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In this month’s interview, Andrew Hibel spoke with Dr. Lynda Wiley, the executive director of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors. She discusses the current state of Greek Life and challenges that must be addressed, but she also comments on the overwhelmingly positive aspects of Greek Life and what the future may hold. In addition, Hibel and Wiley discussed career and interviewing advice as The Placement Exchange — the networking event for student affairs professionals — quickly approaches.
Andrew Hibel, HigherEdJobs: Dr. Wiley, please tell us about the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) and its mission.
Lynda Wiley, EdD, Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors: AFA provides exceptional experiences, a vibrant community, and essential resources for the success of fraternity/sorority advisors. In short, our goal is to make our members the best professionals they can be and the most knowledgeable person at the table when discussing issues surrounding fraternities and sororities. Our members range from graduate students to senior leaders within student affairs, and our mission is to provide relevant and timely professional development for any stage in a fraternity/sorority advisor’s career.
Hibel: Greek Life has received negative attention in the past several years with cases of sexual assault, hazing, racial intolerance, and, tragically, several deaths. Actions were taken by several colleges and universities to “suspend all Greek activity and fueled a conversation about the future of such organizations, even as membership in them is widely viewed as a rite of passage for many college students.” In your opinion, what does the future of Greek Life look like and how has this attention shaped it?
Wiley: We need to be diligent in addressing issues of hazing, sexual assault, and racial intolerance in all aspects of college life — fraternities and sororities included. Campuses that have taken a dramatic step in ceasing activities are trying to prevent tragedies and ensure that students know that this behavior has to change. While these are not new problems, the tolerance level for this type of behavior is just not there anymore. If you ask the majority of students, they want their fraternity and sorority experience to be the most positive one it can be for themselves and their brothers and sisters. As a professional membership association, our job is to be a resource for the campus and headquarters’ professionals that are doing everything they can to help students address these systemic problems.
Hibel: What more do you think needs to be done to address safety of students through prevention and/or disciplinary actions related to negative Greek activity?
Wiley: Like many complex problems, addressing safety concerns requires a multi-faceted approach. You have to have a consistent combination of education, prevention, and consequences for violating both policy and the law. Students change every year (and sometimes every semester) so you are constantly reinforcing and educating on these topics.
Hibel: There are many positives to joining a fraternity or sorority — camaraderie, a sense of belonging, networking, volunteer work, etc. A story [link removed: no longer active] written by a fraternity member was recently published in your association’s magazine sharing the lifelong benefits Greek Life can provide. In another article, it states “Studies have shown that fraternity and sorority members also surpass their non-Greek counterparts on a number of metrics. They are more likely to graduate on time and go on to earn higher salaries.” What is being done to focus and highlight the positives that Greek Life has to offer? How is this harder to do today?
Wiley: That is a great question. I will say that every campus is different, so every approach is different. When I worked on a campus, I found that rather than relying solely on statistics, it was just as important that everyday behavior was reflective of the positive aspects of fraternity/sorority membership. For example, members need to be showing up to class ready to participate and show that scholarship is a priority. Fraternities and sororities are tied to incredible service and philanthropic organizations and working closely to provide community services and raise money should be a priority, whether it is being written about in the newspaper or not. The statistics do tell a compelling story, however. Students that are more ‘at home’ or engaged are more likely to be retained. Being a member and the campus involvement that comes along with that provides a strong connection to the institution.
Hibel: There are also many positives for the college or university. For example, studies have shown that those students participating in a fraternity often have a higher GPA than non-Greek counterparts and also the retention rate is higher for those belonging to fraternities. What other benefits to the campus and the community come from fraternities and sororities?
Wiley: This overlaps a little with the previous question. Membership in a fraternity or sorority provides real-world opportunities that really are unmatched in most organizations. Members run large organizations (on some campuses 400+), plan large-scale programs, run chapter budgets, manage social media accounts, manage living facilities (in some cases), and navigate policies from the university and their national organization. Chapter leaders learn skills in conflict management and confrontation that are difficult but necessary. The key is being able to articulate these skills as life skills as much as involvement opportunities.
Hibel: What would you tell people that say maybe sororities or fraternities aren’t necessary on campuses?
