Greeks, admin. discuss goals

In an attempt to ensure that future boards continue working toward the InterFraternity Council's stated goals, IFC leaders met Tuesday with administrators and faculty members at the Phi Delta Theta house on Locust Walk. The group discussed the IFC's progress since last November -- when the current executive board was elected into office -- in meeting the goals of the Greek Active Partnership, the IFC's version of the Greek-wide 21st Century Report. The report -- devised by the IFC, the Panhellenic Council and the BiCultural InterGreek Council in 1996 -- focuses on the issues of academics, faculty interaction, community service, the rush program, new member education and social enrichment and risk management. According to IFC President Mark Metzl, a College senior and Tau Epsilon Phi brother, most of the goals of the plan have been achieved but some areas of concern remain, including academic support and faculty interaction. "We are making attempts to develop initiatives that further the academic mission of the University," Metzl said. For example, the IFC has raised the minimum GPA for brothers to 2.15 and has created the position of academics chairperson for each IFC fraternity. They will meet with the IFC vice president of academics monthly for roundtable discussions. The IFC is also working to provide Greek tutors for fraternity members and to sponsor two or three workshops for new brothers on time management, exam preparation and learning. Working to enhance faculty interaction with the Greek system, the IFC is also creating a Greek Faculty Advisory Board to meet with chapter leaders regularly to discuss individual and system-wide academic concerns. "We shared some very promising ideas for increasing student-faculty interaction, including strengthened collaboration with the college house system," Deputy Provost Peter Conn said. "[The] IFC is also working to formalize a faculty advisory committee." According to IFC Executive Vice President Andrew Exum, a College senior and Sigma Nu brother, the IFC will also look into sharing some resources -- such as the Information Technology Advisor program -- with the college houses, but he noted that the IFC is in the very preliminary stages of investigating such options. In addition to meeting the goals of GAP, the IFC is also looking to create a new set of long-term objectives. "One thing we're going to be working toward, now that we've accomplished most of the goals of the 21st Century Plan, is? how we can continue the spirit of the 21st Century Plan into the next five years or so," said Exum, who is also a Daily Pennsylvanian columnist. Other initiatives include an Annual Greek Favorite Faculty Award and frequent student-faculty teas. Also, the Greek system has established the 2000 for 2000 campaign -- a joint project with Civic House to complete 2,000 hours of community service by the year 2000 -- as the focus of its community service initiative. Exum added that all fraternities have shown a willingness to comply with the University's new alcohol policy. Provost Robert Barchi, who attended the meeting, agreed with Exum, noting that both he and University President Judith Rodin were impressed by the commitment of the Greeks and other student leaders to implement the alcohol policy. "Last spring I spent many hours with the members of the Working Group on Alcohol Abuse, which included a number of Greek leaders," Barchi added. "I was impressed then, and I am impressed now, by the level of leadership, accountability and responsibility the Greeks have taken." Metzl thanked Barchi for attending, noting that "lines of communication between the provost's office and the IFC have been very strong." And according to Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski, "[The meeting] was really wonderful, as we've never had the provost or assistant provost there in person to talk to [the IFC]." "That is a testament to the dedication that the upper administration has for the fraternity system," Reikofski added. The group expects to meet again sometime in the spring semester but Reikofski emphasized that there will be constant interaction with the University over the course of the year.

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