Final Assessment Report

Greek Life Academic Achievement and
Programming Assessment
Developed by:
NICOLE HORVATH
Zeta Tau Alpha
Co-Investigator
ASHLEY JONES
Alpha Omicron Pi
Co-Investigator
CHAD WARRICK
Phi Kappa Tau
Co-Investigator
May 7, 2015

GREEK LIFE ASSESSMENT 2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………….3
Part 1 – The Assessment Proposal.……………………………………………………..6
Part 2 – The Assessment Method. .……………………………………………………13
Part 3 –The Assessment Results……………………………………………………….21
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………….54
Resource List…………………………………………………………………….…….134
Biographies of Evaluation Team………………………………………………………135

Executive Summary
This assessment was conducted on members of the Greek community at Youngstown
State University. The focus of this assessment was the priority of academics and academic
support within the individual chapters and the Greek system at large. This population was
selected due to the interest in exploring the benefits of formal academic programming delivered
by the Student Activities Office and the Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils that govern all
sororities and fraternities respectively.
The authors used two methods of data collection. The first was an online survey. All
active members of the Greek community were sent an e-mail inviting them to participate in the
survey. The survey consisted of 31 questions that collected both qualitative and quantitative
data. In addition to the survey, the authors also conducted seven focus groups. These focus
groups looked at different perceptions of academics in the Greek community from different
councils and individual chapters. The authors divided the focus groups into class rank, as well as
high and low achieving chapters. The outcome of the survey was to get a holistic view of the
Greek members’ perceptions to provide programming and support that will benefit the entirety of
the community.
The next use of data collection was through focus groups. The authors conducted a total
of seven focus groups: Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, highest achieving fraternity
and sorority, two lowest achieving fraternities and two lowest achieving sororities, first and
second year students, third and fourth year students, and fifth and sixth year students. The focus
groups gave the authors more specific perceptions that could not be obtained from the survey
data. The focus groups also provided a means to seek more specific recommendations that the

participants had. By using both the online survey and focus groups, the authors were able to
acquire a more holistic perspective of the academic climate within the community at YSU.
Based on the results, the authors were able to conclude a wealth of information regarding
improvements to the current academic programming and policies. It was determined that, based
on the results of this survey, a majority of students defer their own recruitment and join Greek
Life later in their college experience. The survey also determined that overall chapter GPA can
be heavily determined by the academic support members believe they receive from their chapter.
Finally, the data showed there was a direct correlation between the academic programming need
of time management and the majority of members of the Greek community working on or off
campus between 10-30 hours per week. This finding was also reflected in the focus group
responses in regards to the ability to balance academics, Greek life obligations, and other
responsibilities.
Implications for practice include a total of 90% of the 12,172 undergraduate students that
currently attend YSU commute. This factor creates a unique environment for the Greek
community. In addition, the assessment lacked racial and ethnic diversity. 93.8% of survey
participants identified as white/Caucasian and 100% of focus groups were white/Caucasian.
Also, only 0.69% of the NPHC Greek community participated in the survey and 0% participated
in focus groups. This leaves the NPHC population grossly underrepresented in all of the
findings. Furthermore, an additional cultural consideration is the distribution amongst survey
participation being 59.03% women and 40.28% men. This overrepresentation of female
responses could affect the future success of academic programming initiatives and the response
of the male students from the Greek community.

Based on the data results, the recommendations were broken into four distinct categories
representing policies, programming, support, and recognition. In relation to policy changes, the
authors recommend that a review of the mission statement occur to incorporate the core values
shared by all fraternities and sororities on campus. Additionally, it is essential to work with the
Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils to establish academic officers to oversee the academic
programming and achievement of both individual members and chapters as a collective. The
authors recommend that council officers are also better trained to support members of the Greek
community by offering resources both provided by the university and the NIC and NPC national
governing bodies. Through policy changes, the academic officers should be holding individuals
and chapters more accountable based on their GPAs.
Additionally, the authors recommend providing annually evaluated, needs-based
programs of the Greek community sponsored by the Student Activities Office and respective
councils. These programs should be held based on the availability provided by members of the
Greek community. Based on the responses by the active students within the Greek community,
the authors recommend that Fraternity and Sorority of the Year awards be restructured to reflect
the core values of the Greek community such as academics, scholarship, campus involvement,
philanthropy, service, and leadership. Finally, the authors recommend that there is a higher
emphasis on honorary societies by providing students with the opportunity to experience the
induction ceremonies.