Wiley: Students are going to form communities around common interests. Students want to belong and feel that they are making connections with others. The unique nature of fraternities and sororities is that not only do you find these friendships and connecting in college, but membership continues beyond. This is particularly true in culturally-based fraternities and sororities, where alumni chapters are particularly strong. When it is done the correct way, the holistic nature of fraternities and sororities (academic, service, personal growth, and social) really is unlike other campus involvement opportunities. Our job is to work with students to ensure that it is implemented in the positive way that it was designed to be.
Hibel: This article describes the benefits, but it also goes on to say, “Greek life needs to change. In its current form, it fosters not just fun and friendship but also inequality. At a time when many dorms have gender-mixed floors, and a full generation after most single-sex schools began admitting both sexes, these organizations seem like relics. Fraternities and sororities must make a number of changes to ensure their survival, starting with going coed.” What are your thoughts on this statement? How do you think Greek life needs to change or is changing?
Wiley: As an association, AFA’s position is that we support and find the value in single-gender organizations. Students are having more and more choices to join a variety of organizations that is the best fit for them. For many students, that is a single-gender organization and we support that choice.
Hibel: Greek life provides wonderful opportunities for many higher professionals working in this area on campus. What would you tell new professionals seeking to explore this avenue in terms of how they can succeed and excel?
Wiley: Stay in a job and maximize the opportunities to grow and learn. I think that there is a false perception that you have to change jobs every two to three years in order to advance. As a former supervisor of fraternity and sorority advisors, it is more critical that you can master the job and the skills that it takes to be a good professional rather than how many different positions you have held. Advising fraternities and sororities is one of the most complex positions that you can have in student affairs, and it truly takes time to become proficient. It sounds cliché, but if you are given an opportunity to take on additional responsibilities (especially outside of fraternity/sorority advising), take advantage and see it is a learning opportunity to add to your professional portfolio. This profession also gives you a lot of opportunities to facilitate leadership programs and training sessions. Use those opportunities to develop good facilitation skills and public speaking skills. This is a very demanding job, so it is also important to have a life outside of work. You are going to put in way too many hours but carve out time for self-care and have a life outside of work.
Hibel: Speaking of working and excelling in higher education, The Placement Exchange (TPE) on-site event is coming up in March. This event is a one-stop shop for Student Affairs positions with on-site interviewing, career development, resume review, and more. What advice would you provide to someone who may be attending the event for the first time in terms of how they can succeed?
Wiley: Do your homework. Do as much pre-work as you can to know the basic information about a school and the division of student affairs. Be very thoughtful in the questions that you ask — what do you really want to know about this job that isn’t apparent from the position description? Have concrete examples of how you have experience in an area or have learned enough that you can be a professional on day one. No one expects you to know everything, but you need to be ready to discuss how you can learn something and implement it. Demonstrate a sense of curiosity and a commitment of wanting to be an excellent professional.
Hibel: What is your advice for a female entering the field of student affairs and/or the area of Greek life? What words of wisdom can you offer?
Wiley: Jump in there and make your voice heard. I have been at the table as the only female, and you become very aware of that fact. Luckily, that is changing and in a positive way. Do your homework, be prepared, and don’t be afraid to demonstrate your competence and excellence. As I speak to peers, I think women still suffer from an inferiority complex. “Can I do this job?” “What if I am not qualified?” Men tend not to ask those questions. No employee should ever take a position that they are truly unqualified for, but I think women tend to think you have to mark every box on the position description, when it is generally more broad on whether or not you have the knowledge to do the job and a willingness to learn what you don’t know. The other thing is to forgive yourself. You will feel like you are a bad employee/mom/daughter/friend/spouse/partner and the list goes on and on. You won’t be able to give 100% to each, but you are doing better than you think and the people in your life think you are a rock star.
Hibel: What keeps you engaged working with college and universities and the AFA?
Wiley: This is truly an exciting time to be working with AFA. With the explosion of information, technology, and how people approach the world of work from different generations, associations are in a time of transition to make sure we are still relevant to our members. We have the opportunity to take risks and try new things. The ability to use technology provides so many unique opportunities to connect with members, but you can’t rely on the same type of delivery (such as webinars) all of the time. We have an engaged membership, and the key to our success is to constantly listen to them on what they find valuable for their professional development. My job is to put that in the broader context of higher education and society to ensure that we are truly educating a profession to tackle the challenges today and in the future.