CSUN Greeks will take part in a national program aimed at setting goals that will permit Greek communities to work together to achieve a better image both on and off campus.

The Convergence of Minds Planning a Strategic Solution program is executed on a national level.

Sororities and fraternities at CSUN first established a set of unified values to be the basis for the development of action items, which eventually became the foundation for what is known as the strategic plan.

“My main goal within the strategic plan is to make sure that we have more communication between the different councils on campus,” said Jacob Stockfish, IntraFraternity Council president.

Each strategic plan is in effect for two years, the period of time in which the fraternities and sororities are to complete each action item that they include in the plan. Under the current plan at CSUN, the Greek community plans to improve internal standards, strengthen relations between fraternities and sororities on campus, and contribute to the surrounding community.

The main areas of focus under the 2005-07 strategic plan that will help CSUN Greeks achieve these goals include: recruitment, academic achievement, chapter and member development, inter-Greek relations, risk management and campus and community involvement.

Under each specific topic, there are a number of action items that will enable the fraternities and sororities to improve upon these areas of operation.

Under the strategic plan, the goals each fraternity and sorority attempts to meet are carried out by Greek councils.

The two largest and most well-known Greek councils on campus are the Inter Fraternity Council, which oversees a number of CSUN’s largest fraternities, and the Panhellenic Council, which oversees a number of CSUN’s largest sororities.

The function of each council in the strategic plan is to ensure that sororities or fraternities successfully complete the action items listed in the strategic plan.

According to Jen Ligon, Panhellenic president, delegates are chosen within each individual sorority and those delegates are responsible for attending weekly meetings with the Panhellenic Council.

The delegates then communicate to the members of their sororities the instructions from the council on how to undertake and complete each action item of the strategic plan.

One particular action item under the topic of risk management required that the Greek community present an alcohol awareness educational workshop to local high schools. The Greek organization responsible for this task is known as the Greek Advocates for the Mature Moderation of Alcohol.

Both the IFC and the Panhellenic Council have their own GAMMA group. GAMMA stands for Greek Advocates for the Mature Moderation of Alcohol.

According to Nick Ramirez, GAMMA chair for the IFC, the GAMMA groups from the IFC and the Panhellenic Council team up and participate in performances skits as a means to inform high school students about the risks of alcohol abuse.

“Our goal is to give them a better understanding about the misconceptions about fraternities and sororities when it comes to alcohol use,” Ramirez said.

Under the topic of academic achievement was the requirement of the fraternities and sororities to develop an academic adviser program.

Three of the six sororities under the Panhellenic Council have met the requirement, Ligon said.

He also said the fraternities were enthusiastic about adding the action items of campus and community involvement.

This action item requires the creation of a campus-wide dodge ball tournament.

Michael Salseda can reached at michael.salseda@gmail.com.