Greek laud favorite professors

In an unusual sort of party for the Greek system, about 75 fraternity and sorority members gathered with 20 professors on Wednesday at the first-ever Greek Faculty Tea Awards Reception. Over danishes and coffee, the students and faculty celebrated the Greek system's new emphasis on academics during the reception, which took place in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge. "I think this event will bring this focus to the forefront of Greek life," said Wharton senior and Sigma Phi Epsilon brother Tim Lash, who helped plan the event. "I feel upbeat about [the results]." The reception featured an awards presentation to 47 faculty members who the Greeks thought deserved recognition for work done in or outside the classroom. Each fraternity and sorority chapter nominated its own set of professors and the reception honored all the nominees. The Psychology Department received the most recognition, with seven recipients, including professors Henry Gleitman and Martin Seligman. The English, Management and Legal Studies departments had five recipients each. Also during the tea, one fraternity member and one sorority member won scholarships for their demonstration of interest and skill in academic research. College junior and Pi Kappa Phi brother Samuel Gettler received a scholarship for his work on the study of spinal cord regeneration of a sea lamprey. "I feel the time I've spent doing research has been worth it," Gettler said. "It's nice to see professors appreciating the Greek community." College junior Katherine Minarik also won a scholarship for her part in a research team that is investigating depression and self esteem in inner-city middle school students. "It's a good reflection on the entire Greek community," Minarik said of the award presentation. College senior and Pi Beta Phi sister Lisa Hernandez, who co-coordinated the event, said the tea served a dual purpose. According to Hernandez, the gathering not only recognized faculty who had influenced members of the Greek system, but it also informed professors of the integral part they play in the University experience. Hernandez added that past Greek attempts to invite large numbers of faculty members to events have not been as successful. "I hope [this event] will show the faculty how much we appreciate them," Hernandez said. "We did come to Penn for the education. We want to stress that faculty/student relations are of ultimate importance to Greeks." IFC President and College senior Josh Gottheimer, a Alpha Epsilon Pi brother, hailed the University faculty as "heroes." He said he hoped the tea and others like it would "dispel rumors that Greeks don't care about academics." Gottheimer called attention to statistics showing that the average sorority member's grade point average is higher than the overall University average, and the fraternity average is equal to -- if not higher than -- the University norm. Future academic-related Greek events include the assignment of a faculty advisor to every chapter, more research grants, a minimum required GPA and continued attempts to educate the faculty about the Greek system.