Greek Life at LSU Annual Report
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ANNUAL REPORT 2016-2017 LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY Greek Life 1 Louisiana State University began as a small all-male military school near Pineville, Louisiana. Originally called the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Mili- tary Academy (or variations thereof), classes began on January 2, 1860. The first superintendent, William Tecumseh Sherman, and five faculty members, taught the first students. When the Civil War began, the Seminary closed for the duration of the war in April of 1863 and reopened in September of 1865. On October 15, 1869, fire destroyed the seminary building. On Novem- ber 1, the cadets moved to the State Institution for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind in Baton Rouge. The Seminary occupied half of the large building. Throughout Reconstruction in the 1870s and into the 1880s, LSU continued to struggle fi- nancially and was nearly forced to close in 1875. In 1877, after much political wrangling, LSU and the Agricultural and Mechanical College merged to form Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College based in Ba- ton Rouge, where it remains today. Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity was established in 1867 as the first Greek letter organization. Since that time, hundreds of students have found their home in fraternities and sororities at LSU. It is with great pride that we celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Greek Life at LSU! 2 Vision Greek Life strives to develop a community that enables individuals to achieve the highest standards of personal integrity and civic engagement for leadership in a global society. Mission Greek Life transforms lives by supporting and facilitating opportunities and experiences within the Greek community to discover, engage, and learn while fostering an environment for peer accountability based on fraternal values. Greek Membership The Greek community added 2,059 new members during the 2016-2017 academic year for a total of 5,387 fraternity and sorority members, constituting 22.39% percent of the undergraduate population at LSU. 28.59% per- cent of LSU’s female undergraduates are members of sororities, and 14.66% percent of LSU’s male undergraduates are members of fraternities. These students, through their fraternity and sorority chapters achieved an overall GPA of 3.172 with the all undergraduate grade point average standing at 2.948. Alpha Tau Omega fraternity colonized a chapter of 80 men and Alpha Delta Pi sorority brought back their Omega chapter with a colony of 190 women. The Interfraternity Council hosted 21 chapters, the Panhellenic Council hosted 14 chapters and the National Pan-Hellenic Council hosted 5 chapters, for a total of 40 chapters hosted on LSU’s campus. Leadership Development Tri-Council 2017 included training for the three council executive board officers (25 students) prior to the be- ginning of the Spring semester. Orientation, skill development, leadership training and team building made up the two day training facilitated by the Greek Life staff. Three days later, the staff, executive board officers and mem- bers of the Greek Leadership institute held the 2 day Tri Council Retreat for all chapter presidents and delegates for training, leadership development and team building. This consisted of 125 student leaders in St. Francisville, LA. Newly elected chapter officers attended the Annual Officer Workshop to include policy and procedure educa- tion presented by University faculty and staff in January for 250 new officers. Topics included new member educa- tion, financial training, academic excellence, philanthropy and fundraising guidelines and peer accountability. The Greek Life Office facilitated monthly chapter presidents’ cabinet meetings, as well as a chapter advisor meeting each semester, integrated risk management education, forums for community-related issues and many more topics for discussion for the LSU Greek Community. This included 45 student presidents and staff. During the 2016 -2017 academic year, the Greek Leadership Institute (GLI) designed, presented and facilitated the following two-hour workshops: Geaux 4.0, Great to Be Greek, New President/New Member Educators Work- shop, Stress Management, Motivating the Middle, Tri-Council Leadership Retreat and EMPOWER, reaching more than 400 students. EMPOWER was held at Camp Abby Retreat Center, March 10-12, 2017, with 148 freshmen and sophomore ris- ing leaders trained by 28 upperclassmen facilitators. The curriculum was based on basic leadership fundamen- tals. GLI also trained 28 upperclassmen facilitators for EMPOWER, an underclassmen leadership retreat. 