Friday, October 16, 1998
Frats, sororities reshape image
NUMBERS: Greek system adjusts to changing times, diversity of
UCLA
By Jennifer Drane
‘UCLA GREEK!!’ shirts baring this logo are seen all over the
UCLA campus, at the football games and elsewhere. With over 2,000
members, UCLA’s Greek system is the largest student organization on
campus. Over the past three years, fraternities and sororities have
seen a steady increase in membership and this year was no
different. We lengthened our recruitment schedules to allow more
students to participate in rush and we forged new relationships by
involving other campus organizations. It is changes like these that
make the Greek system more appealing to the ever-changing student
body on this diverse campus.
Since its founding in 1923, UCLA’s Greek system has seen its
membership numbers fluctuate, but has always been a driving force
in students’ lives. Fraternities and sororities serve as an outlet
for community service and campus involvement, and are responsible
for starting many UCLA traditions, such as Spring Sing and
Homecoming.
The recent decline in Greek membership is due to many divergent
factors. The phenomenon was not just limited to UCLA; it occurred
across the nation. A primary reason for this decline is that the
parents of today’s college students grew up in an era that was
plagued by stereotypes and misconceptions of the Greek system.
Therefore, these parents are less likely to encourage their
children to become members of fraternities and sororities.
In an attempt to combat this downward shift in membership,
Greeks have changed several policies regarding social
responsibility and risk management. Our numbers have shown a steady
increase as Greeks and surrounding communities have responded
positively to the reforms.
Our organizations’ recent resurgence is due in large part to the
willingness of fraternities and sororities to change with the
times. A push to return to fraternal ideals and founding principles
has led to an increased sense of community in the Greek system.
This strong sense of unity has allowed the Interfraternity Council
(IFC) and Panhellenic Council to make serious strides in outreach
and development.
Our efforts have not gone unrewarded.
Due to the recent strength of the Greek system, UCLA was able to
welcome back two more fraternities this fall  Sigma Alpha
Epsilon and Lambda Chi Alpha. Overall, fraternities showed a 64
percent increase in the number of new members as compared to last
year. Sororities also enjoyed a healthy increase of 13 percent,
which placed many groups at or above maximum capacity.
In the time that we have been students at UCLA, the Greek system
has gone to great lengths to adapt to the evolving environment here
at UCLA. This year, the IFC, Panhellenic Council and the Office of
Residential Life worked together to create the first ever Residence
Hall Move-in Plan. Members of UCLA’s 18 fraternities and 10
sororities helped students move into Dykstra Hall. We wanted to
show students and parents that Greeks are service-oriented, and are
always willing to lend a helping hand to the campus community to
which we belong. Hopefully, next year we will be able to expand our
assistance to residents in the other three halls, suites and Sunset
Village.
In an attempt to raise awareness of the Greek system and
increase our visibility and accessibility, fraternities and
sororities reached out to all facets of the UCLA community. During
the summer, our representatives attended every freshman, transfer
and parent orientation session to answer questions about Greek
life. To inform students whom we may have missed at orientation, we
created and distributed a Guide to Greek Life, which was mailed to
all incoming freshman and transfer students. In addition, Greeks
were in attendance at this year’s Freshman Convocation to welcome
incoming students and interact with faculty and other student
groups.
Since Greeks are consistently among the most spirited students
at UCLA, we decided to start a new tradition by co-sponsoring this
year’s first annual Bruin Pep Rally with the Athletic Department,
On-Campus Housing Committee, Office of Residential Life, UCLA
Marching Band and the Rally Committee. Interfraternity Council
President Spencer Miller was Master of Ceremonies, and
representatives from IFC, Panhellenic and other student
organizations spoke on the importance of student involvement.
The Greeks at UCLA look forward to continuing our involvement
with other organizations on campus, with the hope of putting to
rest the ‘Animal House’ misconceptions that continue to hinder the
strides that we have made. Fraternities and sororities have
survived the past 150 years, and it is through mutual learning and
understanding that we and the university community of which we are
a part will continue to flourish.
Comments, feedback, problems?
© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board[Home]