Part 1
Assessment Proposal
In 1776 at the College of William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa Fraternity became the first
Greek letter organization (History of Greek Life in the United States, 2015). Phi Beta Kappa
instilled traditions including: a secret grip, ritual, distinctive badge and most notably, the use of
Greek letters. These traditions were then adopted by other all male and all female groups,
leading to the organizations we know today as fraternities and sororities. Arguably, the most
important legacy Phi Beta Kappa spread to the subsequent Greek letter organizations were the
high moral ideals, scholastic achievement, and friendship of one member to another. This legacy
is still honored throughout the Greek community today (History of Greek Life in the United
States, 2015).
Greek Life as a functional area has had both a long standing and evolving history in
student affairs and higher education. Presently, three national councils are recognized as the
national governing bodies for fraternities, sororities and historically African American
fraternities and sororities. These councils include the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)
which includes 26 women’s fraternities (sororities), the Interfraternity Council (IFC) which
represents 74 international and national men’s fraternities and the National Pan-Hellenic Council
(NPHC) which is the umbrella organization for the nine historically African American
fraternities and sororities, more commonly referred to as the “Divine Nine.” These councils
ensure the legacy of high moral ideals, scholastic achievement and friendship that the Greek
community was founded on, is still upheld today. Additionally, chapters receive advocacy,
resources and support from alumni members through NPC, IFC and NPHC.

At present, 290 undergraduate students are active members of the Greek Life community
at Youngstown State University. Students are able to pledge membership in one of the four NPC
sororities: Alpha Xi Delta (AXiD), Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII), Delta Zeta (DZ) and Zeta Tau
Alpha (ZTA), one of five IFC chapters: Alpha Phi Delta (APD), Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE),
Sigma Tau Gamma (Sig Tau), Sigma Chi (Sig Chi), and Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) or one of six
NPHC chapters: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
(Deltas), Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. (Iotas), Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (Sigmas), Omega
Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Ques), and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (Zetas).
In order to obtain active membership in one of the NPC, IFC or NPHC chapters at
Youngstown State University, varying academic criteria set forth by either the council or the
individual national organizations needs to be met. The IFC has a standard requirement that all
men who wish to go through recruitment must have a 2.5 cumulative high school or college
grade point average (GPA). Unlike the IFC, the four NPC chapters have varying academic
requirements. DZ and ZTA have the same criteria, requiring a 2.7 cumulative high school or
college GPA. AXiD requires a 2.75 cumulative high school or a 2.6 cumulative college GPA.
Finally, AOII requires a 2.6 cumulative high school or college GPA. The NPHC requires
interested undergraduate students to have completed at least one full academic semester. The
NPHC defines one full academic semester as the successful completion of twelve credit hours
and a minimum of a 2.5 GPA.
As a functional area at Youngstown State University, it is the duty of the Greek
community to provide students with opportunities to support the institutional mission. The
mission of Youngstown State University is:

“Youngstown State University-an urban research university-emphasizes a creative,
integrated approach to education, scholarship and service. The University places students
at its center; leads in the discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge;
advances civic, scientific and technological development; and fosters collaboration to
enrich the region and the world” (Mission, Vision and Core Values, 2011).
At YSU, Assistant Director of Student Activities, Carrie Anderson also serves as the advisor to
the Greek community, to ensure that the mission of Greek Life as a functional area within the
institution supports the overall institutional mission. There is no formal mission statement for
Greek Life. Sisterhood, brotherhood and friendship serve as the pillars for the Greek community
(Greek Life, 2013). In order to achieve the institutional mission of creative and integrated
approach to education, scholarship and service, Greek Life requires its members to meet specific
GPA requirements to ascertain membership.
“Active engagement and social environments of a college campus has been positively
associated with student persistence” (Long, 2012, p. 38). One of the trends in higher education
today is a focus on retention and graduation. Institutions, including Youngstown State
University are constructing initiatives to ensure that students are retained and persist towards
graduation. Though the research is clear in regards to student involvement positively correlating
with student retention and persistence, when it comes to student involvement and its effect on
academic performance, specifically in the fraternity and sorority context the research is limited
and varied (Long, 2012). Long (2012) recognized the need for further research on the impact of
Greek Life membership on academic performance as well as the development of support
practices to assist in supporting student academic achievement, similar to the proposed
assessment study. Establishing an academic environment was one of the implications for

