Despite everchanging COVID-19 related policies and prevalent social injustices, UTM’s Greek Councils are determined to preserve and improve upon chapter tradition and community.
“The goal and guidance has been to preserve as much of the on campus experience as possible, while also doing it safely,” said Chris Gunlefinger, Advisor for Interfraternity Council. “There have definitely been things lost and efforts to make lemons into lemonade, but there are also definitely some new opportunities that will last post-COVID.”
Greek Life at UTM includes 21 fraternities and sororities, all of which fall under three separate councils, the College Panhellenic Council (CPC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and Interfraternity Council (IFC). Each plan on having a specific recruitment process that will incorporate online components as well as limited interaction with potential new members.
IFC will hold rush events Aug. 18 through Aug. 21. Masks and social distancing will be mandatory during both the Formal night at the Elam Center and the following preference nights. The mandatory hazing prevention program will be available online through Canvas as of Aug. 11.
CPC recruitment will be Sept. 4 through Sept. 7. This will include a 48 hour window where potential new members can watch videos created by each chapter introducing themselves, followed by an in-person Zoom where potential new members will be able to converse with active members. The last day will be an in-person preference night, where masks will be mandatory and provided to all attendees.
NPHC will host all required mandatory risk management sessions virtually on Aug. 19, Aug. 26, Aug. 27, and Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. Informational meetings will be held Aug. 25. Students who are interested can view posted events on Runway, the Hub, and the Multicultural Affairs social media pages.
Many of the traditional college Greek experiences, such as Homecoming, will also look different this semester in response to pandemic guidelines. Although the Alumni office is still finalizing plans, it has already been decided other events such as lip sync and Quad City will be cancelled this year.
However, to preserve the familial aspect that is so important to Homecoming, many Chapters are arranging to livestream events such as Pyramid and Rope Pull, while also organizing new virtual events. “By the middle of September, we will have a better idea,” said Rachel Stephens, Advisor for Collegiate Panhellenic Council. “Our goal is to keep as much of the UTM spirit while also being as safe as possible.”
NPHC has decided to postpone Homecoming events, such as the Step Show, to the spring semester, allowing for the opportunity for alumni to participate as in past years. “Homecoming is more about the alumni and revisiting intimate connections,” said Anthony Prewitt, Advisor for National Pan-Hellenic Council. “We are big on legacy and history so we want alumni to be a part of it.”
Although the UTM Greek Councils recognize the importance of trying to stick to tradition as closely as possible in these tumultuous times, each Advisor also recognizes the need and opportunity for change in response to social unrest worldwide.
CPC, IFC and NPHC are planning on evaluating what it means to have a truly diverse campus and creating new positions to address and represent underrepresented social groups. There have also been plans to require more diversity and anti-harassment training for potential new members.
According to Prewitt, there have been 16 meetings with Multicultural Affairs within the past few months, each centering around educating people and creating spaces for conversations and growth as a community. The goal is to teach students and faculty on how to approach topics, create a positive environment, and finding new awareness to issues that brings the student body together.
“We are having lots of conversations about what diversity really is, the difference between diversity with a big D versus a little d,” said Stephens.
Prewitt, Stephens and Gunlefinger hope that new Fraternity and Sorority recruitments can be future facilitators for these conversations. At a time when in person interaction is restricted to six feet of space, the UTM Greek Councils believe that this semester, though challenging, has the potential to create some of the strongest bonds between chapter members.
“We need to look at what we have in common and what brings us together… understand the beauty of family and we will have the support structure for a second family,” Prewitt said.
