University of Missouri wants feedback on Greek system improvements

UPDATE: Mizzou officials presented the recently revised recommendations to a group of about 50 people in Wrench Auditorum Tuesday afternoon.

Among the many recommendations (which can be viewed below), the university worked with the Greek community to propose a six-week pledge process.

According to the task force recommendations, because some chapters have extremely long pledge ship process that may go all semester, it leaves the door wide open for hazing by initiated members.

“It reduces that period where there can be a power differential,” said Interfraternity Council President Jake Eovaldi.

Eovaldi said they’ll also be working more closely with chapters to make new members programs more “conducive to their values and have more of a structure.”

“When that structure breaks down, other members of the chapter can get creative and do things that put the chapter in a bad light,” he said.

He said this overall reform effort has opened up lines of communication and let the university take a more active role in improving safety and overall well being of the Greek system.

“Previous years we’ve seen houses get kicked off and they go underground because their nationals and the university weren’t on the same page,” Eovaldi said. “Now everyone’s communicating, everyone’s on the same page, [and] it’s that support aspect that hopefully the university can have those conversations with these chapters, where they’ll mend their ways and go in a better direction.”

If you want to give feedback on the recommendations, you still can. Email the Dean of Students, Dr. Jeff Zeilenga, at deanofstudents@missouri.edu

ORIGINAL STORY: The University of Missouri will host an open forum at 3:30 p.m. today to get feedback on proposed changes to the school’s Greek system.

The university has been working on changes meant to make the Greek experience more diverse, inclusive and safe for more than a year. According to MU, officials and an advisory board made up of more than 40 alumni, parents, students and others have been working on the recommendations.

The university said they have been presented to the MU community and revised in the past several months. All four student Greek councils voiced support for the revised recommendations.

The process began after a December 2017 report from consultant Dyad Strategies that highlighted a lack of trust between the Greek community and the school.

Over the past several years, five fraternities have been suspended from campus, with some suspension in effect through 2020:

Farmhouse Kappa Alpha Order Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Phi Epsilon Sigma Pi

On Oct. 9, ABC 17 News requested the “charge letters” sent to Greek organizations in 2018. MU gave ABC 17 the letters last week. They range in date from August to September and serve as a notice to the organizations that the university is investigating them. There were 11 letters sent to nine fraternities and one sorority.

Alpha Epsilon Pi received two separate letters. One alleged members continually harassed members of Zeta Tau Alpha, which has a sorority house directly behind Alpha Epsilon Pi’s house. The second letter informed the chapter that it was being investigated for serving alcohol at a party in August and twice in September.

As a result of those letters, the university placed six chapters on disciplinary probation, which means they have received a written reprimand for violations of specified regulations. Their social privileges are not restricted but if they commit any violations during this time, it could result in more serious consequences.

Those chapters are:

Alpha Epsilon Pi Alpha Tau Omega Beta Sigma Psi Beta Theta Pi Gamma Phi Beta Sigma Chi

Check back for updates and reaction from the forum.