practice (Long, 2012). He found that the best performing fraternity and sorority communities
from his population had high academic standards (Long, 2012). It was also determined that there
was a direct correlation between engaging in academic activities, such as: studying, reading,
writing and doing lab work that also positively correlated with predicting academic success
(Long, 2012). Finally, Long cited stakeholders such as: campus-based professionals and alumni
calling for them in assisting in the fostering of an academic environment amongst their members.
Even more specifically, Long suggested alumni offering referrals to students to campus
resources (example: the Center for Student Progress) and developing study skills workshops
(Long, 2012).
It can be determined that the proposed assessment study of the current academic culture
and academic programming evaluation will serve beneficial to the Greek community for a
number of reasons. The current academic culture within the Greek community at Youngstown
State University is very much the responsibility of the individual chapters. At present, the
authors were only able to find one goal linked to academic success amongst the IFC, NPC and
NPHC councils. This goal was that the women of the NPC would like to increase the overall
GPA of the four NPC sororities by 0.1, raising the overall GPA to 3.25.
Youngstown State University offers multiple resources on campus to assist in supporting
all students in their academic success. These resources include: the Center for Student Progress,
Writing Center, Mathematics Assistance Center and Language Lab. Another implication for
practice Long (2012) found in his study, was the importance in identifying and approaching
academically at-risk members. At present, the way that the Greek community practices this is by
suggesting any member of the Greek community who falls below a cumulative GPA of 2.5 to
seek assistance at the Center for Student Progress. The authors would like to determine whether

this referral process is actually assisting academically at-risk members or if the Greek
community at Youngstown State University would benefit from a more structured approach to
referrals that include more campus resources.
There are specific stakeholders that would benefit from the assessment of the academic
support and success within the Greek community at Youngstown State University. On a
fraternal level, alumni/ae chapter members would benefit from undergraduate students whom
have had a strong academic preparation and success during their time in the Greek community.
Especially if those alumni/ae members are interested in hiring recent graduates from their alma
mater Greek community. In addition, the individual and council national and international
organizations would benefit from higher academic performing members. On an institutional
level, the community at large, including but not limited to: employees, Department of Student
Activities and Greek Life and Youngstown State University’s enrollment management team,
would all benefit from Greek Life members from having more specific academic support and
success programs. As Long (2012) cited in his study, student involvement directly correlates
with a higher rate of retention. Therefore, it is critical for the stakeholders amongst the
Youngstown State University Greek community to invest in the academic support and success of
its members.
Evaluation
As stated, one of the internationally shared values of both fraternities and sororities is
scholarship. This assessment will evaluate the academic programming and achievement of the
IFC, NPC and NPHC. The data gathered will inform the Student Activities Office to better
support students in their academic journey. Regional institutions including: Case Western
Reserve University, the University of Akron and the University of Pittsburgh all utilize

institutionally developed standards to evaluate academic programming. Using these best
practices as a baseline as well as the assessment measures created by the assessors, this proposal
will strive to evaluate the standards, action plans, and bylaws implemented by the chapters at
Youngstown State University. In addition, the accountability, responsibility and culture of
academics within the Greek community will also be evaluated. The ultimate goal of the
assessment is to be able to provide recommendations to increase both semester and cumulative
grade point averages of Greek students.
Through observations made while working with the Greek community at Youngstown
State University, chapters have their own individual academic success plans but the community
lacks council-wide and community-wide initiatives and programs that highlight academic
success, development, and learning. The assessment will evaluate the following: GPAs from
recent semesters (Spring 2014, Fall 2014), individual chapter success plans, academic workshops
offered, individual and chapter standards, the utilization of a faculty or staff members, scholastic
recognition, and Greek honorary involvement. By assessing individual chapter’s academic
programming and achievement, the authors will be able to make recommendations to assist the
entire community in the areas where a majority of chapters lack or need improvement.
The assessment will allow the authors to evaluate the effectiveness of individual
programs, expand on the programs offered, and bring students together to support one another in
their classes and academics. Finally, the assessment will focus on how students are held
accountable if they do not meet the academic standards while also looking at the repercussions
for the actions of those students. It will be essential for the group to assess each individual
chapter to create a master plan that will benefit the Greek community as a whole and to not only

