Over 100 students and guests gathered in Houston Hall last night to discuss the role that race plays in Penn's Greek system.
The forum, which consisted of a panel discussion, as well as a question-and-answer session, was held as part of Campus Organized Lectures On Racial Sensitivity, a week-long series of events coordinated by Penn students.
According to panel member and Kappa Alpha Theta President Nicole Epps, the lecture series was designed "to foster integration and discussion" about racial issues at Penn.
This year's C.O.L.O.R.S. week, themed "The Ordeal of Integration," began on Saturday with the Tavis Smiley Forum Discussion and will conclude this weekend with a community service project held at University City High School. Other events held throughout the week will include a discussion entitled "Evolving Dimensions of Global Race/ Racism," an International Food Night and a lecture given by Legal Studies Professor Kenneth Shropshire.
Last night's forum focused on minorities within Penn's Greek system and addressed issues such as racial division, integration and overcoming stereotypes.
Panel members -- including representatives from the Panhellenic Council, the InterFraternity Council and the Bicultural Inter-Greek Council -- began by explaining their reasons for choosing a particular fraternity or sorority.
"I was partial to black Greeks," said BIG-C Vice President Weldon McMillan. "I wanted to be a part of that legacy."
McMillan, who is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, one of Penn's historically African-American fraternities, said that in his opinion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to having a predominantly African-American fraternity.
"On a campus like the University of Pennsylvania, I don't always feel at home," McMillan said, explaining that Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., was founded as an organization "where black men can come and share in the same college experience."
However, McMillan said that while he sees many benefits to having predominantly African-American, Latino and Asian fraternities and sororities, anyone is welcome to join a BIG-C chapter, regardless of race.
Epps agreed and stressed that her decision to join the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority was based on her assessment of where she would fit in best and be happy.
"People are naturally going to join groups they feel comfortable in," she said. "Primarily, joining an organization should be a personal choice."
Epps said that as black student, she did not feel that she would simply be seen as a token in a predominately white sorority.
However, she added that involvement in the Greek system "teaches you ideals that you'll have for the rest of your life."
Panelist Fritzgerald Lauture, a Sigma Alpha Epsilon brother and assistant executive director of the fraternity's national organization, echoed this idea.
Lauture, who described his personal encounters with racism in the Greek system, explained that it is important to question why there is not more integration of different races within fraternities and sororities.
The Greek leaders did admit that there are some challenges facing the system.
"I don't think that there is fair treatment in the Greek system," Epps said, explaining that BIG-C chapters are not always included in Panel and IFC events. "I think the barriers... might be the lack of communication between our organizations."
Epps added that the answer to this problem lies in confronting the issue and talking about possible solutions.
And McMillan explained that she felt the Greek system has a problem in its need for specifically racially diverse chapters, adding that using mandatory quotas to ensure racial diversity within chapters is not the answer.
Instead, several panelists said, there needs to be a more effective collaboration among the system's three umbrella organizations -- including Panhel, the IFC and the BIG-C.
"We have an obligation as leaders... to work together," Epps said.
College junior Stacey Wood, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, another one of Penn's historically African-American sororities, said that the forum made her hopeful about the prospect of Panhel, the IFC and the BIG-C coming together and working to help each other in the future.
"Even though we are different, it's still about sisterhood," she said.
