Attitudes toward Greek life on campus may be changing under the administration of President Biff Williams.
Members of Dixie State University administration have a long history of opposing clubs and organizations resembling fraternities or sororities. Indigo Klabanoff campaigned for a sorority to be approved in 2013, but former President Stephen Nadauld was strictly against Greek systems on campus and refused to allow the sorority to materialize. Nadauld and the student advocate for Greek life have since left DSU, and many are wondering if the university’s official stance of Greek life will change under Williams.
Williams said he is not completely opposed to the idea of bringing a Greek system to DSU.
“I am open to the idea of Dixie State sponsoring a Greek system on this campus,” Williams said. “The previous two universities I worked at had Greek systems. However, there are several other priorities that have been identified by our students.”
Williams said students expressed interest in wanting more campus housing, more degrees, online programs, increased tutoring centers, better lab equipment, enhanced student life, a wellness center, better campus facilities and increased student employment opportunities.
“With that long list in mind, I don’t foresee Greek life at DSU in the near future,” Williams said.
Andy Levine, a freshman general education major, said he would really like Greek life to come to DSU.
“My biggest problem is that we really don’t have a lot of student life at DSU,” Levine said. “Fraternities and sororities would allow a lot more students to work together and it would bring a much more active student body. Dixie is a university now— we need to start acting like it.”
Frank Lojko, vice president of student services, said Greek life will probably not be approved anytime soon because of its party image and negative publicity nationwide.
“The question we need to ask ourselves is: Will a Greek system make us a better university?” Lojko said. “The answer is no. We need to invest in other things that will actually help us develop as a university.”
Lojko said if DSU brought a Greek system to campus, administration would have to hire at least three new staff members to oversee each fraternity or sorority, erect new housing units solely dedicated to the Greek systems, and devote another fraction of the budget to help fund them.
“Most universities that have successful Greek systems have had fraternities and sororities established on their campuses for decades so they have alumni support and resources,” Lojko said. “We’re just not at that stage yet. I don’t even know if Greek systems will even survive on the national level because of all the negative press they have received.”
Lojko said there are many other ways to get the “college experience” at DSU without being part of Greek life.
“We have a great intramurals and club system here,” Lojko said. “Greek life on campus would be a bad investment. We have so many other things we can spend our money that would actually be worthwhile for students.”
