Since May 2016, there has not been a greek life advisor at MSU, but greek life students are continuing to help pay for the absent advisor’s salary. Despite the relationship agreement between MSU and Greek Life that states MSU will provide a greek life advisor, it looks like there won’t be a new advisor anytime soon.
According to MSU’s greek life Constitution, created by and primarily for the Interfraternity Council, or IFC, of MSU, the greek life advisor is responsible for serving on the Executive Board for the Interfraternity Council, the Judicial Committee, advising the IFC and its member fraternities, advising financial processes, providing assistance and advice for councils, organizing and facilitating leadership programs and more.
The former greek life advisor served at MSU for seven years and left to pursue other opportunities, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Services and all-Greek contact Terrence Frazier said via email. The search for a new advisor occurred this past fall, Frazier said.
“At the conclusion of the fall search, the search committee of faculty, staff, students and advisors felt that none of the candidates were right for MSU,” Frazier said in the email.
However, according to the Statement of Relationship between MSU and the Greek Governing Councils, the university’s vice president for Student Affairs and Services should appoint an individual to serve as an advisor to the four governing councils.
In addition, the Greek Life Constitution for the IFC, Article VII, Section I expects the IFC to strive to have an advisor at all times.
Despite this commitment from the university to provide a greek life advisor, the advising position remains vacant and has not been reopened.
“As is the case with nearly all university positions like this, a search committee screens and interviews the candidates that (apply) the for the position,” Interfraternity Council President Kyle Sims said via email. “Two candidates were brought to campus but the university ultimately called it a failed search, meaning that they weren’t satisfied with the candidates and would rather try again.”
Greek life students have been required to pay $10 per semester as dues, some of which goes to help pay for the salary of the greek life advisor position, Sims said.
“The position and the support it provides is self-funded, meaning that Greek students pay for their own advisor,” Sims said. “The Greek community is still being called on to fulfill its financial obligation, in form of paying ‘dues’ to the University, though we do not have (an advisor).”
The dues greek life students pay each semester helps with the overall greek community, not just the greek life advisor position, Frazier said.
To help bring this issue to MSU’s attention, the Associated Students of Michigan State University, or ASMSU, unanimously passed Bill 53-25. The bill calls for MSU to immediately resume the search for a greek life advisor, ASMSU representative for the Panhellenic Council Allegra Schiff, who introduced the bill, said in an ASMSU meeting.
Despite the bill being passed, MSU has not reopened the search for a greek life advisor, and the position will not be filled until summer 2017, Bill 53-25 states.
Schiff said in the meeting,“Not only did they say we’re not going to have a greek advisor for a while and not continue the search immediately, but they’re also still asking for the money that all four councils pay in dues towards the salary of the greek life advisor, and they’re still asking for the money to pay for the salary of a person that doesn’t exist.”
