Plainview Old Beethpage John Kennedy High School '99
Plainview, N.Y.
While some fraternities and sororities were forced to give up their houses and others faced disciplinary actions, the major focus within Penn's Greek system this year was on positive cultural changes.
New academic and community service programs were introduced within the InterFraternity Council -- the umbrella group that coordinates activities for most of Penn's fraternities -- and several fraternity houses are now in the process of going dry.
Still, despite the various improvements, some organizations still experienced a rocky school year.
The University suspended the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity for at least a year after the brothers violated an IFC ban on serving alcohol at rush events. The incident was also in violation of SAM's social probation -- a result of rush violations the previous year -- which forbids the fraternity from having alcohol in its house.
The suspension will last until the end of the calendar year. During that time, SAM brothers will be allowed to live in their fraternity house, located at 3817 Walnut Street.
The Delta Tau Delta fraternity also lost its house after its national organization closed it down due to low membership numbers. Allegations of a date rape that occurred several years ago in the house also surfaced this year.
And the Pi Beta Phi sorority gave up its house due to unmanageable costs. The sorority may also vote to disband before the beginning of next semester, according to Pi Phi National Vice President of Membership Kay Brock.
"They let us know after rush that they were not going to continue," Brock said in February.
Also this semester, the IFC increased and diversified its community service participation and bolstered its academic support system.
As part of the new community service policy, the pledge class of each fraternity designed and participated in a philanthropy project. For instance, many fraternities chose to work with Philadelphians Concerned About Housing, a local version of Habitat for Humanity.
"It's good to do something positive with pledging and get the negative light off of it," said IFC Vice President for Community Service Mark Zimring, a Delta Kappa Epsilon brother and a rising College junior.
The IFC also instituted a new academic program to help new members keep their GPAs up. The program has three components -- new member academic workshops, tutoring in traditionally freshman classes and training for each house's academic chairman on the University's academic resources.
The Panhellenic Council -- the sorority equivalent of the IFC -- also increased its commitment to community service, naming the Rena Rowan Breast Health Center as its official philanthropic cause and holding events to raise money for the center.
Also as part of the changing Greek system, three IFC fraternities -- Phi Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Nu -- will go dry on July 1. The decision to forbid alcohol in the chapter houses was made by the fraternities' national organizations.
"Fraternities are about a lot more than alcohol and parties," said IFC President Andrew Mandelbaum, an Alpha Chi Rho brother and rising College senior. "I don't think this will greatly affect the social scene."
