The image of Syracuse University’s Greek System is expected to change within the next few years, say some university officials. It’s just a matter of how.

Two months have passed since former IFC president Tom Toole presented concerns he and other leaders in the greek community had about a new social policy. The policy addresses issues of risk management, specifically dealing with fraternities and sororities and their alcohol policy.

Members of the Chancellor’s Commission on Substance Abuse Prevention and the Campus Security Greek Subcommittee have since had a chance to digest and discuss Toole’s Nov. 18 presentation.

‘He had some valid points,’ said Laura Madelone, director of Off-Campus Student Services and a member of the subcommittee. ‘There were not a whole lot of changes. Some of the changes were significant, but not numerous.’

Some points of concern brought out by greek leaders involved party registration. The policy mandates that all fraternities and sororities register their parties with the university before they occur. Additionally, the parties can only take place between 4 p.m. Friday and 2 a.m. Sunday.

This aspect of the policy affects sororities especially. Sororities are dry houses, so they host crush and ‘screw-your-sister’ parties on weeknights, usually at a bar on Marshall Street.

‘Bar owners will only let us have events on weeknights,’ said Missy Morrison, a senior musical theatre major and former vice president of the Panhellenic Association. ‘It’s too busy on Friday and Saturday nights.’

Her former position dealt specifically with risk management.

The policy also wouldn’t allow third-party alcohol vendors to sponsor greek charity events. University area bars typically contribute a few hundred dollars to various greek philanthropic events each year.

While some believe the stakes of the social policy are great, some greek leaders are confident that members of the subcommittee will apply change sparingly.

‘I don’t think things will change too drastically,’ said IFC president Charlie Walker, a junior religious studies major. ‘Everything is pretty good as it is right now.’

Walker also hopes that university officials will comply with greeks’ requests out of respect to greek leaders’ wishes for self-governance.

‘I hope we can change ourselves if we need to,’ he said. ‘It’s not up to the university.’

Madelone, however, does envision a change in the Greek System.

‘We’re looking at making the Greek System stronger and more attractive to students,’ she said. She cited the waning numbers of fraternity members who pledge each year as a problem they are trying to combat.

Madelone hopes that the greek community will be receptive to future changes.

‘There’s always a perception that we are trying to get rid of the Greek System,’ she said. ‘We are trying to make it succeed.’ She estimates that a change in the greek community will happen sometime within three to five years after the policy settles in.

Subcommittee members have broken down into even smaller committees with students added to the mix. Madelone doesn’t anticipate that the subcommittee will formally respond to Toole and other greek leaders’ concerns until early March.

Published on January 15, 2004 at 12:00 pm