Greeks face new community service requirement

All InterFraternity and Panhellenic Council chapters will be required to participate in Greek-wide community service days by this spring, as part of the 21st Century Report on the future of campus Greek life. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski said he hopes the Greeks will "build a relationship more with their neighbors" -- as outlined in the report's community partnership section -- by increasing their community service efforts. Reikofski explained that fraternities and sororities owning houses near campus have recently instituted an "Adopt-a-Block program" to enhance the surrounding areas. He added that ideally fraternities and sororities should "reach out from Penn a little bit into the neighborhood of West Philadelphia." All-Greek community service days were established three years ago to allow chapters without their own residences to participate in community service ventures, Reikofski said. Last spring, more than 500 students -- representing approximately half of the InterFraternity and Panhellenic Councils' chapters -- participated in the service days. And 300 members of the IFC, Panhel and the BiCultural InterGreek Council worked to clean up the areas between 38th and 43rd streets and between Baltimore and Chestnut streets during a community service day which kicked off this fall's Greek Week. But implementation of the 21st Century Report will require every IFC and Panhel chapter to participate in all Greek-wide community service days. IFC President and College junior Matt Baker said he had mixed feeling about mandating such participation. "Community service should be something that you want to do, rather than something that you have to do," the Alpha Chi Rho brother said. Pi Kappa Alpha Rush Chairperson Ben Geisler -- whose chapter performed 4,500 hours of community service while recolonizing last year -- said brothers "get a lot" out of community service. But the College sophomore added that such service also "looks really good on resumes." Baker added that the report's mandatory participation "will just make [Greek] events more effective because they'll be larger in scale." His own house is planning a 72-person charity golf tournament for April 11 at the Ashbourne Country Club, which will benefit the American Cancer Society. AXP Philanthropy Chairperson Jeremy Cohen said that $15 of each player's $100 registration fee will go directly to charity. The Engineering sophomore added that the fraternity is also "actively seeking sponsors" to advertise at each hole. The brothers hope to raise $10,000 from the event, Cohen said, "but right now it looks like $7,500." Baker said he looks forward to participating in larger, more inclusive community service projects "instead of just the neighborhood cleanups." And former Chi Omega President Katie Leeson agreed that joining forces with other Greek organizations often leads to increased success. "Any time you collaborate, you're adding physically more manpower, as well as somebody else's name," the College senior said. Chi O and the Beta Theta Pi fraternity organized this fall's Rubber Ducky Race. Leeson said her sisters were happy to give $1,500 to $2,000 to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to terminally ill children. While IFC and Panhel outlined specific community service and partnership requisites and suggestions in the 21st Century Report, the BIG-C -- whose chapter organizations are all service-based -- plan to institute more unified semester-long projects and collaborative projects with IFC and Panhel. IFC Vice President of Academics and Community Service Jason Judd -- whose position was added to the IFC cabinet this year -- said he feels a "huge sense of responsibility" to set standards. "There is a definite commitment to the umbrella organizations working together," the Tau Epsilon Phi president said, adding that he and BIG-C President and College junior Jason Rosas are interested in setting up a community service day for all students. Judd said that the two are planning "Greek mixer" parties followed by collaborative community service projects. He added that the 21st Century Report's new community service guidelines will gain fraternity and sorority members more positive recognition.