By Whitney Spencer

The following story is part one of a series focusing on the state of Greek Life at the University of Louisville campus, specifically the historically black fraternities and sororities.

Walking into the Office of Greek Life in the Swain Student Activities Center, students might expect to find anything and everything pertaining to the 26 fraternities and sororities at the University of Louisville. But, if they’re looking for information on the National Pan-Hellenic Council sororities and fraternities, they’re going to have to do their own research.

Fraternity systems have been present for a majority of the country’s existence, and have proven to be large and pivotal structures on multiple college campuses. There are three umbrella organizations that house a majority of fraternities and sororities across the country. The National Panhellenic Council (NPC), founded in 1902, is the umbrella organization for 26 women’s sororities – six of which are active at U of L. The Interfraternity Council (IFC), founded in 1909, houses 73 men’s fraternities – 13 of which are active at U of L. Finally, the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), founded in 1930, is the umbrella organization for the nine historically black fraternities and sororities.

Each of the fraternities and sororities that fall within these organizations were founded on separate principles and ideals. Each has its own colors, symbols, mottos and secrets. Each organization is expected to provide intellectual and social space for its members, while each has a centralized focus on other areas, such as service to the community. At U of L, while the number of students involved in Greek Life is small in comparison to the student body, the success of students involved in Greek Life shows the power of these organizations on each of their members.

With all the positivity that is derived from involvement, what complaints would any members of Greek-lettered organizations have? The one brought up most frequently on U of L’s campus is equality. The operation of Greek Life at U of L has members of NPHC organizations seeking to fill an absence of action being taken by those who ultimately play an integral part in their success or failure on campus. With a separate adviser from IFC and NPC, along with failed lines of communication, these students find it a constant struggle to be recognized.

“It has been caused by some of the past leadership of NPHC, but I also think it was some of the administration too,” said Kellynn Wilson, NPHC adviser. “There’s no education about NPHC. How can we expect SGA, IFC and NPC to know anything about NPHC when there’s nothing upstairs to even indicate we’re here? Nothing. It shouldn’t just be NPHC’s job to educate everybody else about NPHC. Greek Life has to help in some way. Greek Life has to help forge those relationships.”

Joni Burke, the assistant director of student activities and Greek Life coordinator, said that the university strives to meet the needs of each group.

“We try hard not to compare them, but try hard to adapt to what they’re after and what their goals are,” said Burke.

Forging positive relationships with key members of the administration is vital for any Recognized Student Organization on campus. These relationships become even more important when the history and traditions of such organizations need to be understood before decisions can be made. But NPHC members believe that very few attempts have been made to understand the principles and purposes behind each of the Divine Nine organizations.

For each sorority and fraternity in NPHC, there is a time window for what is commonly known as rush activities – events that include informational or interest meetings as well as new member intake. While IFC and NPC hold specific weeklong events to recruit new members, NPHC organizations operate on their own time schedule, based on the rules of their national headquarters. In comparison to the large numbers of new members that IFC and NPC organizations bring in on a yearly basis, NPHC as a whole has held as few as 35 members in 2006 and only 85 this past year. This has been a point of much discussion with administration.

“They want to increase membership the way that they want us to increase it,” said Wilson. “Instead of working within our parameters and saying ‘OK, this is the way you all do it. So how can we increase it within your guidelines?’ I think that’s the problem. They don’t want to work within our guidelines. And, at the end of the day, if they make us choose between their rules and our nationals’ rules, we’re going to follow our nationals’ rules. If the school says ‘Well, you can’t follow our rules,’ then our nationals will just take these chapters off campus. Because it’s not worth changing all of our national rules that have been put in place, for one chapter.”

The written purpose of NPHC is laid out and anyone can read the principles of its existence, but what’s so important at U of L isn’t specifically expressed in the mission statement.

“I feel that we provide a light for the kids that don’t see a lot of people like them,” said Janessa Siegel, NPHC president. “The minority students don’t see a lot of things that are geared toward them…We try to use our influences to influence other students to get involved on campus as well. The benefit of having NPHC on campus is providing especially African American students people to look up to and giving them stuff to do that they would enjoy.”

The biggest event for NPHC every year is the annual homecoming step show. Each year a majority of the organizations participate in this event that yields audiences from across the community and the state. Despite its popularity, the university itself does not financially support the event. Wilson, along with the members of NPHC, is responsible for planning and putting on the event. When the event was in jeopardy last year, the university questioned NPHC and made it clear that the administration wanted the event to continue. It is instances like these that lead NPHC members to feel that the university gives passive support of their nine organizations.

The 18th Annual NPHC Homecoming Step Show will be held on Friday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. It will take place at Louisville Memorial Auditorium, with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door, and can be purchased from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the week in the Olga Peers Academic Center, Room E202 of the SAC.

Next Week

The second part of this series will continue the look into black Greek Life at U of L, discussing the most controversial topic of differential treatment – hazing – as well as the university’s response to the claims of NPHC students that they are being unfairly treated.