Members of the Inter-Fraternity Council, Inter-Sorority Council, National Panhellenic Council and Multicultural Greek Council joined together in initiating changes to the annual Greek Week festivities, which took place last week. The format departed from that of past Greek Weeks by introducing a competition in an attempt to attract more participants.
Greek Week Chair Lindsay Haines said she looked to her homestate's Indiana University and drew inspiration from its popular Greek events.
"People didn't know we even had a Greek Week," Haines said. "I think part of it is just going to take having it happen a few times, the first year is really going to help next year. It'll really transfer the energy to people next year, and they will, in turn, be excited about it."
Sixteen teams composed of members from each of the four councils competed in the week's events, which included a date auction, trivia night and Greek Olympics.
The most popular event, according to Haines and Greek Week committee member Eric Flow, was cleanup day.
"It wasn't even supposed to be fun, it was just cleanup, and over 175 people came out," Flow said. "Philanthropy is something a lot of Greeks in the system are committed to."
Flow noted that while events like Greek Week do not receive as much attention as other aspects of Greek life, community service is a central part of the Greek system.
Haines said at least 75 people participated in every event this year, noting that while not every Greek organization on campus participated, the majority did compete in at least some of the events.
Proceeds from Greek Week benefited the Inter-Greek Habitat House, another major philanthropic effort to facilitate collaboration among the four councils.
"I think a lot of the participation was also because the Greek community in general really wanted to be able to donate toward the Habitat House," noted Greek Week committee member Jessica Love. She predicted that with the changes initiated this year, Greek Week will only get better.
"It's hard to completely redo something in just one year and have it just turn from nothingness to greatness," Flow said. "There was a wonderful foundation laid this year for what Greek Week could be for the future."
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