Fraternity & Sorority Coalition Process

Report of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Greek Assessment

February 2008

In March of 2007, Chancellor Martha Saunders appointed the Blue Ribbon Committee on Greek Assessment and charged the Committee to gather information to help the University determine the health of the fraternity and sorority community, identify possible actions to build a stronger Greek community, and create a better University environment. She identified the five targeted outcomes of the campus assessment as:

Development of positive interpersonal relationships
Leadership development of students in Greek organizations
The building/strengthening of social intelligence, citizenship, and service learning
Graduation of members
Effective campus interface to and support for the Greek community

This report summarizes the efforts of the Committee to fulfill that charge. Throughout the process, the Committee was guided by the belief that its work would serve as a catalyst to improve the fraternity and sorority experience - an experience exemplified by student safety, academic achievement, and positive relationships with alumnae, faculty, national/international organizations, local board of directors, housing corporations, and the Whitewater community. The report is not intended as a panacea but as a beginning point to strengthen the Greek system-University cooperation with the primary goal of promoting Greek system rigorous self-regulation.

Overview of the process to date

February 2007

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater was selected as 1 of 12 campuses to participate in the national fraternity/sorority community assessment coalition

UW-W staff prepared the pre-visit report information for the national assessment team and coordinated the logistics of the visit

March 2007

Chancellor Saunders appointed the campus Blue Ribbon Committee on Greek Assessment

A team of four professionals representing the Association of Fraternity Advisors, National Panhellenic Conference, National Pan-Hellenic Council, National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations, and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (national assessment team) spent two days at UW-W visiting with students, faculty, staff, and alumni

October 2007

The final report from the national assessment team was accepted by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

November 2007

The Blue Ribbon Committee on Greek Assessment re-convened to discuss next steps. Members were assigned to caucuses and pre-caucus meetings were held.

The final report from the national assessment team was posted to the Leadership Development Web site with a request for students and alumni to complete a feedback survey.

The final report from the national assessment team and next steps was discussed with student leaders at a joint council meeting.

December 2007

UW-W fraternity and sorority members participated in a student caucus. Summary notes of the discussions were prepared and disseminated for feedback.

Fraternity and sorority alumni and faculty advisors participated in an alumni and faculty advisor caucus. Summary notes of the discussions were prepared and disseminated for feedback.

Members of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Greek Assessment were asked to re-read the national assessment team report, feedback surveys on the national assessment team report, and caucus summary notes. Each member was asked to prepare a report identifying key messages gleaned from students, key messages gleaned from alumni and faculty advisors, specific strategies to be addressed in the next 15 months, strategies for monitoring the progress, and strategies for recognizing progress. A follow-up conference call (due to inclement weather) provided the venue for a committee discussion regarding the draft report.

Summary of key messages from the students

A desire to feel more support from the community (campus and city) in terms of recognizing organizational and individual accomplishments.
Community service is a strong value for our fraternities and sororities.
A belief that the Inter-Greek relations needs to be stronger.
A hope that the University will indeed increase its support especially in terms of academic support, leadership development, assistance with public relations, and support across the division of student affairs.
There is support for an Office of Greek Life/Greek Life professional.
Appreciation for the SEAL intern was expressed as was support for the position to continue.
A recognition that interaction with alumni and advisors (chapter and faculty), and inter/national organizations when appropriate, need to be more positive, consistent, and collaborative. Same sentiments were expressed regarding interacting with parents but the feelings did not appear to be as strong.
A strong desire to see suspended chapters return.
Greek housing is a concern including quality of life, neighbor relations, and the fact that the houses are not physically together and not all chapters have a house.
The concept of self-governance and judicial matters and their relationship to leadership and values warrants further exploration.
When asked to identify the three top issues which need to be addressed the students identified recruitment, academics, and councils.

