How does the Greek community take action to become stronger? By knowledge and unity.
So you’re saying there is beef within Greek Life? No, not really, just a lack of knowledge. Ask yourself these questions. How many councils represent the Greek Life community at Baylor? Name them. Now ask yourself this question. Are you Greek? Are you interested in Greek Life? If no, why should you care?
Well, if you are involved in any clubs or societies, I’m sure you have partnered with another club or society on some sort of similar initiative. I’m also sure that if you are in a Greek organization, you probably have partnered with another Greek organization. But how diverse or unique was the collaboration? Exactly.
The point I am trying to make here is that there is a serious lack of knowledge of something so prominent on our campus. Let’s backtrack. There are 40 Greek organizations. There are four councils, plus independent and local. The Panhellenic Council, the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the Multicutural Greek Council (MGC). Are you surprised? Or bored? Try to stick with me.
Say you are a sorority in the Panhellenic Council with a philanthropy of Breast Cancer and there is another sorority in MGC that has the same philanthropy. Would you be willing to collaborate on an event that raises awareness on this issue? Why or why not? Well before we get there, how would you find out two sororities have the same philanthropies without the knowledge or proper resources? Exactly.
Now what if you are a non-Greek organization that needs to increase participation? For example, if you are a Bible study group and there is a Christian-based sorority, why shouldn’t you both collaborate on an event? Then again, did you know there was such a thing?
Ask yourself why you don’t know more about people who wear similar letters or who stand for similar purposes and visions. Ask yourself how to get there, and then do it.
I’ll give you an idea. Share your information. Whether that’s a Greek Life bulletin board in the Bill Daniel Student Center or maybe an e-letter sent to Greek Life members about upcoming events, mixers and more. If you know what’s going on within, you can reach further throughout.
Greeks can say, “well people don’t understand us or they never will.” I don’t have to quote negative stereotypes and connotations that come with the idea of Greek Life for people to recognize it. But it shouldn’t be that way. As the majority, we should take the effort to show people what we are truly about. These groups are about service, bonding, awareness and traditions.
As a member of a sorority of NPHC, I can say that it starts from within. If the council itself does not have the knowledge of the history in the organizations that make the council exist, how can it work properly? Here’s a good quote for you: Aristotle once said, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Greek organizations cannot exist without a council. A council cannot exist without members. Members cannot exist without a college community and so forth and so on. Therefore, we need to be aware of each other. Knowledge is power. We can build each other up or we can break each other down. And that decision lies on no one but ourselves.
Bruana Marks is a senior communication specialist from Blakeslee, Pa. She is a reporter for the Lariat.
