The greek community took its first collective steps to improvement at the "Greek Pride: A Return to Glory" summit last Friday and Saturday.
More than 100 alumni, members of the greek community, university officials and members of the State College community came together to participate in the Appreciative Inquiry process, a four-part organizational technique used to focus on the positive aspects of greek life.
"Our greek system has gotten beat up in the past," said Vicky Triponey, vice president for Student Affairs. "We really need to take time to change that."
The summit included the first two parts of the Appreciative Inquiry process, discovery and dream. The second summit, April 22 and 23, will cover the last two parts, design and destiny.
One of the main goals of the summit was to improve relations between the university and the greek community.
"In the 1980s, Penn State decided the fraternities were risky business and made a conscious decision to separate the two for the sake of the university," Triponey said.
Richard Brungard, a University Learning Center employee, said the greek system is unfocused and needs guidance from the university. "They are a group of students who need a set of guidelines and people to fall back on."
Pat Vernon, a State College resident since 1966, said there also needs to be more cooperation between the town and the greek community. "Too many people have the Animal House image of fraternities," Vernon said.
"But in reality, this is the only place where there is organization and regulation outside of the dorms. I see kegs going up the stairs of apartments every night without anyone to regulate it."
Sara Ryan, Allies president, said she wants to provide a perspective from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied (LGBTA) community. "I'd like to see the greek community become a more inclusive community for everyone, including the LGBTA community."
Many of the people who attended were greek alumni who want to insure a successful future for the greek community. "I've been a greek member for 52 years, and I can't imagine my life without it," said Iris Flynn, a State College resident and alumnus of Alpha Phi sorority at the University of Michigan.
Flynn's four children also became members of the greek community while at Penn State. "To me, my experience at Penn State was greatly enriched by the fraternity community," said Bob Baney, a summit consultant. "It made Penn State seem a lot smaller."
Plans to improve these areas of the greek community will be created at the second summit after all the information from the first one is collected. "We may not have all the answers today, but if we leave with the hope and faith of making things better, then that would be a success," said Mary Kaye Jacono, former Panhellenic Council president.
