Summit focuses on Greek future

Seventeen national Greek chapter representatives, some of whom are University alumni, gathered in the Alumni Room of the Penn Faculty Club with students and faculty to discuss the future of the University's Greek system. Recent proposals for change in Greek policy and planning spawned the Penn Greek Summit, which was held Friday and Saturday, according to InterFraternity Council President and Alpha Epsilon Pi brother Josh Gottheimer. Presidents of the IFC, Bicultural InterGreek Council and Panhellenic Council attended the event, along with other leaders in the Greek community and members of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. Gottheimer, a College junior, added that representatives from the provost's and president's offices were also present. Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta presented the Agenda for Excellence and the Provost's Collegiate Hub Plan, according to Panhel President and Sigma Delta Tau sister Jessica Schreck, to show the advisors "where Penn is going." Schreck, Gottheimer and Big-C President George Holt, a Wharton junior, each presented their respective sections of the 21st Century Report to advisors and faculty. "It was interesting to be able to present our plan to people who work at the national level and have years of experience in the Greek system," said Schreck, a College junior. "It was very exciting to see that they were so supportive." Gottheimer said he received valuable advice from the advisors on how to improve the current Greek system. "They were able to provide us with some great insight on what they've seen around the fraternity world," he said. Gottheimer said national representatives advised him to set a "detailed timeline" for enforcement of the 21st Century Report, and to "hold everyone to equal standards." They also suggested raising the IFC's minimum pledging grade point average from a 2.0 to a 2.3, Gottheimer added. And the representatives are interested in increasing their involvement wit the University's Greek system, according to Gottheimer. Holt said he found the conference interesting because he had the opportunity to speak personally to alumni representatives about the history of the Greek system and the direction in which it is headed. He explained that the some of the alumni "had questions about the values of the students in the Greek system today." The representatives supported the 21st Century Report, Holt said, "especially because it came from the students." And Schreck said the summit provided her with "solid ideas on how to implement the plan" and other ideas on how to improve the overall Greek system.

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