MU’s Greek students feel “like the University is out to get us” and that the Office of Greek Life is not providing the necessary support that their chapters need, according to a report from an outside consulting firm released Thursday.
The Dyad Strategies report offered a scathing review of the Greek Life office, concluding that it is facing a lack of purpose and direction, the result of a former director telling employees to “scale back” services to the bare minimum.
Gentry McCreary, Dyad Strategies CEO, said that directive, which occurred nearly two years ago, was unlike anything he had seen before.
“That aspect of the report was unique and troubling that a former administrator would undermine the community that they serve,” he said.
As a direct result, the office has provided limited help to chapters, which, in turn, has caused a perceived lack of support for students in the fraternity and sorority community, according to the report.
MU commissioned the report for $22,000 in August.
The report also focused on the Greek system itself, which MU has cracked down on in recent years. It recommended that MU make it a top priority to remove all freshman from fraternity houses in order to improve overall student safety and academic performance. It also states that two fraternities are still operating despite MU no longer recognizing them.
Students who belong to culturally based fraternal organizations also felt MU didn’t support them, according to the report.
Despite the report’s finding, Gary Ward, the interim vice chancellor for student affairs, said he believes the report can lead to an improved Greek system.
“From the beginning of this process, our goal has been to make the Mizzou Greek System the best in the country,” he said in a statement. “We will be reviewing the report and recommendations very carefully to determine our next steps.”
The Office of Greek Life declined to comment. The Panhellenic Association and the Interfraternity Council did not return requests for comment.
The report recommended several ways to improve safety at fraternities’ social events:
- Fraternities should register all social events and implement a maximum number of social events per semester. Sorority leaders worry extensively about the safety of their members during social events that aren’t registered at fraternities, according to the report.
- Fraternities should ban all hard alcohol and implement strict “bring your own beer” rules within their chapter houses.
- Fraternities should implement a policy in which each member may have no more than three guests with him at a time.
- MU and the Interfraternity Council should work together to find an outside firm to provide security during registered events.
- Inspections of chapter houses should occur regularly throughout the duration of a registered social event and then randomly on nights with no registered events.
McCreary said, if the report’s recommendations are followed, MU’s Greek system could become a model of success.
“I do think the things we’ve laid out are a step in the right direction,” he said.
McCreary is expected to return to campus in the next few weeks to meet with students, faculty and other leaders to talk about the proposed implementation of the recommendations.
Supervising editor is Sky Chadde: news@columbiamissourian.com, 882-7884.