University of Missouri-Kansas City
Fraternity and Sorority Task Force Meeting
Tuesday February 8, 2011
Brookside Room-Administrative Center
Meeting called to order at 5:10 PM
Members Present:
Tanner Austin
Brian Gettinger
Andrea Drew
Joe Vaughn
Carla Wilson
Martha Steele
Kari Murphy
I.
II.
III.
Introductions- Dr. Eric Grospitch
Vice Chancellor Tyler-Plan for Fraternity and Sorority Task Force
a. The task’s purpose is to develop strategic plan to develop and implement at
UMKC within the next 5 years
b. Look at how to enhance the undergraduate experience for students here at UMKC
in particular academics
c. Student success rate and how we can retain more students and having them attain
a degree from the university
d. Fraternity and Sorority life play a huge part in the college experience
e. He would like a strategic plan presented to him and see how we can move the
initiatives forward.
Background- Dr. Eric Grospitch
a. Undergraduate Education Sub-Committee
i. Population of students serving the campus
ii. Fraternity and Sorority Life is a special area of student organizations
iii. IFC, PHC, NPHC are present on our campus
iv. Greek life is a strength we offer to our students on campus
v. Introductions
b. History
i. Education Benchmarking Index
1. EBI survey sent out to students April 2010
a. Sent out 444 and 287 were returned
b. Significantly above in certain categories
c. Bottom Factor -chapters specifically for Fraternity/Sorority
Programming scored
d. Fraternity and Sorority Averages
i. Above in 15 of 18 factors
ii. Below in Interpersonal Communication
iii. Safety and Security- Concern for Students
iv. Ranked average in identifying with the students
e. Chapter Alumni involvement lower in some fraternity and
sorority –both an individual and campus wide chapter
i. Need to be reaching out to alumni and faculty
f. Written communication skills lower than other campuses in
the nation- writing skills need to be improved
g. Interpersonal relationship skills need to be improved with
fraternities
h. Focus groups were formed after the report
i. Safety and security should be something focus for all
campuses
2. Recommendation for subjects such as written communication
skills should be looked at by other committees on campus
3. Safety issue is the location between the houses and campus. Safety
more of a concern in neighborhoods where the houses are.
4. After a certain time is when security becomes a concern.
Perceptions of campus police is a concern. Campus police are
fully trained and accredited officers of the law.
a. Look at how often they patrol the neighborhoods
b. Are the police officers visible in the areas by the houses?
c. Other factors play apart in safety and security
IV.
Housing Task Force-Last year’s efforts
a. Look at what chapters want and what their national headquarters recommend they
should have
b. Master Plan for houses to be between 52nd and 53rd streets and designate this as
UMKC Fraternity and Sorority Row
i. The master plan was approved in 2008 by UMKC, but there is still
approval from higher up administrators needed
c.
d.
e.
f.
V.
ii. African American Culture House is not a part of the discussion. It’s a part
of campus history.
iii. ISA house could possibly be a location
iv. The other houses nearby are privately owned
v. All dark areas on map are university owned
vi. All gray areas are UMKC trustee owned homes
vii. Some chapters have the financial means to build houses and remodel
while others don’t
Recommendation was made last year to move campus offices to other places on
campus in order to allow room for houses in the 52nd area street
Formed an agreement as homes became available on Rockhill they would reach
out to chapters that expresses interest in a new house
i. Some chapters were available to move closer in
ii. Some chapters still would like to rent while others want to buy
iii. Chi Omega will have to make some decisions about their housing soon
iv. Part of Troost Blvd. was offered as a row but sororities were reluctant
Recommendation for Community Center for just Fraternities and Sororities was
made last year
Our main focus right now is to secure the areas for the houses
i. What requests do the chapters have such as acres the house would sit on
and number of rooms in the house
ii. It was suggested having a site fit group come out to see what would fit in
the spaces of land
iii. Suggestion to update houses and where students would park
1. Parking structure is right across the street
iv. Land reserved for future Greek system
v. Will find out date for master plan
Original Task Force
a. Goals of Task Force
i. Requested a working housing group and a policy working group
ii. Quick Fixes
iii. Space for fraternities and sororities in the Student Union
1. Providing office space for Greek councils
2. Trophy Cases
b. Future Task Force Steps
a. Bringing in an outside consultant who has experience in Greek life
i. Will help develop the strategic plan for Fraternity and Sorority
Life and would work with the Greek Councils
ii. The University would fund this
iii. Members thought it would be beneficial for someone from the
outside who does not have ties with the institution to come in and
help
1. The consultant would look at the entire strategic plan and
focus on all areas
2. Dr. Grospitch will work to get approval from Vice
Chancellor Tyler and then will contact him and see when
he would be available to visit and work with us
3. Vice Chancellor Tyler would like to see us meet once or
twice over the summer and present something to him by
December 2011
b. Policy Task Force
i. There is good information in the packet.
c. Dr. Grospitch thanks everyone for their willingness to serve on this committee
a. Ideally he would like to meet on a monthly basis for the next 11 months
d. Meeting adjourned at 6:20 pm