IUSA debates greek issues

With the future of the greek system in jeopardy, all three tickets in the upcoming IU Student Association elections have radically different strategies for increasing greek representation on campus.\nBoth the Action and Crimson tickets have made greek relations a main platform issue. Crimson wants to create two new departments in IUSA -- one to aid the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association, the two governing bodies of the greek system, and the other to work with the Residence Halls Association.\n"The new departments will be a second voice for IFC, Panhel and RHA," said junior Alan Grant, Crimson candidate for congressional secretary. "All three are excellent organizations, but four organizations together as opposed to just one would make for a much louder voice."\nIncreasing the influence of these organizations is the goal of the Action ticket, as well. However, Action said they see the creation of the new departments as a step backward.\n"The problem we see is that IUSA would be stepping on the toes of the greek community and RHA," said junior Liz Weikes, Action vice-presidential candidate. "They have their own governing bodies who represent their interests well."\nWeikes said the departments of greek and RHA affairs would interfere with the operations of their respective governing bodies.\nBoth tickets said the relationship between IUSA, greeks and RHA suffers from a lack of communication.\n"Right now there is no relationship," Weikes said. "As speaker of the house for IUSA, I've had no contact with them whatsoever."\nAlthough the Unity party did not include greek affairs in their platform issues, presidential candidate Aaron Radez said IUSA, greeks and RHA should share a close working relationship to create a unified voice for all students.\n"These groups are very strong, and we want to work hand-in-hand," he said. "A liaison is very important. It should be someone both organizations are comfortable with. There are 38,903 voices on campus. All of them are important, but none is more important than another."\nAction said "it is IUSA's duty to cooperate when necessary and provide assistance if requested," according to a statement. Weikes said Action is concerned that creating new departments connected with the three governing bodies would overextend IUSA's power. \n"IUSA is the student government," she said. "Adding departments that impose on greeks and RHA would create a monopoly at this University. It will create more rules and regulations for greeks. That's the last thing they need. It shouldn't be like that."\nGrant disagrees.\n"The students are the ones who feel they have too many regulations," he said. "IUSA represents all students. We would never try to do the jobs of IFC or RHA for them. Crimson is not trying to be completely greek or RHA, but each group will be better represented if IUSA has departments to keep their interests in mind."\nWith the recent pitfalls fraternities have faced on campus, both Action and Crimson said IUSA needs to back greeks more than in the past. As a member of the former IU chapter of Delta Chi fraternity, junior Casey Cox, Crimson candidate for student body president, associated his and other fraternities' expulsions from campus to the lack of communication with their representative groups.\n"We had no one to go to, so we didn't file an appeal," he said. "With six houses kicked off campus in the last three years, many greeks feel their voices are not being heard."\nIf the departments are created, it would mark the first time IUSA was required to keep an official connection to RHA and the greek community. In the past, IUSA has used liaisons to communicate with the organizations, a practice that Weikes said should continue.\n"We want someone to work tightly with IFC, Panhel and RHA," she said. The ideal liaison should be a strong leader in the greek community who acts at a director, but with no department, Weikes said.\nIn contrast, Crimson said the liaison system has become ineffective.\n"A liaison would have no effect," Grant said. "It's just not a big enough step. They would have no involvement."\nPast IFC and RHA liaisons have disappeared or become unreliable over time, Cox said. The creation of the new departments would require the business of greeks and RHA to become IUSA's concern.\n"We don't know what would happen with another liaison," Cox said. "Relations with other student governments should be a permanent position."\nAction treasurer candidate Eric Butterbaugh, also the 2002 Greek Man of the Year, acknowledged the problems with past liaisons, attributing the failure to a lack of guidelines for the position.\n"The duties of our liaison would be formalized, but not to the extent that it interferes with greek and RHA affairs," he said. "We want to create a formal goal. Any efforts would be strictly complimentary. If there is something IFC or RHA wants our help with, we would be all for that."\nThe future of greek and RHA relations with IUSA will still be in question after the elections March 4 and 5. Although the departments of greek and RHA affairs may be created, their clear functions are yet to be determined.\n"We don't know exactly how it will pan out in the end, but we promise there will be great new lines of communication where there currently is none," Grant said.\nAction insists greeks and dorm residents' governing bodies are adequate, but that IUSA needs to take the necessary steps to be able to assist them in times of need.\n"There is a division now because it is a necessary division," Butterbaugh said. "Do not forget, 82 percent of the people at IU are not greek. We are appealing to their interests, too."\nFor more information, visit the campaign Web sites at www.actionforiusa.com, www.votecrimson.com and www.myiu.com.