Visit by fraternity and sorority experts includes open session

A team of national experts will begin a four-day campus visit Sunday as part of a proactive review to strengthen fraternity and sorority life.

During the visit, the team will welcome insight and feedback from the campus community and the larger Madison area at an open session from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Monday, April 1, at Memorial Union. (Check the “Today in the Union” board for the room.)

The proactive review, announced in February, is intended to assess, clarify, and strengthen the relationship between the university and the fraternity and sorority community. Goals include instituting the latest best practices and improving student health and safety.

UW–Madison has 60 fraternity and sorority chapters with about 4,500 student members. The chapters are overseen by four councils: Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and Panhellenic Association (PHA). A group that includes members of every council, faculty, staff, and individuals not affiliated with a fraternity or sorority has been convened to give advice on the process.

The external review team is composed of the following five individuals, each holding membership in an organization that is part of UW–Madison’s four governing councils:

• Laura Osteen (team lead), director, Center for Leadership & Social Change, Florida State University
• Kurt Foriska (IFC team member), development director, Office of Student Life, Ohio State University
• Sam Centellas (MGC team member), executive director and CEO, La Casa de Amistad, a Latino youth and community center, South Bend, Indiana
• Jennifer Jones (NPHC team member), executive director of student life, Southern Methodist University
• Amy Vojta (PHA team member), associate director of fraternity and sorority affairs, Rutgers University

“We’re excited to welcome these nationally recognized experts to campus,” says Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor. “They are experienced leaders who understand the environment and culture of fraternity and sorority life and can help us enhance the positive contributions of this community.”

During the March 31-April 3 visit, the review team will hold 19 sessions with stakeholder groups, in addition to the open session for the broader community. At the open session, all comments will be welcome, though the review team intends to guide a conversation based on the six focus areas of its work: accountability; institutional relationship; membership experience; student safety; diversity and inclusion; and resources and support. A comment form is available on the Fraternity and Sorority Life website.

At the conclusion of the external review process, the team will provide a report that includes a current analysis of the fraternity and sorority community at UW–Madison and a set of recommendations. Campus engagement on the report will begin this summer and continue into the fall.