Callie Burgan, Opinion Editor, The Advocate
October 2, 2019

Pitt-Johnstown community members may notice fewer new students this academic year, as freshmen enrollment has decreased to 620 students this year from as high as more than 800 in previous years.

The need to keep new student enrollment up may not provide an easy solution, but we are confident that one can be found through teamwork and collaboration.

Looking at Pitt-Johnstown outside with an entrepreneurial mindset may help boost enrollment while setting up a place for the next generation to not only succeed, but to thrive.

In today’s economy, it can be difficult — or even next to impossible — to be able to afford a college education.

Utilized effectively, financial aid is a tool that can maximize tuition revenue and enrollment.

While administrators may want to enroll more full-pay families, tuition discounting can help fill empty seats.

By gaining revenue that would potentially be lost, the school’s enrollment could grow instead.
Another solution would be to increase the admission counselor salary. Salaries do retain those who get their initial experience here. 

A push toward more aggressive recruiting would be an improvement.
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While we may not discover how to achieve full enrollment overnight, implementing these strategies, could be a starting point for progress and increased enrollment numbers that assure the Pitt-Johnstown community a viable future.

Starting this semester, the national fraternities with Pitt-Johnstown chapters – Delta Chi, Kappa Delta Rho and Sigma Tau Gamma – are no longer able to host open parties.

When fraternities host open parties, members allow anyone to enter. The three fraternities’ national risk-management manuals all state that the fraternity brothers are not permitted to sponsor any type of open party where alcohol is present.

According to Student Affairs Vice President Shawn Brooks, this is not something new, but something that was brought to his attention over the summer. He said he was looking at the fraternities’ national hazing policies after the incident at Penn State’s Beta Theta Pi, where he came across the rule.

Pitt-Johnstown Interfraternity Council President John Kopsick also said that the National Interfraternity Council’s plan was to move away from open parties. “We knew this was coming for about a year now,” he said. However, Kopsick said the Feb. 4 alleged hazing death at Penn State was a game-changer for Greek life.  “It started a national conversation about what’s going on in Greek life,” Kopsick said.

Brooks said that if something was to happen during an open party, then the fraternities’ national organization would not cover the incident and liability would be applied to local chapter members.
“From my understanding, it’s been this way for a few years now,” Brooks said. He also said his concern was that fraternity members were not aware of their responsibilities during open parties. “(Pitt-Johnstown) officials are now going to be paying close attention for (the members),” Brooks said. Brooks said by having closed parties, fraternity members are able to then have more control over who attends their parties.

Kopsick said when fraternity members host closed parties, they are allowed to have a 75-person guest list with a 50-person occupancy.  “It’s of interest (of Interfraternity Council members) to find ways to make closed parties work for us,” Kopsick said.

Student Activities and Engagement Director Heather Hall said Interfraternity Council members are exploring making closed parties more user-friendly for the door managers.  “Before we know it, students will be used to this process,” Hall said.  She also said that closed parties are the only type of parties approved by national organizations  “Pitt-Johnstown is assisting the member groups here to help them implement their own national guidelines,” Hall said.  Hall also said that, if fraternity members are caught hosting an open party, their punishment would depend on what rules were being violated.  “Like any student organization, or any student, a violation of (Pitt-Johnstown’s) alcohol policy is treated seriously and will follow our judicial process,” she said.

Brooks said that he doesn’t think the closed parties will discourage students from joining the fraternity, but interest will go up.  “Closed parties are somewhat more exclusive. You have to be invited to get in. “If all fraternity (members have open parties), and you’re only joining for the social reasons, and not for the service, are you really in it for the right reason?” Brooks said.

Hall agreed and said that the members are interested in recruiting students who not only enjoy the social aspect of Greek life, but also are committed to common values and leadership.

However, Kopsick said he’ll have to wait and see how students respond to the closed parties.
“Open parties were (fraternity members’) biggest tool in reaching the (greatest number) of people at one time,” Kopsick said.  Kopsick also said that the fraternity members will have more public events and find creative ways to recruit more people.

Hall said that some fraternities have national expectations on number of hours and projects.
“These are some of the activities that are not as public as some of the social events, but definitely offer a contribution to the world around them.
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“There is so much more to fraternity life than Friday and Saturday nights. I know the men are very interested in highlighting all aspects of fraternities to new men who are eligible to be recruited,” Hall said.

Rachel Logan, Copy Editor
April 12, 2017

After a recent temporary suspension of Kappa Zeta, Pitt-Johnstown is home to only one social sorority out to four social fraternities.

Finance and Administration Vice President Amy Buxbaum, also a Campus Title IX coordinator, said that there is no violation of equal opportunity for men and women.

“(Pitt-Johnstown) does not organize these groups or recruit for them. We simply provide equal opportunities for both sororities and fraternities to organize on campus.

“This is different than varsity athletics programs, which we actively organize and direct, which are subject to Title IX.”

A memorandum from the federal Department of Education, dated May 3, 1989, noted the difference between social Greek life and professional, service or honorary Greek life. Title IX, the memo says, applies to service and honorary organization in that they may not exclude members based on gender.

“Under Title IX and the implementing regulation, the membership practices of social fraternities and sororities are specifically excluded from coverage if the active membership consists primarily of students in attendance at institutes of higher education, and the fraternity or sorority is exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code.”

