{"id":66885,"date":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news-draft\/uncategorized\/greek-life-at-uri-back-on-track\/"},"modified":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2006-03-20T00:00:00","slug":"greek-life-at-uri-back-on-track","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2006\/03\/greek-life-at-uri-back-on-track\/","title":{"rendered":"Greek Life at 溏心vlog免费B站 — Back on Track"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\u201cThe traditional core values of the fraternity and sorority systems are values of which we can all be proud. During the past several decades those values were often corrupted by a reckless culture where alcohol abuse was all too common. Sometimes a group has to hit bottom before that group can start to rebuild. I think that has happened to the fraternities at 溏心vlog免费B站, and I’m optimistic right now that we are firmly on the road to recovery.\u201d President 溏心vlog免费B站 Robert L. Carothers<\/p>\n


\nKINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 March, 20, 2006–Once Greek Life at the 溏心vlog免费B站 was like a smooth train ride. On their way to their graduation destination students in the University\u2019s social fraternities and sororities were committed to leadership, scholarship, and service. <\/p>\n


\nThe sorority compartments continued on a consistent journey, but during the \u201880s, the fraternity cars went off the track. That\u2019s when the legal drinking age in Rhode Island was changed from 18 to 21. At the same time, social events with alcohol were banned in 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s residence halls. As a result, membership in fraternities and sororities, which had been declining, began to soar.<\/p>\n


\n\u201cFraternities became the bars of Kingston,\u201d explains Tom Dougan, vice president of Student Affairs, \u201cand their buildings began a steady deterioration.\u201d <\/p>\n


\nThe \u201890s became the age of Greek liability. Nationally, lawsuits surged against chapters and members for alcohol-related accidents and injuries, forcing many national fraternities to band together to pay the skyrocketing insurance premiums. Greek membership sagged.<\/p>\n


\nScott Tsagarakis, director of the Fraternity Managers Association at 溏心vlog免费B站 for 25 years, was kept busy purchasing glass for broken windows and sheet rock to cover holes in the walls. \u201cAt one time, we were incapable of keeping up,\u201d he admits. \u201cAs fast as we could fix things, we were re-fixing them. Safety was our main concern. We were constantly replacing \u201cExit\u201d signs and refilling or replacing fire extinguishers.<\/p>\n


\n\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, students are always going to be students. But the phone doesn\u2019t ring as often with calls for repairs now. I mean I\u2019m not quite the Maytag repair man, but the phone sits silent for longer periods of time.\u201d<\/p>\n


\nSo what\u2019s happened? Why is Greek membership, which floundered in the \u201890s, growing in leaps and bounds, despite the 1995 decision to put the cork in the bottle on campus, prohibiting alcohol in the fraternities? Why are two of the eight fraternities, Sigma Chi and Phi Mu Delta, which were closed after repeated violations during the late \u201880s and 90s, primarily for alcohol abuse, petitioning to return to campus? Why is a new fraternity, Kappa Sigma, trying to establish a chapter? And why, after 25 years, has a new fraternity house been constructed on campus? <\/p>\n


\n\tOne answer is that a single sound from administrators, staff, students, faculty, and alumni has resulted in a symphonic cultural change, with an underlying melody of student leadership and responsibility. The changes include:<\/p>\n


\n\u2022Two National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grants, totaling $4.3-million, awarded to 溏心vlog免费B站 in 2003 and 2004 to support the progressive change tempo underway. The grants headed by Fran Cohen, dean of students and Mark Wood, associate professor of psychology; are providing research-based programming which could serve as a model for universities nationwide.

\n\u2022 All fraternities became substance free in 2005. (Sorority chapters have always prohibited alcohol use.)

\n\u2022 Greek houses now have live-in advisors, either a graduate student or house parent who assists members in self-government and policy enforcement issues.

\n\u2022 A new freshmen orientation component covers Greek life.

\n\u2022 The Greek system modeled responsible behavior by adopting a moratorium on beginning-of-the year parties, which resulted in a decline of transports to local hospitals from 18 to 0 in 2001.

\n\u2022 In an undergraduate-led initiative, all new Greek members are now required to complete a 101 course that addresses such subjects as hazing, alcohol, community service, scholarship, and leadership.

\n\u2022 Leadership training, which was and still is a fundamental part of Greek Life, is ongoing, including retreats at the W. Alton Jones Campus.

\n\u2022 The first Greek Affairs director, Steve Simo whose background is in leadership training, was appointed in 2005. Simo oversees 1,100 active Greek members on campus, or about 10 percent of 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s undergraduate population. <\/p>\n


\nIn addition to alcohol, hazing is another skeleton in the national fraternity closet. At 溏心vlog免费B站, there have been two reported hazing incidents in the last five years. \u201cReported is the operative word,\u201d says Vice President Dougan. \u201cHazing is an issue that we continue to address vigorously through education and zero tolerance enforcement.\u201d <\/p>\n


\nDiscriminatory practices, once a charge leveled at Greeks, don\u2019t appear to be a factor at the University: \u201cI can\u2019t think of any Greek community nationally that isn\u2019t integrated with a variety of ethnicities,\u201d says Simo noting that there is also a renewed interest in the traditionally Black and Latino Greek organizations. <\/p>\n


