Greek Life getting ready to hold elections
Current board members say the position allows people to be more involved in the Greek system.
Published Oct. 24, 2008
The Panhellenic Association and the Interfraternity Council will both hold their executive board elections in early November.
PHA is an umbrella organization that represents 14 sorority chapters on campus while IFC represents 28 fraternities on campus and organizes the formal recruitment in the fall.
Although both IFC and PHA are Greek governing boards, their elections are separate and have different processes.
Any woman who has been an initiated sorority member for more than a year and who has a 2.5 GPA is eligible to apply for the PHA board, PHA spokeswoman Audrey Danner said. Good standing within her sorority is also required.
PHA President Diamond Scott advised potential applicants to have fun and enjoy their time on the board because the year really flies by.
"I would definitely recommend being on this board to anyone who is looking to broaden their horizons a little bit as far as being Greek is concerned," Scott said.
On Nov. 9, each contender will give a speech in front of two representatives from each PHA sorority plus the eight current members of the executive board.
After the speeches, voting is done secretly. Current members of the board don't vote, while each sorority has one vote each.
Scott said an ideal candidate for any position on the board would be organized and have good time management skills.
"You also have to have an open mind and be able to look at problems and issues from different angles in order to come up with the best solution," she said.
Once the new board is elected, each new member spends the rest of the semester learning the different tasks and responsibilities of their office. Council members hold their position for a year.
IFC executive board eligibility is defined as any fraternity member who has been active in his fraternity for more than a year.
IFC President Bryan VanGronigen said the benefits of serving on the executive board include interacting with many members of the Greek community and talking about the issues facing the fraternities.
Each application requires the signature of a president of a fraternity other than the applicant's own.
An ideal candidate would be someone who is honest, not afraid to take risks, not afraid to admit they're wrong and able to take initiative, VanGronigen said.
On election night, each candidate will give a speech in front of all chapter presidents and then invite someone else to give a speech on his behalf. Each president gets one vote, and the candidates with the majority of votes win.
VanGronigen said potential applicants need to be ready to stand by their decisions but at the same time be willing to admit any mistakes.
