Cal State-Chico Greeks Improve Image

The Orion
California State University, Chico
May 24, 2006

Cal State-Chico greeks comply with university rules, improve image
By Jennifer Scholtes, The Orion

One year ago, the Greek Life Task Force presented a report to President Paul Zingg that gave Cal State-Chico fraternities and sororities an ultimatum: Get better or get out.

Although the Greeks still have a long way to go, they have improved their system, university officials said.

"Compared to last year at this time, we've made tremendous progress," Vice President for Student Affairs Jim Moon told the Academic Senate on May 2. "I wouldn't have predicted that a year ago."

The Greek system was asked to revamp May 16, 2005 after events that included the near death of a pledge because of alcohol poisoning in January 2005, the death of a pledge during a hazing ritual in February 2005 and the April 2005 discovery that a fraternity had filmed a pornographic video in its chapter house.

To improve themselves, the Greeks were asked to limit alcohol consumption, focus on academics, develop leaders, increase community service and philanthropy, and stop hazing.

In response, the Greeks voted this semester to not recruit first-semester freshmen and not have alcohol at socials held at chapter houses. In addition, the Academic Senate made a rule that all university-recognized Greek organizations must have average chapter GPAs of 2.5 or higher.

The Greeks have achieved their community service and philanthropy goals by supporting causes such as the Boys & Girls Club and Hurricane Katrina relief. And Greek adviser Larry Bassow said he thinks hazing has drastically decreased.

But Zingg has already started to see a response to the system's improvement, he said.

"From a lot of community feedback, I believe that the larger community has seen positive changes with the Greeks and is confident that we're headed in the right direction," he said in an e-mail.

(C) 2006 The Orion