Greek Week is a weeklong celebration of Greek life on campus, including leadership speakers, competitions and a talent show.
This year marks a break from the traditional celebrations, as the competitions are not at the forefront. This is a sign that greater changes have taken root in the Greek community here on campus.
“Greek Week in the past has been competitive events,” representative from the Panhellenic Council Shelby Bell said. “This year they are changing it though, so there is a lot more community service aspect, we have a service day, we have a leadership speaker coming in, because yeah that competition part, it is a piece of the puzzle, but not all of it.”
While most of Greek Week is exclusive to members of Greek life on campus, there are parts that are open to the public, like spectating the competitions. Bell said that her favorite part of Greek Week is the talent show. This will take place on March 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the A&S Auditorium.
“I feel like a big part of just what the FSL [Fraternity and Sorority Life] community and the direction that we are going towards has motivated us to be more of that community-centered aspect of the FSL community,” member of Sigma Chi and Chief of Legislative Affairs for ASUW Seth Jones said.
Jones said that the movement away from the competitive aspect is in part to move away from the drama and issues that they spawn. Instead, Greek Week should be about building upon the ties within the FSL community by celebrating the community, using the time to reflect and looking towards the future.
“Our values are changing as well,” Bell said. “This year we are changing our values to be action based so building connections, grow and develop, give back and lead with integrity.”
Jones introduced a resolution in the ASUW senate meeting Feb. 6 that, if passed, would show ASUW’s support for the changes that have happened.
“It’s pretty much just a stance of ASUW being in support of the Greek Week and what it is going forward to do,” Jones said. “Some of our members within ASUW are Greek affiliated and with that, we just wanted to show the nurturing community of the FSL is growing and that is something ASUW wants to work with.”
Jalynn Van Baalen, representative for the Interfraternity Council, said that the changes for Greek Week are widely accepted within the FSL community, they are positive and it is easy to see how these changes are positive.
“The best part about Greek Week is not just the individual activities themselves, but it’s the whole idea of the community coming together,” Baalen said. “It’s the meeting new people and hanging out that’s really the fun part.”
Jones said that Greek Week is really the icing on the cake and is the display of what Greek life is really about, having these connections, having new opportunities and having a good time while doing it.
