looks positive from here,” she said.

No representatives from National Pan-Hellenic Council attended the meeting, but Mineo said that they had represented themselves well at the private meeting and did not have many concerns about the report.