Thursday’s Student Government Association (SGA) meeting started out like any other meeting would. SGA President Logan Wein called the meeting to order, followed by the roll call of the senators and opening remarks. What came next was unexpected. 

The Ceddia Union Building Room 119 was overflowing with administrators, student senators and, most notably, more than 50 members of the Greek life community.

During the time of open floor discussion, Cheyenne Creciun, president of the SU Panhellenic Council and Alpha Sigma Tau member, stood up and spoke of her experience as an SU Greek life community member.

“Greek life is misunderstood and we are here today to speak about the mistreatment on campus,” Creciun said. “We are tired of the rumors and threats of investigations and being shut down.”

One of the rumors Creciun referred to was that the SGA was hiring “spies” to bust parties associated with “frat row” on Richard Avenue.

As for the rumors, they are 100 percent false. SGA has not and will not hire “spies” to go and bust parties, Wein said.

Creciun also referred to how members of Greek life are treated on campus, citing cyberbullying, name-calling and hostility against members of Greek life wearing their letters to classes by fellow students and professors.

Wein responded to Creciun’s concerns by commending her for taking the opportunity to speak at the meeting. 

“No student should have to face the issues that you and the other members of the Greek life community have been facing,” he said.

Various members of Greek life present at the meeting continued to discuss how they have gone for help before, but have never been able to get the help that they truly need.

“SGA plans to act immediately on the concerns addressed at Thursday’s meeting. We have already reached out and met with [the] administration and we are in the process of setting up more meetings,” Wein said in an email.

Interim vice president for student affairs, Danny Velez, was present at Thursday’s meeting and is committed to solving this issue. 

“Our fraternity and sorority members are an important part of our campus community. They contribute many hours to community service and raise funds to support philanthropic activities. I want to be sure they understand just how much they are valued at Ship. I look forward to continuing the dialogue with them following their attendance at the SGA meeting to gain a greater understanding of their concerns,” Velez said after meeting Friday morning with Wein.

The problem may not have been widely known to the administration, SGA and other campus community members, but the conversation is now open and work is being done to help improve the climate on campus while also restoring the connection between Greek life and the general SU community. 

Velez is arranging meetings with members of Greek life, as well as Wein and the senators, all of whom hope to strengthen the relationship between SGA and Greek life.

Wein is continuing to encourage more students to come to SGA meetings to keep up with what is going on. 

“The number of individuals present at today’s meeting speaks to how supportive and dedicated the Greek life community is. I hope to see more members of the Greek life community and the rest of the student body present at our next formal meeting,” he said.

SGA meets publicly twice a month. Its schedule can be found at studentservices.orgsync.com/org/sga/MeetingCalendar.

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