Each year members of the Greek community leave the University to focus on issues affecting them and set goals about unity and communication for themselves.
This year, 135 Greek leaders and members traveled Friday to Paul B. Johnson State Park in Hattiesburg, Ms., to work on issues affecting their community and ways to achieve goals in a timely fashion, said Victor Felts, assistant dean of students and director of Greek Affairs.
Issues discussed included Chancellor Mark Emmert’s Flagship Agenda and what the Greek community would look like in 2010.
“They agreed more people would want to join the system because they are working to reduce hazing, and fraternity and sorority members are becoming more active, visible and respected,” Felts said.
The participants also talked about the negative press the Greek community receives and how to make it better.
One group discussed teaming with the Campus/Community Coalition for Change to discuss alcohol issues within the Greek community, Felts said.
He said some participants felt Greeks being directly targeted as the only students who had alcohol issues.
“There is a problem with alcohol on every campus,” Felts said. “But because they are the largest group on campus, it is hard not to notice.”
A goal for the weekend was for leaders from each executive council, fraternity and sorority to meet and get to know each other.
Meredith Brexler, facilitator and Pi Beta Phi member, said walls were broken during the weekend.
“We found out more about other councils and about how their processes work,” Brexler said.
Brad Golson, Interfraternity Council vice president of recruitment in charge of rush, said members found out what areas other fraternities and sororities were strong in and which areas needed work.
Cynthia May, Kappa Kappa Gamma president, said every chapter has the common goal of being the best chapter, and the weekend helped them achieve that goal.
“We have a greater sense of unity,” May said. “It opened our eyes to see we all have problems, and we know and will try to work on those things.”
IFC delegate Devin Legendre said the councils have plans for delegates to attend the other councils’ meetings to learn what they are doing and to become more involved.
Lori Barber, National Panhellenic Council president, said the main goal for the weekend was to improve the relationships between the three councils.
“We want to do more as a Greek community, not just our individual councils,” Barber said.
Felts said, through the past years, the weekends have brought people together and reduced the number of fights and vandalism between organizations.