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Questions & Answers
Pamela Stephens-Jackson, who answered these questions, is university liaison in the Office of Greek Affairs. Matthew Jelenevsky is a graduate assistant in the office.
Matthew Jelenevsky
What is the Office of Greek Affairs? What is your role as university liaison? The Office of Greek Affairs is the administrative center for the Greek-lettered social organizations on campus. At present, there are 22 recognized sororities and fraternities, 9 interest groups and 9 fledgling organizations seeking interest-group status. As university liaison, it is my responsibility to provide advisement and guidance to these organizations while enforcing the applicable university guidelines and New York State Penal Law. I am assisted by Matthew Jelenevsky, graduate assistant and alumni member of one of our fraternities, who will have earned two degrees from UB (B.S. in industrial engineering and an M.B.A.) in May 2003.
What percentage of the UB student body belongs to a fraternity or sorority?
Right now, the Greek population accounts for about 3 percent of the undergraduate student body at UB, including all three of the previously mentioned categories; approximately 500 of our 15,159 undergraduates (Fall 2002). During the early 1980s, the Greek population comprised roughly 7 percent of the undergraduate student body.
Greek organizations are popular at many Big-10 schools—schools that UB aspires to be like. Are there any plans to increase the number and visibility of Greeks on campus?
Although there has been a decline in the Greek population nationally, fraternities and sororities still remain an important and influential part of student life at many Big-10 schools. UB has experienced a decline in Greek numbers in recent years, consistent with national trends. But, for the past two years, we've been working strategically to resurrect the strength in numbers that once existed at UB. Efforts have included increased leadership development opportunities, marketing efforts aimed at specific target audiences, an overhaul of our Web site, creation of print media that introduces and promotes the office to students and parents, partnering with other campus departments to enhance organizational leadership experiences and providing educational information regarding liability and legal issues. Lisanne Hudson, a Buffalo State graduate student and former intern in our office, assisted with a comprehensive review of the structure and offerings at comparable institutions with large, successful Greek programs. The selected institutions were Michigan State University, University of Michigan and Penn State. Taking into consideration the size of our staff, "borrowing" ideas with a proven track record seemed the most prudent way to move in the right direction. Our goal is managed growth of the system that will produce benefits for the university and a quality leadership and participation experience for our students, complementing their academic endeavors. Philanthropic activities and community service are both good reflections on the university.
What are the advantages of being a member of a Greek-lettered organization?
There is data that shows that students who join Greek-letter organizations during their college years are more involved on campus, more academically successful and provide more support to their institutions after graduation than their non-Greek peers. In addition, membership provides opportunities for leadership, financial management and programming skills development.
Is the "Animal House" view of Greek organizations still the prevailing one? What are some of the positive contributions made by Greek organizations?
Unfortunately, John Belushi's "Animal House" image of Greek life is still out there. It is an image that we must constantly work to eliminate. Greeks seem to be held to a higher standard than other student groups or students in general. It's difficult to get media attention for all of the good that they do, but the bad almost seems to be sought-after. UB fraternal organizations provide the bulk of the volunteer support (200-plus) for the annual Linda Yalem Memorial Run and are the third-largest fund-raising entity in Western New York for The Buffalo News' Kids' Day newspaper sale, surpassed only by Tops Markets and M&T bank, raising almost $11,000 in roughly three hours. Individual organizations have provided school supplies for selected classrooms in the Buffalo Public Schools, organized food and clothing drives to benefit People, Inc.; Haven House, and many other service agencies, both local and national. Overall, the organizations raised $15,000 for local and national charities, and provided 3,217 hours of service to the local and/or university community in 2001-02. And these community-service hours do not include the approximately 400 hours devoted to the Linda Yalem Run.
Were you a member of a sorority/fraternity while in college?
Although my undergraduate alma mater, Penn State, has a large Greek system, I did not become a sorority member until I was initiated into the Gamma Phi Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a graduate chapter. The Penn State undergraduate chapter was inactive during most of my years as a student. The chapter to which I belong has more than 100 active members and it is just one of two local graduate chapters. Our chapter was featured in the Jan. 1, 2003, Buffalo News "Next" section for one of our largest community service projects, a biennial event. Matt is an alumni member and founding father of the New York Sigma Chi Omega Fraternity, a local organization. Among their traditional annual service events are the American Heart Association's Heart Ball, WNY Food Bank's Race Against Hunger and Kids' Day. His primary role now in the organization is that of a consultant.
What question do you wish I had asked, and how would you have answered it?
What has your office been involved in recently? Matt organized an information-sharing workshop for local Greek administrators on Jan. 6 on campus that included representatives from Daemen College, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Geneseo, UB and University of Rochester. This was a chance to discuss the successes and difficulties that are being encountered by other institutions and how we're all handling them. He did a great job of bringing it all together.