3 Three NPHC officers attended the Association of Fraternity Leadership and Values in Indianapolis, Indiana from February 2-5, 2017. Seven IFC officers attended the Southeastern Interfraternity Conference held in At- lanta, GA February 16-20, 2017. A group of 15 PHC women, including PHC directors and PHC executive offic- ers attended the Southeastern Panhellenic Conference in Atlanta, GA, March 30 - April 1, 2017. Presidents Leadership Class Greek Life offered a three hour class credited Leadership Class, HRE 4809in Spring 2017. This new initia- tive was open to all chapter presidents. 16 chapter and three council presidents took advantage of this great leadership development opportunity taught by Teresia Greer, Associate Director, Greek Leadership and Training. Risk Management/Title IX Education We’re Committed Workshop On February 22, 2017, two educational workshops were held on dating violence. Teresia Greer and John Keith facilitated the session for fraternities while Teresia Greer and Angela Guillory facilitated a session for the sororities. Three to five chapter exec board members attended for a total of more than 200 students. PHC Risk Management Workshop for Potential New Members The Panhellenic Council sponsored two risk management workshops focusing on responsible behavior and alcohol education presented by Dr. Lori Hart in two different sessions. One was presented to current mem- bers prior to the fall semester and the other to new members prior to class beginning. More than 3,000 PHC members attended . Alcohol, Drugs, Sexual Assualt and Hazing Policy Workshops In fall 2016, PHC and IFC new members attended a New Member Symposium where Policy Statement 78 (Alcohol) and 108 (Hazing) were presented and discussed. NPHC potential members were educated on these two topics at Greek 101. The Greek Life staff presented Policy Statement 78, 108, and 73 to Greek chapter members at two active member convocations providing application and discussion opportunities. By Sep- tember 30, 2016, more than 5,000 Greek students were educated on these important LSU policies. Hazing Prevention Campaign In October 2016, Greek Life supported National Hazing Prevention Week. Greek Life staff met with the Residential Life staff to educate them on the specifics and signs of possi- ble hazing of new members. Parents of new members in the IFC community received welcome/educational letters providing spe- cifics on the dangers of hazing as well as signs of hazing. Greek Life co-sponsored, with the Office of the Dean of Students, daily full-page ads for two days edu- cating the LSU community on hazing in the Daily Reveille. GLI sponsored a roundtable for chapter presidents and new member educators/membership on the dangers of hazing. Hazing Prevention and Dear World Photo Shoot—Students were invited to take photos of themselves at the Dear World Photo Shoot in the LSU Union. #HelpStopHazing and sign the pledge on the banner. Sponsored the a LSU NHPW SnapChat filer and invited students to share their story. Campus computers displayed Hazing Prevention educational message as the desktop image. IFC, NPHC and PHC new members and chapter presidents/advisors received an email with the #HazingHasNoFace Video. Chapter advisors were encouraged to show the video during a chapter meetings and/or provide opportunities to discuss video and chapter strategies to address hazing. The video was also posted on all Student Life social media. 4 University Departments Collaboration Throughout the academic year, Greek Life organized, promoted and encouraged students throughout the LSU Greek Community to engage in the many opportunities offered across campus to enhance their under- graduate experience. They are as follows: During the new chapter officer retreat held on January 22, 2017 at the LSU Student Union, the Center for Academic Success presented to all new Scholarship Chairmen on how to effectively serve their members by offering academic resources offered through the Center for Academic Success. Student Leadership and Involvement trained officers on philanthropy and fundraising procedures. The staff consistently works with the following offices to either provide service, support or consultation for Greek organizations: Student Advocacy and Accountability, Vice President of Student Affairs, Athletic Department, Residential Life, Honor’s College, LSUPD, Dining, Parking and Transportation Services, Facili- ty Services, Division Assessment Committee, Disabilities, Office of Multicultural Affairs, LSU Foundation, Campus Life, First Year Experience, Center for Academic Success, Wellness Center, Presidents Office, Fi- nance and Administrative Services, Office of Equity, Diversity and Community Outreach, Emergency Oper- ations Center, Risk Management, Strategic Communications, Orientation, Family and Parent Programs, STRIPES, Office of the Dean of Students, LSU Student Union, UREC and Admissions. 4. Ten chapter housing projects were approved through