Student Affairs forum explains Greek review

After the recent announcement of the Greek system at Pitt being under review, many Greeks… After the recent announcement of the Greek system at Pitt being under review, many Greeks became concerned with the reason for the re-evaluation.

Deborah Furka, Pitt’s director of public safety, has recently started a comprehensive study of the Greek system here at Pitt, at the request of the Office of Student Affairs.

Furka, former Pitt police chief, and Birney Harrigan, associate dean of student affairs, met with students in an open forum Wednesday night to discuss any concerns and to let students voice their opinions.

Some students were concerned with why the Greek community happens to be the only organization currently under review at Pitt.

“It’s an information gathering study to identify the best practices here or at other universities and seeing if other things going on at other universities are something that can be implemented here [at Pitt],” Furka said.

The forum covered various issues that the Greek community is concerned about, including housing, acknowledgement and communication issues between the University and Greeks.

In the past, working with presidents and members of fraternities and sororities has been a process with “open lines of communication,” according to Furka.

“We want to find out about your needs [within the Greek community] and what we can do to make it a more positive experience,” she told the audience.

Many students were concerned as to whether or not they will have a say once the review is complete.

“We are hoping to get input from the students on what they feel are important qualities for a Greek adviser,” Harrigan responded.

“Rather than just hire a replacement, we want to be sure we are hiring the right replacement,” Harrigan said. “This is all being done to find the right person for the job.”

Vice Provost and Interim Dean of Students Jack Daniel is allowing the student committee on Greek life to look over the review before it is published to the public, according to Pat Creighton, member of student government of Sigma Chi.

The student committee on Greek life is comprised of nine students representing Interfraternity Council, Pan Hellenic Council and National Pan Hellenic Council.

Once the forum was underway, it was soon made quite clear that University administrators do not know much about the Greek system and what they have done throughout the community.

“We don’t know what you have [to offer],” Furka said. “There are a lot of things you guys are doing and who knows besides your Greek adviser and your National [headquarters].”

There was some alarm for the need to review the Greek system.

“On one hand, it’s a good thing for the University to show concern to help the Greek system,” said Rocco Pacella, president of Pi Kappa Alpha. “But, on the other hand, I worry because the University is singling out one organization on campus that has in the past had a less than perfect image.”

Many Greeks are attempting to come up with better ways to reach incoming students about Greek life.

“Year after year, we have applied for an information packet to be sent home to incoming freshmen and each year we are denied,” IFC President Tom Calhoun said in response to getting the information out to students about the Greek system.

Some in attendance said the Greek community is hoping for support from the University.

“With a little help from you guys we could take it a long way,” said Jim Kowatch, member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, suggesting help from other areas within the University.

About 1400 Pitt students, or 10 percent of the campus, are Greek.

“Currently there are no other student organizations being looked at as the Greeks are right now,” said Jeff Alex, member of Delta Tau Delta.

According to Alex, the two largest supporters of the Greek system, Sharon Malazich and Joe Cavalla, are no longer at Pitt, so that is a big reason why the Greek system is concerned with the recent evaluation.

Harrigan said the review was in the interest of improving the system.

“I know that Sharon Malazich was your adviser and many of you cared for deeply about her,” Harrigan said. “While you miss her tremendously we look at this as an opportunity to review the Greek system and make improvements.”

Malazich, former Greek adviser, and Cavalla, former director of student affairs, both had a large part in dealing with the Greek community during the last several years, according to Alex.

Several students said they feel the restrictions on the Greek community are becoming tighter each year.

Since the spring of 1999, Pitt police are allowed to go through any fraternity house up on the hill just as they are permitted to go through any other Pitt on-campus housing, according to Furka.

Many students in the NPHC were curious as to where they are supposed to gather now since they were chased from the towers lobby where they used to congregate.

“What can be done for us to get a place to showcase our talent and information since we apparently should not be in the [Litchfield] Towers lobby?” asked Ebony Howard, member of Delta Sigma Theta.

According to Howard, their bulletin boards with all upcoming events and projects were also taken down from the Towers lobby.

None of the NPHC fraternities or sororities have campus housing, a fact that Howard said is becoming more important.

When Harrigan asked the students what were the costs of being in a fraternity or sorority, the only replies were dues, which are mainly for insurance, and the stereotypes that go along with being Greek.

Many Greeks feel that both other students and professors treat them differently once they know that he or she is Greek.

Jessica Belles, PHC president, said the Office of Student Life, which Harrigan directs, seems to separate the Greek system from the administration.

Shawn Bowers, DTD president, said he was disappointed with the administration’s lack of involvement in the Greek community.

“We put so much information out and it’s often overlooked by the University,” he said.

The review will compare Pitt’s Greek system to several other peer institutions including Delaware, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State and Buffalo universities.

Pitt’s Greek system will then be compared to several aspiration schools including Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.

“We are benchmarking the Greek system with University-approved benchmarked schools,” Harrigan said.

Furka’s report is due in December 2002.