In an effort to strengthen the ties between the Greek community and the University, approximately 200 sorority and fraternity members, Greek alumni, and University administrators and leaders met this weekend in the first Greek Summit to discuss fundamental problems and ignite change.

Many in the Greek community feel their image on a national and local level has been tarnished by alcohol, hazing and quality of living conditions. Director of Greek Life Mary Beth Seiler said alumni concerns about the Greek leadership on campus initiated planning for the event.

Robert Deloian, a national speaker on alcohol issues within the Greek system, said in his keynote address that alcohol is the most serious problem facing fraternities and sororities today.

"Alcohol is a problem that enrolls every fall but never graduates," he said. He added that many of the other problems facing the Greek community, such as hazing and assaults, stem from alcohol.

Deloian said he believes the problems began when fraternities and sororities "strayed from fundamental values and principles."

Greek life became a social outlet, and core ethics were lost, he said.

"Last year college students spent $5.5 billion on alcohol," Deloian said. "That"s more than food, more than books."

He also said a disrespect for others has led to an increase in hazing and assault, despite the values Greeks should have for brotherhood and sisterhood.

"If we believe in friendship, why do we haze our future members?" Deloian asked. "The negative influences will always overshadow the positive things we do."

Although many chapters are becoming alcohol-free and chapters claim not to haze, nothing has been solved because these polices are not enforced, University Regent David Brandon (R-Ann Arbor) said in his address at the Summit Saturday morning.

"It"s easy to say we"re going to make another policy," he said. "Policies aren"t going to fix this problem."

Brandon, the first University regent to ever address a Greek audience, said nine fraternities have closed in the last year due to risk management incidents all of them hazing or alcohol-related and many of the fraternity houses have unsanitary living conditions. He said it is no surprise that membership has dropped 13 percent in the last 10 years.

Brandon said the Greek system is crumbling because of a total lack of supervision and control. He said he would not support any plan for University intervention with funding or assistance until he was convinced that there was going to be something different about the future.

"Real reform must take place to save the whole Greek system," Brandon said.

From his perspective as a community member and someone who values the University"s image, Phi Gamma Delta alum Phelps Connell said Brandon"s viewpoint really struck home.

Connell said a need for reform was obvious to both students and alumni planning the event. The summit was originally planned to be a one-day event, but was expanded to Friday and Saturday.

"We had that many issues to talk about," Connell said. The summit established a partnership among students in Greek system and among the alumni and the University.

"It"s going to take all of us for this to work," he said.

Two student representatives from each fraternity and sorority attended the discussion sessions, and some worked on committees with alumni to prepare reports about the problems within Greek life.

Recruitment and property management were also major concerns students raised while planning for the summit. These problems have led to some fraternity closings and an overall decrease in alumni involvement and donations to Greek organizations campuswide.

"Alumni involvement is important to secure a positive future for the Greek community," Seiler said.

Alumni do not want to provide financial support for their chapter houses because they do not like the image of their sorority or fraternity, Deloian said.

Greek leaders on campus spoke in a panel discussion at the summit and talked about the initiatives they have taken to confront the inherent problems within the Greek system. The creation of a Multicultural Greek Council has helped to meet the needs of students who have faced discrimination in sororities and fraternities based on history, Dean of Students Frank Cianciola said.

"People come to this campus wanting to be with their own," Multicultural Greek Council President J.R. Ramos said.

Interfraternity Council President Mark Hustvedt said many fraternities are reorganizing and are becoming alcohol-free.

Deloian said sorority members need to stick to the guidelines set by their national offices and their chapters, since they are key to the success of alcohol-free events.

"Panhellenics are strong. I don"t think they know the power they have in the Greek system," he said.