In years past, cultural, social and faith-based barriers have divided the greek community at the U. But this year is different.
There has been a rift between Greek Row and the Latter-day Saint Student Association greeks because of their differences, said Jay Wilgus, assistant dean of students and adviser to the greeks.
The U’s greek community has set out to unify all greeks on campus by building bridges to overcome rifts between the LDSSA and multicultural and traditional greek houses. Some members of each house have a lack of understanding or hold misconceptions about each other, a division they want to overcome by working together on service projects and their promotion, he said.
“We are trying to build bridges and doing some neat things together,” Wilgus said.
The greeks’ first step was working together to change the tone of the greek system promotion pamphlet used in past years. They changed the language from “Go Greek” to “Fraternity and Sorority Life for U” and included LDSSA and the multicultural fraternities and sororities in the pamphlet as well.
The system is broken down into three options for greek life: cultural, social and faith-based, Wilgus said.
This is the first part of a five- to 10-year plan that the greek strategic action committee is developing for greek life.
e purpose is to create a road map to help develop and grow the greek community here at the U,” Wilgus said.
The plan is being processed for approval come January 2010.
The presidents of Greek Row and LDSSA have committed to working hard to help resolve their differences, said Collin Barber, president of Interfraternity Council on Greek Row.
“You hear things, and you assume things are that way,” said Katie Ence, president of LDSSA sorority Lambda Delta Sigma. “People assume things from stories (that they hear).”
LDSSA and Greek Row will try to combine and do activities together to build a sense of unity, said Parker Hill, president of LDSSA fraternity Sigma Gamma Chi.
“We’re hoping to do more service together, and this could give the community the opportunity to see what students are really doing on campus,” he said.
Hill and Barber said they agree that with more involvement, more projects can get done. Greek life involves about 2,000 members divided into 41 chapters, one colony and five interest groups.
“I think it brings a sense of community,” Barber said. “The more people can get hooked, the better it is.”