Summary of key messages from the alumni and faculty advisors

A need to move forward strategically and positively.
A recognition that interaction with alumni and advisors (chapter and faculty), and inter/national organizations when appropriate, need to be more positive, consistent, and collaborative.
A stronger relationship with the University is desired. More communication needs to flow between the University, advisors, alumni, and the inter/national organization when applicable.
Members need to focus more on academic achievement.
There is support for additional staffing devoted to Greek life.
Alumni in general need to re-connect and re-invest in one another and in understanding what is happening with the chapter.
Faculty advisors need better support and direction from both the university and from chapter.

Proposed short-term plan of action March 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009

Strengthen the University infrastructure to better support the fraternity and sorority system by:

Hiring a fraternity/sorority advising professional (1.0 FTE) by August 1, 2008;
Continuing the funding of two Greek interns on SEAL;
Establishing a Greek Advisory committee (a proposal describing the committee�s purpose and structure will be drafted by May 1, 2008 and the committee appointed by September 2008);
Coordinating, training, and further developing faculty and alumni advisors with a focus on clarifying and strengthening the roles and communication between these interrelated advising positions (a plan of action based on conversations with faculty and alumni advisors will be developed by May 1, 2008); and
Facilitating a dialogue beginning in the spring of 2008 to create a better understanding among staff, students, alumni, faculty and alumni advisors, and headquarters about the Student Organization Conduct Policy.

Institutionalize communication, thereby strengthening relationships, with students, alumni, faculty and alumni advisors, local community, and headquarters by:

Developing a comprehensive alumni contact database (a plan of action developed by June 1, 2008);
Requesting that IFC, PC, and PHC each add an alumni liaison position to their e-board in conjunction with the spring 2008 new officer process (a consistent position description will be developed by March 15, 2008); and
Creating standing annual meetings for alumni in conjunction with Homecoming and Founders Day (a purpose statement for these meetings will be developed by August 1, 2008);

Engage each governing council in action driven planning focusing on how each council will contribute to the five outcomes. Examine positions, programs, policies and procedures in terms of whether or not they advance or detract from movement in the five outcome areas. Infuse with new ideas. Implement action driven planning in the Fall 2008.

Strategies for monitoring the plan

Continue the State of Fraternity & Sorority Life presentation at all Greek meetings by the fraternity/sorority advisor.
Determine reporting required from chapters, governing councils, and the fraternity/sorority advisor to ensure the UW-W fraternity and sorority experience is in alignment with the assessment initiative.

Strategies for recognizing progress

Create a dynamic web site to highlight initiatives and progress. All stakeholders would have the opportunity to subscribe to the site.
Develop a PR plan of action to support the assessment initiative.
Develop an incentive program to support and recognize progress.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeremiah Arnold, Alumni Advisor Representative
j.arnold@dercoaerospace.com

Jan Bilgen, Associate Director of Career & Leadership Development
bilgenj@uww.edu

Ron Buchholz, Director of Career & Leadership Development
buchholr@uww.edu

Christopher Daniels, Student Representative
DanielsCM04@uww.edu

Mary Beth Mackin, Assistant Dean of Student Life/Judicial Services
mackinm@uww.edu

Tisa Mason, Dean of Student Life
masont@uww.edu

Paula Mohan, Faculty Advisor Representative
mohanp@uww.edu

James Molloy, Faculty Representative
molloyj@uww.edu

Roger Pulliam, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Support Services
pulliamr@uww.edu

Marie Scimeca, Student Representative
pulliamr@uww.edu

UW-Whitewater with national leaders of the fraternity/sorority systems as a follow-up to the "Call for Values Congruence" published by the Franklin Square participants. The "Call for Values Congruence" document called for both the Greek systems and host institutions to implement reforms so that stated fraternal values and ideals would be more closely adhered to by fraternity men and sorority women. The focus of the fall 2005 meeting was to promote Greek system-University cooperation and to implement a rigorous self regulation of Greek systems on college campuses. As a result of that meeting, a Coalition Assessment Team was created as well as a campus Blue Ribbon committee to examine Greek Life at UW-W.