Greek presidents submitted nominations to Matthew Burns, Assistant Dean of Students in charge of discipline, for a Greek disciplinary committee on Nov. 1. Committee members are being chosen this week.
“We will notify Greek presidents of who will be on the committee by Friday,” Director of Greek Affairs Monica Miranda said.
The idea of implementing a Greek disciplinary committee was brought up early this semester at a meeting between Greeks and UR administrators.
At the meeting a suggestion was made by an administrator that the Greeks should monitor themselves more. At that time Burns made a commitment to look into self-monitoring. “Now I’m making good on my promise,” Burns said.
“The committee and students have to set the charge [for the committee],” Miranda said, addressing one of the first items on the committee’s agenda. “We need to define terms like self-monitoring, and look at what roles will the committee and students have.”
“This is not going to be a short process,” Miranda said. The presently forming committee will undertake the task of reviewing current judicial processes and Greek disciplinary issues. “Nothing has been charged yet, the committee and students have to set the charge,” Miranda said, adding that reviewing will entail a broad spectrum of items including everything that is, or could possibly be, a concern for the Greeks.
An important question that will be answered before long is how the Greek committee will work with UR’s larger judicial principles and processes committee.
The committee will review current disciplinary rules and regulations,
“The Greeks are surrounded by rules ? pledge rules, chapter rules, house rules, UR’s rules, etc., and they want to discipline themselves,” Dean Burns said. “If a member of the Greek community commits a violation they go to the dean’s office, other students have 2 or 3 interactions with their RA and GHR, before being sent to the dean’s office,” he said, challenging the fairness of current judicial procedures.
“Other campuses have Greek judicial boards for discipline, sanctioning, etc., but we don’t know if that will happen here,” Miranda said, adding that she is confident that the Greek community is looking to make positive changes.
Recently, 24 members of the Greek community attended an overnight leadership retreat, as part of a series presented by T.H.E.T.A. ? teaching history, excellence, tradition and achievement, which focused on values-based action.
The Fraternity Presidents’ Council could not be reached for comment.
