Ire directed at Locatelli letter

By Nicole LaPrade

Recruitment begins Thursday night for several Santa Clara greek organizations amid frustration by many members of the groups, who say the university only focuses on the negatives of greek life.

Several members were angered at a letter dated Aug. 12 by University President Paul Locatelli, S.J., to freshman parents, warning that greeks were "incompatible" with Santa Clara's values.

Those same greek organizations, including Alpha Phi, Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Sigma Pi and Pi Kappa Alpha, refused to be interviewed for this story. But members of those organizations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, had themselves brought forward concerns to The Santa Clara regarding the letter earlier this year.

Martha Brown, chair of the National Panhellenic Conference, said she finds it "entirely inappropriate" for the Conference "to have any comment."

"These organizations are not obliged to give interviews to the media if they choose not too, which apparently they have chosen to do, so I don't see that there is a story," she said. Courtney Lautman, president of the Panhellenic Council of Santa Clara, also declined comment.

Cal Phi president Brady Wade, the only greek official who would comment on this story, said that "it is unfortunate that such a respected institution is kind of spearheading a campaign against what a lot of students consider very important to them."

University officials downplayed the letter, claiming that it was simply normal correspondence with parents.

"There are letters that go out all the time, on a regular basis, as part of the communications that the university has with parents," said Locatelli's executive assistant, Jim Briggs.

Per university policy, Santa Clara "does not maintain any relationship with the off-campus fraternities and sororities or their national organizations. In 2001, we had concerns about the culture Greek organizations often foster and felt that culture was incompatible with the values we want to inspire in our students," the letter tells parents.

The letter further explains that resources, which were once used to support the organizations, have been "redirected to improve student life for all students, and enhance the overall social climate of the university."

"If your son or daughter is considering joining a fraternity or sorority, we encourage you talk with him or her about the reasons why. Please remind them the university holds students accountable for inappropriate behavior under the Student Conduct Code -- on and off-campus," the letter reads.

Wade said this statement negatively associates greeks with inappropriate behavior.

"It's really unfortunate that we can't reconcile the relationship," Wade said.

"The fact that students choose to affiliate with the fraternities and sororities isn't a bad thing. It's a choice that they've made based on whatever their discernment is or how they make their decision in spending their time," Vice Provost for Student Life Jeanne Rosenberger said.

"It would be irresponsible for the university to not be forthcoming with what our relationship is if we know that students are going to be invited or encouraged or motivated to participate," Rosenberger said.

Some students say that their attitudes about greek life can vary and change.

"Last year I was very anti-rush," sophomore Lisa Kinslow said. But she says getting to know some girls who are in sororities better changed her point of view.

"You go get dressed up, and you go drink, and then you pay money for your friends, but the more I got to talk to girls that actually do it, I realized there's a lot more to it," Kinslow said.

"It's just something that has more of a commitment," she said.

Cal Phi, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Lambda Sigma Gamma, among other multicultural fraternities and sororities will be holding recruitment in winter quarter.

Contact Nicole LaPrade at (408) 554-4546 or nlaprade@scu.edu.