Stereotypes are hard to get rid of, especially if we prove them to be true, said David Stollman, a motivational speaker invited to address members of Greek Row at the Greek Week kick-off on April 10.

“A frat house should be the safest place for a woman to go, yet

statistics show that it’s the least safe,” Stollman said.

To stop the negative stereotypes, greeks need to start remembering the oaths they swore by when they first joined, he said.

Stollman quoted a fraternity alumnus from another school who once said that the reason greek ceremonies are kept secret is because if everybody knew about them, they would expect greeks to live up to them, he said.

“We don’t need more (people who put) paper letters on their shirt and not on

their heart,” he said. “We need greeks who stand by their oaths.”

Membership should be for life. Buy into it, don’t rent it, he said.

Stephan Penn, Interfraternity Council president, said he sees similar problems in the U greek chapters.

“There’s always a few people in each house who don’t contribute and give

fraternities and sororities the typical stereotype name,” he said.

Fraternities and sororities should be like brothers and sisters who don’t tell you what you want to know, but what you need to know, Stollman said.

Many in attendance said the speaker’s advice will help the U greek system in the future.

“I think he was a profound speaker; he gave us some good tools for how to build up our sororities and fraternities,” said Garry Hrechkosy, a pre-business major and a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

“He really hit home with a lot of the greek system. It made people think about what greek life is really about,” said Alex James, a member of Beta Theta Pi.

Greek members in attendance received points that go toward the competition to win Greek Week.

Fraternities and sororities are paired in teams throughout the week and work together in different competitions.

“It’s a friendly competition meant to unify everyone, to help them forget about the separate chapters and focus on being greek,” said Jane Boyer, president of Delta Gamma and a pre-education major.