Sorority & Fraternity Life: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Greek Life Task Force, charged by the Office of Student Life in 1998 to assess and recommend improvements in the current status of the Ohio State Greek Community, has developed the Goals and Standards of Excellence as set forth since its inception. The assessment was requested based on concern for the current state of the Greek Community. Although, the members of the Greek Life Task Force no longer meet, they set forth the Standards of Excellence, having gone into effect March 9, 2001, as a plan to improve the condition of the Greek Community whereby chapters will establish a Chapter Plan each year and will detail their progress towards attaining this plan in a yearly Chapter Annual Report. By improving the quality of life for students within the Greek Community, the Standards of Excellence purposes to achieve several goals:

• Academic achievement with a minimum GPA of 2.50 for chapters and for all new members, as well as the strive to achieve as a chapter the all-undergraduate average.
• Member and organizational growth including, but not limited to, diversity education, risk management education, and community service opportunities.
• Safe and healthy organizational environments through structural improvements in chapter facilities and improved risk management procedures.
• A strong, connected Greek Community.
• Widely recruited Advisers from the University and Community that have undergone the Adviser Certification Program.
• An improved relationship between the university and the Greek Community.
• If any of the set requirements are not met, the chapter may be called before the Greek Progress Review Board.

BAD:

My primary job as the Greek Intern, is to oversee the Standards of Excellence (SOE) Program for Sorority & Fraternity Life. In this position, I must work with difficult chapter presidents and advice chapters on programming that is in compliance with the policy. This job is difficult. Many days it challenges my patients to work with chapters that don't understand the importance of the SOE.

If I could change one thing about my position, I would increase accountability on chapter to report their information on our schedule and not their own.

GOOD:

The good thing about my position is that I get to see change first-hand. Our community has many excellent leaders that go above and beyond in their roles. I can see how my position is making a difference in the fraternity and sorority community here at OSU. 

My job is all about evaluating that progress so I enjoy seeing how chapters are making steps in the right direction toward true values congruence.

FUTURE:

While the progress has been great since the implementation of the SOE in 2001, there is still much work ahead. I am looking forward to continuing in my roles to help make Ohio State the leading Greek Community in the country. If organizations live true to their values, I have no doubt that the fraternal community would need programs like the SOE, but until that day, my position will continue to be necessary. I am proud of the work and the progress that has been made so far this past year and look forward to moving ahead in the year to come.

CS