S UMMER break is often a good time for students to reflect on accomplishments and to plan future involvement at Mr. Jefferson's University. Whether you are a returning fourth year or an incoming first year just about to begin your collegiate career, reflection and projection are essential to succeeding at the University.
Many people at the University associate this success with the degree of their involvement in extracurricular activities. The actual activity that you choose many times depends on being able to create friendships within the organization while being productive - and each person defines "productive" in their own way. Productivity may correlate to leading people, serving the community or staying physically fit.
The Greek System provides both the friendship and the ability to contribute to this school that enables an enjoyable extracurricular experience at the University. The Greek System is composed of four councils: the Black Fraternal Council (BFC), the Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC), the Inter-Sorority Council (ISC) and the Multi-Cultural Greek Council (MGC). Sixty-three fraternities and sororities belong to these four councils: seven in the BFC, 33 in the IFC, 16 in the ISC and seven in the MGC.
Within just the IFC, the fraternities vary greatly in their membership's personality and lifestyle. With such a large and diverse group of fraternities and sororities among all the councils, each first year should be able to find a brotherhood or sisterhood that "fits" his or her personality and lifestyle. Each first year, therefore, can tailor the fraternity life experience to meet their needs as individuals.
In addition to students benefiting from both projection (looking forward) and reflection (looking back) at this time of year, it is also beneficial for an organization such as the IFC to do the same. The fraternities belonging to the IFC focus on brotherhood, a dynamic social life and strong student self-governance. Each fraternity is charged with managing its own housing, staying fiscally sound, creating lasting bonds of brotherhood, maintaining complete accountability for its collective actions and enforcing consequent discipline. They also use an efficient, self-run structure to govern upward of 70 men and organize all social, community service and philanthropic events on their own. These fraternities have more responsibilities than most small businesses.
Yet the student self-governance does not stop there. These fraternities elect 16 men to the IFC executive committee that governs all member fraternities. This committee meets weekly with the fraternity presidents to discuss current issues and create solutions to problems. Each fraternity is required to fulfill certain obligations to maintain Council membership, and the Council is charged with enforcing the bylaws the presidents of each house have adopted.
With many responsibilities and obligations, areas of concern and various problems arise. Due to its structure, the IFC confronts each of these problems head-on. In response to the hot topics of hazing, alcohol and drug abuse, the University and the IFC adopted the Fraternal Organization Agreement. Through this agreement, each fraternity promises to attend five seminars that help produce informed, responsible men with life skills. The Council also took steps to improve all aspects of fraternity life, including seeking to increase rush numbers and to optimize the efficiency of the IFC-Judiciary Committee.
To inform first years of the rush process, the IFC created the "Dorm Advisor Program." This program gives each first year the opportunity to meet an IFC fraternity man prior to rushing and to discuss with him Greek life and the rush process. The fact that each first year has the opportunity to meet with this dorm advisor increased diversity in addition to rush numbers of those who rushed in the spring semester this year.
During that spring semester, the IFC looked to increase accountability within each fraternity. To do this, the IFC-Judiciary Committee oversaw the creation of a Chapter Standards Board within each fraternity. This board allows each fraternity, with the permission of the IFC-Judiciary Committee, to hold hearings for its own members and report the proceedings and verdict to the IFC. This structure decentralized the judiciary authority of the IFC and increased brother-to-brother accountability within each fraternity.
All these actions are proactive steps in the right direction, but none of these steps would be possible without an ever-present bond of fraternity men. Those bonds are not just confined to each independent fraternity, but the brotherhood extends throughout the entire fraternal system. While that fraternal system is excellent for building tomorrow's leaders - leaders that can solve serious problems with effective solutions - the system would not be possible if those leaders are not followed. Making positive changes is something that can only be done if those leaders can march in front of a unified force, and that force is that of brotherhood.
That all-encompassing brotherhood will celebrate 150 years of existence at Mr. Jefferson's University this fall. The IFC projects that a brotherhood strong enough to own such a substantial part of the University's history will continue to have a positive influence on the University's students for many years to come.
(Ryan Ewalt is the public relations spokesperson for the Inter-Fraternity Council.)
Read More
FREED: Do not be fooled — the Trump administration is not fighting antisemitism
By Dan Freed | YesterdayGiven the tenuous connection to battling antisemitism, we are left to assume that the Trump administration is actually interested in censoring a certain set of departments which promote multiculturalism and global literacy.
EDITORIAL: Think wisely about our regional campus
By Editorial Board | 5 days agoWith a longer-term view, it is clear that the College at Wise has held a good track record of growth, and one blip is not cause for concern for the University’s regional campuses.
BAKER, FRIDLEY, LIEU: We should re-examine Inclusive Access textbooks on Grounds
By Susannah Baker , Chloe Fridley and Brighton Lieu | April 11, 2025This appearance gives a fooling impression that Inclusive Access is the cheapest, best option for students, when in reality, the program is misleading in cost, accessibility and privacy.
