Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSystem reforms charity events
By Meredith Bowen
Posted: 2/28/05, 12:30 AM EST Section: News
Giving is going dry for the greek system at Syracuse University, said Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council administrators.
It used to be fraternity men and sorority women could raise money for a good cause while enjoying a cold beer, but the Office of Greek Life and Experiential Learning, Panhellenic Council and the IFC are working to clean up the philanthropy system this year.
"We've merged the social parties with the philanthropies," said Joshua McIntosh, senior associate director of OGLEL. "We need to come out of the bars. We need to separate parties from philanthropy."
Philanthropies have always played a considerable role in greek life, McIntosh said, but should be even bigger.
"We want to bring fraternity life back to the heart, soul and productivity of this campus," he said.
Roy Baker, the new associate dean of students, was shocked to learn that philanthropies were usually held in bars or with alcohol, McIntosh said. In the past, the cover charge to get into the bar would be donated to the philanthropy.
"(Philanthropies) are a great tradition, we just need to clean them up," McIntosh said.
Under previous OGLEL administrations, the greek system was entirely corrupt, said Steven Chamberlain, faculty advisor for Alpha Tau Omega. This allowed the fraternities to say what they knew demonstrators wanted to hear and get away with breaking national fraternity rules, he said.
"It was a tradition for a long time to hear that philanthropies are for drinking and you maybe raise some money," Chamberlain said.
Chamberlain also said Baker and the current IFC leadership are taking steps in the right direction to fixing these problems.
Fraternities and sororities often held the events at the bars because it was the only way the chapters could afford to host events, said Charles Isaac, IFC philanthropy chair. Renting Goldstein Auditorium is extremely costly, Isaac said, and it was more beneficial to use the less expensive bars as venues.
It used to be fraternity men and sorority women could raise money for a good cause while enjoying a cold beer, but the Office of Greek Life and Experiential Learning, Panhellenic Council and the IFC are working to clean up the philanthropy system this year.
"We've merged the social parties with the philanthropies," said Joshua McIntosh, senior associate director of OGLEL. "We need to come out of the bars. We need to separate parties from philanthropy."
Philanthropies have always played a considerable role in greek life, McIntosh said, but should be even bigger.
"We want to bring fraternity life back to the heart, soul and productivity of this campus," he said.
Roy Baker, the new associate dean of students, was shocked to learn that philanthropies were usually held in bars or with alcohol, McIntosh said. In the past, the cover charge to get into the bar would be donated to the philanthropy.
"(Philanthropies) are a great tradition, we just need to clean them up," McIntosh said.
Under previous OGLEL administrations, the greek system was entirely corrupt, said Steven Chamberlain, faculty advisor for Alpha Tau Omega. This allowed the fraternities to say what they knew demonstrators wanted to hear and get away with breaking national fraternity rules, he said.
"It was a tradition for a long time to hear that philanthropies are for drinking and you maybe raise some money," Chamberlain said.
Chamberlain also said Baker and the current IFC leadership are taking steps in the right direction to fixing these problems.
Fraternities and sororities often held the events at the bars because it was the only way the chapters could afford to host events, said Charles Isaac, IFC philanthropy chair. Renting Goldstein Auditorium is extremely costly, Isaac said, and it was more beneficial to use the less expensive bars as venues.
