As West Virginia University prepares for fall recruitment next week (Sept. 21-25), Vice President of Student Life Bill Schafer is emphasizing the importance of moving Greek Life in a more positive direction—an initiative he prioritized from his first steps on campus during the spring 2015 semester.

“Greek life can have a positive impact on campus and the community, including graduation rates, philanthropy, leadership and service learning opportunities, and that’s what we want to harness going forward – the positive,” Schafer said.

One of the first changes implemented by Schafer this semester was shifting the recruitment timeline. Fall recruitment has been adjusted to the sixth week of the semester to allow new WVU students adequate time to adjust to college life before pursuing sorority and fraternity membership.

In addition, the WVU Interfraternity Council has increased the GPA requirement to 2.75, and the Panhellenic Council has added a character reference letter requirement to the recruitment registration process. They are also hosting mandatory workshops for potential members to learn more about what campus and the Greek community have to offer.

Formal recruitment for Interfraternity Council fraternities runs from Sunday (Sept. 20) to Friday (Sept. 25) and sorority recruitment begins Sunday (Sept. 27) and ends on Saturday (Oct. 4).

“Recruitment is important to Greek organizations because it allows them to strengthen their organizations by finding new members who exemplify the Greek values of scholarship, service, brotherhood/sisterhood, and leadership,” said Jessica Li, program advisor in the WVU Office of Greek Life. “It’s also how these chapters leave a legacy on campus, because they’re recruiting the members and student leaders who will guide the WVU Greek community over the next four years.”

A Greek Alumni Advisor Roundtable and Greek Leadership retreat, initiated by Schafer, were recently held to unite the Greek community and to discuss leadership and developing a model Greek community.

A national search is being conducted to hire an Associate Dean of Greek life for WVU, a new position created by Schafer to produce greater oversight of initiatives that will foster a safe and secure environment.

“I will continue to work collectively with student leaders, Greek alumni and the National Chapter Headquarters in moving the WVU Greek community forward,” Schafer said. “We have a lot more work ahead of us, but I’m confident we will change the culture at WVU.”

WVU’s Greek community is home to 16 Interfraternity Council (IFC) fraternities and 9 Panhellenic sororities, and three National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. (NPHC) fraternities and sororities. The National Pan-Hellenic Council is made up solely of historically African-American sororities and fraternities.

For more information on WVU Greeks, visit http://greeklife.wvu.edu/.

-WVU-

ta/9/17/15

CONTACT: Jessica Li, Greek Life
Jessica.li@mail.wvu.edu, 304.293.8201

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.