Fraternities and sororities have less than a month to measure up.

Greek organizations must complete a 49-page evaluation and turn it in to the student development office by Dec. 1 to prove they’ve met standards set by the university.

The Greek Standards, which evaluates the progress and achievements of Greek organizations, replaced the Greek Millennium Initiative this fall. The GMI had been in place since 2000.

Andy Morgan, coordinator of Greek Life and Student Development, said the standards needed to be made simpler and more specific.

“People always complained about it,” Morgan said. “Everyone was like ‘we need to change this.'”

Last spring, volunteers were asked to meet over the summer to change the GMI, Morgan said.

The newly implemented Greek Standards measure Greeks on eight criteria, ranging from academia to social standards.

“The old one is more qualitative,” Morgan said. “This one is more quantitative.”

Corey Bradford, vice president for financial and administrative affairs, acts as adviser to Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and was part of the committee to change the standards.

“The last standards were more of a rewards competition,” Bradford said.

Bradford said the Greek Standards are now focused on fulfilling requirements that have been more clearly defined to Greek organizations.

Members of Greek organizations are role models, Bradford said, and having standards to measure Greek organizations are essential.

“I think it’s important for them to have some standard of how they conduct themselves,” Bradford said. “The organizations clearly know what is expected of them.”

Kyle Hogendorp, a senior from Arlington Heights studying photography and president of Phi Sigma Kappa, said the GMI was too open-ended.

“The GMI was kind of like the Greek report card,” Hogendorp said. “The standards needed to be shorter and more concise.”

The GMI was only turned in once a year while the Greek Standards require organizations to prove they’re up to par every semester.

Morgan said Greek organizations had trouble filling out the GMI standards form because they couldn’t always remember all the previous year’s activities.

“They will know, just like in a class, how they’re doing each semester,” Morgan said.

Greek Standards also require more inter-Greek relations. Greek organizations must take part in at least one activity per semester with other chapters and Greek councils.

“There is more requirements now to interact with other Greek organizations and councils,” Bradford said. “And I think that’s a valued component.”

Madeleine Leroux can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 254 or [email protected].