The Interfraternity Council passed a resolution that would allow Councils of the Greek community to manage Greek Life’s Standards of Excellence.

But the Panhellenic Council did not approve it due to concerns about students evaluating one another.

The Standards of Excellence are expectations to which all UA greek chapters are held to ensure they remain in good standing and are eligible for university awards, services and goods. Since 2008, all greek chapters must annually complete the Chapter Assessment Tool, which identifies how the chapters have upheld the Standards of Excellence and provides appropriate documentation that the standards have been achieved.

Currently, the Fraternity & Sorority Programs office controls the Standards of Excellence, and one staff person within the office evaluates all of the greek chapters based on the standards, according to Johanne Jensen, director of Fraternity & Sorority Programs. This is because having one individual evaluate all 49 chapters makes it easier for them to compare chapters and maintain the integrity of the evaluating process, according to Jensen.

The Interfraternity Council adopted a resolution that states the governing councils of the greek community, namely the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council, the United Sorority and Fraternity Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council should control these standards. This is because it would empower students to fully engage in responsible self-governance, according to Steven Otero, president of the Interfraternity Council.

“”We know that student leadership in the development of these standards will result in standards that challenge our community to grow and develop in ways which will benefit fraternities, the university and the Tucson community,”” Otero said.

While Otero said that this is a way to expand student involvement in the leadership and development of the greek community, Jensen said that the Panhellenic Council did not pass the resolution because the council disagreed with allowing chapters to evaluate other chapters.

In addition, Jensen said that allowing councils of the greek community to manage the greek Standards of Excellence would violate the policy of the National Panhellenic Conference, a governing body of the UA’s Panhellenic Council. This is because the national governing body states that women in certain sorority chapters are not allowed to rank women in other chapters.

“”If I’m a member of Pi Phi, I can’t evaluate someone in Alpha Phi,”” Jensen said. “”(The) Panhellenic council felt that this was a violation of their policy.””

Jensen added that her office appreciates the Interfraternity Council’s move to allow students to have more “”buy in”” about the valued process of the standards, however, all councils must pass the resolution in order for control of these standards to move from the Fraternity & Sorority Programs office to the councils of the greek community.