GREEKS ON CAMPUS: Big-C aims for new visibility, acceptance

The eight member-groupsThe eight member-groupsalso hope to increase tiesThe eight member-groupsalso hope to increase tieswith Panhel and the IFC. The BiCultural InterGreek Council -- the Big-C, for short -- plans to acquire a "more dominant presence" on Penn's campus in the next few years, according to Zeta Phi Beta President and College junior Candice Gallagher. But members emphasize that this increased role will develop only after the organization receives greater recognition and understanding from the University community. Currently, issues including housing, rush and size separate the Big-C from the rest of the Greek system. In addition, unlike InterFraternity Council and Panhellenic Council chapters, each of the eight Big-C fraternities and sororities are focused primarily on community service, according to Big-C Vice President and College senior Nicole George. "Our organizations are so small, but we do so much for the community," the Alpha Kappa Alpha sister said. The Big-C, which includes six African American and two Latino chapters, recently donated $2,500 -- half of the proceeds from the Penn Relays step show last spring -- to the Hale House in New York City, which houses babies born to crack-addicted mothers, George said. Alpha Phi Alpha President and College senior James Wilburn said his fraternity looks for "men who want to make a change." "We become the vehicle for them to do more as a group than they could as individuals," he said. But many Big-C members express frustration at what they perceive as a lack of recognition for the positive efforts they make in the community. While one-third of the student body includes members of the IFC or Panhel, the Big-C has only approximately 50 members. According to George, this represents a "minute" section of Penn's minority community. Big-C President and Wharton senior George Holt said each of the Big-C chapters is looking to increase membership. "Survival is always an issue," he said. "And we want to be more visible at all-Greek functions." According to Big-C members, fostering a greater understanding of the differences between the Big-C and the other Greek umbrella organizations will help students realize its unique role on campus. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski explained that the Big-C provides a way for its members to confront, in an organized way, "the issues all students of color deal with," including a lack of understanding from people outside of their system. He said "a different mentality" exists between the Big-C and the IFC and Panhel branches of the Greek system. He attributed the fundamental difference in mindset to the Big-C's primary emphasis on community service, its small size and its distinct rush process. In contrast to the structured IFC and Panhel rush processes, the Big-C intake period is more secretive. Each chapter's intake period occurs at a different time, according to Holt. The national boards of individual chapters dictate when intake periods will occur, he said. Big-C chapters are also examining the possibility of attaining official University-affiliated houses, something none of the chapters currently have. "With Big-C houses, we could be more in the Penn community and not in the periphery," Big-C advisor Rana Walker said. She added that the Latino fraternity and sorority are actively considering Stouffer College House as a possible residence. Many Big-C members are looking to increase the academic emphasis within their chapters. While each chapter of the Big-C has minimum grade point average requirements, George said that "changes need to be made." "We're trying to create a more academic environment," she explained, adding that new initiatives such as mandatory study hours could accomplish this goal. Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta explained that he thinks the Big-C provides an "opportunity for collaboration" between the three Greek organizations at Penn. But many question whether the groups will really work closely with one another. "Panhel and IFC need to realize what kind of community outreach the Big-C does and the Big-C needs to realize that IFC and Panhel are much more than social organizations," Lambda Upsilon Lambda brother and College junior Jason Rosas said. An all-Greek mixer night during Greek Week earlier this month and joint authorship of the 21st Century Report for Greek Life last spring indicate current efforts at interaction, according to Panhel President and College senior Jessica Schreck. But she characterized even those attempts as "baby steps." Schreck added that though Panhel members are eager for more programming including all umbrella groups, the organizations still lack basic understanding about each other. And IFC President and College senior Josh Gottheimer said "awareness through social interaction" is the key to that acceptance. "It's the responsibility of each organization to educate each other about the differences between us," the Alpha Epsilon Pi brother said. Future programming among the three organizations includes a retreat to promote those goals, according to Big-C Corresponding Secretary and College senior Elizabeth Valentin, an AKA sister. Despite the union of all chapters under the Big-C organization, Lambda Upsilon Lambda brother and College junior Kevin Canete noted that the African American and Latino fraternities and sororities within the Big-C have had an "up and down" relationship. He added that he would like to see the African American and Latino chapters of the Big-C increase joint programming. The Latino fraternity Lambda Upsilon Lambda and the Latina sorority Sigma Lambda Upsilon represent a "minority within a minority" at Penn, since it only makes up a quarter of the Big-C, according to Sigma Lambda Upsilon President and College senior Alexia Rodriguez. "We want to be heard," she said. "One of our goals for the future is to create awareness of our presence within the Big-C.