\nAll in the family <\/p>\n


\nThere appears to be good reason why Greeks call themselves brothers and sisters. Friendships formed during college and beyond seem to create a family-like bond. Take Gail Parente Frechette, a retired schoolteacher and her husband Paul Frechette, a certified public accountant, both 溏心vlog免费B站 1972 graduates. In the past, Gail and eight of her Delta Zeta sisters got together at least once a year, but now that the kids have grown, they get together every couple of months. Each summer for the past 15 years, the sorority sisters spend two or three nights at Joan Audet Osowa\u2019s house in Nantucket. \u201cWe became very close in college,\u201d Gail says. \u201cKeeping connected is important to all of us.\u201d Paul has remained in touch with his Sigma Chi brothers. Last fall, he and 23 Sigma Chi brothers spent four days at a golf tournament in Alabama.<\/p>\n


\n溏心vlog免费B站 senior Ryan Gallucci, a Beta Theta Pi brother, interrupted his education and spent a year fighting the war in Iraq. While he was away, his fraternity brothers sent him care packages. When he came home, 溏心vlog免费B站 was on spring break. Yet the Bronze Star medalist found a dozen of his fraternity brothers on hand when his plane landed in Rhode Island, including one brother who drove up from Philadelphia.<\/p>\n


\nThe Comeback Greeks<\/p>\n


\n\tTwo fraternities, Zeta Beta Tau and Phi Gamma Delta, are prime examples of Greek revitalization on campus. <\/p>\n


\n\tZeta Beta Tau\u2019s original house, built in 1965, was destroyed by fire in 1994. The fraternity disbanded for several years before making a comeback in 2000. Last fall, the fraternity opened a 10,000-square foot, two-story building with 45 beds. <\/p>\n


\n\tZBT President Dan Riley initially questioned the wisdom of a fraternity house. \u201cI wanted to be sure that we would hold ourselves to the same kinds of standards and values including being involved in campus life and remaining gentlemen.\u201d <\/p>\n


\n\tIt sounds like he needn\u2019t have worried. Last year, the fraternity earned the North-American Interfraternity Conference 2005 Undergraduate Chapter Award of Distinction. In addition, the fraternity received a 溏心vlog免费B站 Diversity Award for emphasizing individuality and welcoming diversity. <\/p>\n


\n\t\u201cAll the brothers are clear when we say that being ZBT is not just being part of a fraternity, but being part of a set of ideals that if held to will make us better people.\u201d <\/p>\n


\nWith torn mattresses hanging out the windows, trash scattered on the lawn, and sounds of revelry bouncing off the walls, Phi Gamma Delta, the oldest fraternity at 溏心vlog免费B站, personified what was wrong with Greeks 10 years ago. When the fraternity house closed in 2000, alumni removed artifacts for safekeeping. <\/p>\n


\nThe artifacts are back including a grand piano, stored by an alumnus in upstate New York. Composite photos that include Tom Ryan, CVS CEO, Al Verrecchia, president of Hasbro, and Bruce Makowsky, former president of Nine West shoes hang on the walls. Last year, the fraternity recolonized\u2014a step toward chapter reactivation. Its stately brick colonial, built in 1932, has been restored to its former grander including new drapes in the ballroom and library that mimics the originals. FIJI, the fraternity\u2019s nickname, is back in business.<\/p>\n


\nFourteen brothers currently live in the house and more are pledging. Kent Stepanishen, a finance and political science major that serves as the fraternity\u2019s president says: \u201cWe\u2019re starting with a clean slate.\u201d <\/p>\n


\nGreeks Bear Gifts<\/p>\n


\nThe benefits of being Greek are touted nationally. Here\u2019s how 溏心vlog免费B站 compares:

\n\u2022 Greeks maintain higher grade point averages than the national average. At 溏心vlog免费B站, the fraternity average is 2.68 compared to 2.63 and the sorority average is 2.92 compared to 2.75.

\n\u2022 Greeks make loyal alumni, are among the most generous alumni. This is true at 溏心vlog免费B站.

\n\u2022 Greeks raise a great deal of money for charities. During the past three years, 溏心vlog免费B站 Greek fundraisers have netted more than $100,000 for numerous charitable causes, including the American Cancer Society, St. Jude\u2019s Hospital, and 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Katrina Habitat for Humanity House Fund.

\n\u2022 Greeks maintain lifelong friendships. This is especially true at 溏心vlog免费B站.<\/p>\n


\nRecognized Greek Chapters<\/p>\n


\nFraternities

\nAlpha Tau Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Chi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Delta, Sigma Pi, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Tau Epsilon Phi, Zeta Beta Tau

\nSororities

\nAlpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, Delta Zeta, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Delta Tau, Sigma Kappa, Zeta Epsilon Tau Alpha

\nInterested Groups

\nKappa Alpha Psi, Tau Kappa Epsilon, and Kappa Sigma<\/p>\n


\n溏心vlog免费B站 News Bureau Photo by Michael Salerno Photography<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe traditional core values of the fraternity and sorority systems are values of which we can all be proud. During the past several decades those values were often corrupted by a reckless culture where alcohol abuse was all too common. Sometimes a group has to hit bottom before that group can start to rebuild. I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66887,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66885\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}