Greek housing for students during Arch no longer under consideration

The creation of an Arch Greek Life Commons—which would allow students to live in their respective Greek houses during their required summer semesters—was the sole rejected recommendation from the ten outlined in the Draft Report of the Greek Life Task Force, said Vice President for Student Life Peter Konwerski in an email to The Polytechnic.

In an email sent out to the Rensselaer community, Konwerski gave an update on the status of the Greek Life Task Force. The email described how the ten recommendations made by the Greek Life Task Force were sent to the Executive Sponsor Group—which consists of administrators who oversee the task force—to be approved.

The Executive Sponsor Group approved nine of the ten recommendations made by the Greek Life Task Force. This group includes Special Assistant to the President Le Norman Strong, General Counsel and Secretary of the Institute Craig Cook, Vice President of Information Services and Technology and Chief Information Officer John Kolb ’79, Vice President for Human Resources Curtis Powell, and Vice President for Administration Claude Rounds.

The nine approved recommendations were to incorporate CLASS goals and practices into Greek life; foster an intentional emphasis on diversity and inclusion; develop a new transparent scorecard; mitigate high risk behaviors, alcohol, and substance abuse; strengthen finances and improve health, safety, and behaviors; create one student judicial system; merge all Greek life agreements; build trust, leadership, integrity, and accountability; and establish stronger relationships through the timing of recruitment and intake.

[More information about the original recommendations can be found here.]

Konwerski also said that the implementation team "will be comprised of Rensselaer student leaders (Greek and non-Greek), faculty, and staff.”

The email also mentions that Konwerski, Dean of Students Travis T. Apgar, Dean of Greek Life Commons Meredith Bielaska and Assistant Dean of Greek Life Commons Pierrie Jefferson met with representatives from North American Interfraternity Conference, National Panhellenic Conference, and more than 16 Greek Letter organizations in Indianapolis, Indiana. According to Konwerski’s email, "several organizations" supported Rensselaer’s plan during the discussion. When asked about what organizations voiced support, Konwerski responded that the meeting in Indianapolis “was a closed meeting between parties."

The full email sent to the Rensselaer community can be found here.