The Fraternity Working Group - a committee headed by Dean of Students Penny Rue to generate ways to strengthen the fraternity system - submitted its report to the Board of Visitors on Friday.
The Board enthusiastically approved the recommendations, which focused on strengthening student self-governance in the Greek system, improving alumni and faculty involvement with the houses and increasing University involvement with fraternities financially and structurally.
Rue formed the group of administrators, students, faculty and alumni after the Board directed the University administration to seek ways to promote the health and strength of the Greek system. Part of the Board's concern came from complaints of fraternity members that deferred formal rush significantly weakens the fraternity system.
Former Dean of Students Robert T. Canevari moved rush from the fall to the spring in 1998.
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The report found that the Greek system is basically sound but would run much better if the housing, leadership and resources of the individual fraternity chapters were improved.
One of the major changes the group recommended was to create a closer arrangement between the chapters and the administration, which means getting rid of the Fraternal Organization Agreement (FOA), a contract that establishes a formal relationship between the fraternities and the University.
The FOA "limits the University's liability for fraternities' risky behavior, rather than actually reducing the risky behavior," Rue said.
The report also says that in order to strengthen fraternities, the houses must "rethink the role of alcohol." The report urges the fraternities to completely eliminate hard liquor from parties with the possible exception of alumni events.
The Board was impressed with the report.
"Doing nothing is not an option," Board member Gordon F. Rainey Jr. said. "We need to move forward with this"
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