by Katie Gallagher
Despite the efforts of fraternity and sorority life officials, many minority Greek organizations still feel disillusioned with their community during Greek Week and Homecoming.
Both officials and chapter members agree that the issue revolves around a lack of communication between chapters and a lack of involvement for minority Greek organizations.
Each year in the fall and spring the four councils of the Greek community join together for Homecoming Week and Greek Week, an opportunity to learn more about one another.
The Inter-Fraternity Council, the Pan-Hellenic Association, the Pan-Hellenic Council and the United Greek Council, join together to create 14 sports match-ups, which include flag football. The PHC is made up of ‘the Divine Nine’ historically black fraternities and sororities, and one Latina sorority, while the UGC is comprised of Greek organizations of a special interest, such as South Pacific Asians.
While the purpose of these activities is to unite the four councils, many PHC and UGC chapters, like Kappa Phi Gamma, leave the weeks feeling excluded and isolated.
“Our worst experience was this past Homecoming where we never went to any events because we never knew what was going on with our match-up,” said Anjuli Bakhru, president of UGC colony Kappa Phi Gamma, a South Asian sorority. “There was also very little motivation to go, since we didn’t feel included by our match-up.”
Corey Bailey, the University’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life advisor for both the PHC and UGC, said the “glaring messages” that come from the weeks are a lack of communication and involvement among chapters. He said he has seen some fallbacks during the years, such as UGC and PHC Greek letters being smaller than their IFC and PHA counterparts on signs and t-shirts that are supposed to represent the entire match-up.
“The signs, where PHC and UGC letters are smaller, just sends a message of ‘sure they’re with us, but not really a part of the match-up,’” Bailey said.
Yet, Bailey also believes that “as time has gone on, there’s been more concerted efforts to get their voices out there,” he said.
Bailey says that the communication has improved greatly in the past two years as he pushed for PHC and UGC representatives to be present at the times of planning meetings, ensuring that their voices and opinions are heard.
Matt Supple, Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, says he would like to replace what he calls, “IFC and PHA week” with a true Greek Week.
Both Bailey and Supple have discussed incorporating a service event that will be traditionally PHC and UGC sponsored into the week’s events, making the week a successful method of bringing together all four councils.
“I will continue to make a concerted effort to make a more inclusive, united Greek Week,” Supple said. “I have very little desire to take it over, but on the other hand I’m not sure it will change if we don’t.”
Bakhru echoes Supple’s desire for a renovated Greek Week and Homecoming Week.
“I really think the only way to achieve true Greek Unity is to have the 4 councils come together to create [an event] from scratch,” Bakhru said. “This event would include input from all councils/chapters and then it wouldn’t be like PHA and IFC are choosing to include UGC and PHC in their events.”
PHA and IFC chapters have seen positive improvements in the attitudes of all Greek students in recent Homecoming and Greek Weeks.
Last Spring, PHA sorority Alpha Chi Omega Greek Week Chair Kathryn Snedeker was happy to see that their UGC match-up, Sigma Beta Rho, was so eager to be involved.
“I absolutely loved our time with Sigma Beta Rho,” she said. “They were enthusiastic and eager to participate in any way possible. Without the strength of their brotherhood, we would not have won Greek Week.”
While some experiences have been negative, UGC and PHC chapters also recognize an increased effort by some PHA and IFC chapters, and have felt more included in recent years.
“For Greek Week 2009 we had members at every week through the event, and members not only attended, but participated,” Bakhru said. “This was really encouraging for us, because as a small organization we didn’t expect to have the chance to participate in Olympics … but our match-up was really encouraging and welcoming.”
