Welcome

CREATED BY a resolution by the Ohio Wesleyan Board of Trustees, the Greek Life Study Group will be investigating all aspects of Greek life on campus for the purpose of enhancing and strengthening OWU’s Greek experience. We invite you to check back often to read periodic updates on the progress of the group. You’ll also find names of subcommittee members, meeting announcements, and more.

September 12, 2008

Dear Ohio Wesleyan Community:

A new academic year is underway, and as we begin to craft our vision for the future of Ohio Wesleyan, I am turning my attention to a variety of challenges and opportunities. Among these is the opportunity to enhance the quality of Greek life at OWU.

As many of you know, our University leaders have faced several challenges related to Greek life on our campus in recent years. Last May, the Board of Trustees adopted a resolution endorsing the formation of a Greek Life Study Group, which will lead a comprehensive study of Greek life at Ohio Wesleyan and make recommendations for a road map for future excellence in Greek life.

The areas to be explored include, but are not limited to: recruitment of new members; member education; character and leadership development; scholarship; risk management and accountability; fraternity and sorority facilities, including housing facilities; campus community relations; alumni relations and support; national fraternity and sorority relations and support; university staffing and support; the role of governing and coordinating bodies (e.g., Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, OWU Alumnae Panhellenic Council, OWU Alumni Interfraternity Council, and National Pan-Hellenic Council). The Study Group will seek ways to encourage within the Greek organizations, individually and collectively, the appreciation of fraternity or sorority history and ritual. The task force has been directed to develop a new statement articulating the relationship between the university, the fraternity and sorority organizations, and the respective alumni groups associated with each fraternity and sorority; and the responsibilities of each of these groups to ensure the highest-quality experience of Greek life at Ohio Wesleyan University.

The Greek Life Study Group will include a steering committee led by our new Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Craig Ullom, with Binney Fouts ’73, chair of the Committee on Student Life of the Board of Trustees; and John Gordon ’76, also a member of the Board of Trustees, serving as vice-chairs. The sub-committees will study specific topics listed above and share their groups’ results.

The Greek Life Study Group’s timeline is aggressive. The Study Group will begin its work early in the fall 2008 semester with a fact-finding, data-gathering phase. It will report its recommendations to me by the end of the fall semester, and I will share those recommendations with the Board of Trustees at the Winter 2009 meeting. The Study Group will establish a forum to gather input and ideas from all interested members of the OWU family.

We will keep you informed about the outcome of these discussions. I am committed to working with the Study Committee and with all interested constituents to improve the quality of Greek life so that it provides students with the best possible opportunities to develop leadership, build camaraderie, establish life-long friends, and serve their community. These values represent the best of the Greek tradition at Ohio Wesleyan, and they reflect the opportunity to build on this tradition for the future.

I also will be informing you about other important developments related to campus life. Thanks to each of you for the day-to-day dedication you show to Ohio Wesleyan. As a new member of this community, I look forward to getting to know each of you individually and to achieving much success together.

Best regards,

Rock Jones
President