Pitt-Johnstown administrators thus do not guarantee the presence of equal Greek life opportunities on campus. Student Affairs Vice President Shawn Brooks said such matters stay on the student level, unless things go awry.

According to Brooks, there have been as many as four social sororities on campus in recent years, but two have been suspended for possible hazing, and one has been removed by its national sponsor.

Brooks said that those looking to organize a social fraternity or sorority on campus could connect with the national organization they wish as a sponsor, then petition the Pan-Helenic council.
“It’s a separate process for recognition. It doesn’t rise to the administrative level. Our role is very limited unless things go absolutely haywire.”

Currently, the sorority Alpha Gamma Delta is eligible to return to campus if they wish to recolonize, a process that takes about half a year, Brooks said.

Greek Affairs Director Shaun Hemphill did not respond to attempts to contact him.

The president of the remaining sorority on campus, Phi Sigma Sigma, declined comment.

READ MORE: Only 1 sorority is left

In an attempt to increase fraternity pledges, Student Affairs Vice President Shawn Brooks is working with fraternity leaders.

Interfraternal Council president and Kappa Delta Rho member Zak Muto said two representatives from each fraternity get together weekly to discuss events and activities, and he then meets with Brooks.

One proposed change is moving from an open party system to a closed party system.

“My challenge for frats was, if you think you exist to party and you provide people with a party, and then they get to leave your house after the party, why would they ever join your organization?” said Brooks.

When fraternities host open parties, they allow anyone to enter.

Alternatively, when fraternities host closed parties, a list is created and given to Pitt-Johnstown officials naming all students expected to be inside the fraternity house.

If individuals are found inside the house who are not on the list, the fraternity gets in trouble.
Another proposed change is adding Greek-life-specific tutors for upper-level classes that do not have tutors.

“Higher-level-class tutoring will provide experiences (to fraternity members) that they couldn’t stumble into on their own,” said Brooks.

Sigma Tau Gamma President Gary Swope said that the changes are for the best.
“Personally, I think closed parties are going to help recruitment because, if we just let anyone who’s able to come in come in during an open party, they won’t really get to know us.
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“I think that tutors will be a good thing because grades are really important to me and that’s something we really look for when we recruit new guys – guys that really want to do well instead of partying and being reckless,” said Swope.

“Everyone (at Delta Sigma Chi) is very excited to see the changes these new ideas will bring to Greek life,” said Delta Sigma Chi brother and Interfraternal Council representative Ryan Daly.
Kappa Delta Rho members also are excited to see the new changes.

“I think it’s a good thing; it’s going to promote Greek life on campus a little bit more,” said Muto.
“The whole reason I joined Greek life is to help me build myself as a person and build myself professionally.

“With this whole program, I feel that you have to be more outgoing; you have to make your presence more well-known. It’s just another way to get our name out there and grow Greek life as a whole. I feel like this is going to help us get there,” said Muto.

Former fraternity members Alex Scanga and Steven Stotz said they fear the potential repercussions of these changes and feel that these changes are another way the school is attempting to police fraternities.
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“I disagree that closed parties will help enrollment. Open parties pique interest more than closed parties,” said Scanga.

READ MORE: Closed parties in plan to up Greek numbers

January 20 2015: NEWS: Fair has few attendees but many tables  Tags: Acacia, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Chi, Delta Sigma Chi, Kappa Delta Rho, Kappa Zeta, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Tau Gamma

Despite the high turnout of club representatives, students interested in joining them seemed few and far between.

Thomas Plutt, Role-Playing Games Club president, said that last semester at the activities fair, club members had approximately 30 students sign up with new interest.

“We had only one or two names on our list from this semester’s activities fair,” said Plutt.

Plutt said he felt the Role-Playing Games Club did not have enough time to fully prepare for the fair.

Among the students who attended the fair to learn about different organizations was Pitt-Johnstown junior Joseph Walker.

“I didn’t even know about the fair until I was walking past it in the Student Union,” said Walker.

December 19 2014: NEWS: Delta Chi Photo Album 2014 [video] Tags: Delta Chi, RUSH

Overall Well-Being 

Graduates who participated in fraternities or sororities are slightly more likely to be thriving in all five critical elements of well-being – purpose, social, financial, physical and community – than are graduates who did not participate in fraternities or sororities.

Workplace Engagement

National results show that 43% of college graduates who were members of a fraternity or sorority are engaged in the workplace, compared to 38% of college graduates were not members of a fraternity or sorority.

Support

The support that graduates recall receiving from their institution as students is also important well into their post-graduate careers. 16% of graduates who participated in fraternities or sororities and who say they had a professor who cared about them as a person, one who made them excited about learning, and had a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their dreams are emotionally attached, compared with 13% of graduates who did not participate in fraternities or sororities.

Experiential Learning

Similarly, graduates with fraternity or sorority affiliation and membership in college were more likely to have taken advantage of experiential learning opportunities while in college (11%) than graduates who were not members of fraternities or sororities (5%).

Alumni Attachment

Alumni who participated in fraternities or sororities exhibit higher emotional attachment to their school. 22% of those who were in sororities or fraternities are attached, compared with 17% who were not members of sororities or fraternities.

RED MORE: Gallup Research