increase the scholastic achievement of every chapter, but also their individual members, through
academic programming and initiatives.
Purpose and Objectives
The purpose of this project is to assess the current academic standards, success and
culture of various facets of Youngstown State University’s Greek community. The authors will
first assess the current academic standards of each individual chapter, both on a local and an
international level. The authors will be looking at the chapters’ local and national academic
standards and success plans in order to understand the correlation between the academic plans
and policies with the chapters’ overall GPAs. The authors will also be assessing academic
standards and plans in place for each of the councils and the Greek community in order to better
understand how members of the Greek community gain academic support from these groups as a
whole.
The authors plan to gather information through the use and evaluation of existing data
consisting of official institution grade reports, an independently developed survey and focus
groups. The focus groups will be held with a variety of members in the Greek community whom
differ in their chapter and council affiliation. Focus groups will allow the authors to gain
qualitative data on the culture of academics within individual chapters, IFC, NPC and NPHC
councils and the Greek community as a whole. The authors are interested in gaining information
about the different types of support Greek members receive from each of these areas in order to
assess areas of improvement. In addition, focus questions will be used to determine the level of
support offered to the members of each chapter at different stages of their college career in order
to assess whether members feel supported throughout their entire educational journey. The
authors will also ask questions in order to assess the priority of academics in each chapter and

determine the strengths and weaknesses of individual chapters’ academic success plans.
Additionally, the authors would like to hold a separate focus group with members of both the top
and bottom academic performing fraternities and sororities on campus in order to gain
information on strengths and weaknesses of their academic plans.
Surveys will also be sent out via email to all members of the Greek community to be able
to obtain a wide variety of responses, including the responses of those who were not included in
the focus groups. These surveys will gather information about how members feel their chapter,
council, Greek community, national organization and Youngstown State University prioritize
and support academics. The authors are interested in learning the degree to which Greek
members feel they receive adequate academic support and resources from all of these areas. The
survey will also gather information regarding areas of improvement for academic programming.
After holding focus groups and collecting survey responses, the authors will begin to
analyze the data to determine the culture of academics within the Greek community. Then the
authors will determine the strengths and weaknesses of academic programs on a chapter, council,
Greek community, and national level to understand areas where more academic support and
programming is necessary. Finally, the authors will then provide recommendations on academic
programming to improve overall academic success of students.
Part 2
Population Demographics
The Greek community at Youngstown State University consists of 290 members. 158
women are members of NPC chapters, 117 men are members of IFC chapters and 15 men and
women are members of NPHC chapters. Through the official grade report obtained from
Symplicity student organization management software, it was determined the average grade

point average amongst women within the NPC chapters was 3.15 for the Fall 2014 semester. For
the IFC men it was 3.03. Amongst the men and women of the NPHC chapters, the average grade
point average was 2.81. The Greek community was chosen for this assessment process for a
number of reasons.
Aside from individual grade point average requirements for membership within the
Greek community at YSU, there are no other formal policies regarding overall grade point
average for fraternities and sororities at the council level. In addition, no formal academic
programming requirements are held within the NPC, IFC or NPHC councils. Similar regional
institutions of higher education, such as the University of Akron and the University of Pittsburgh
both have policies regarding overall grade point averages for fraternities and sororities to remain
active as well as have formal academic programming amongst the NPC, IFC and NPHC
councils. In addition, the Greek community at YSU was selected for assessment because it is
important to understand what the individual members’ perception of the academic climate is
within their individual chapters as well as the community at large. This is critical, because in
order to determine if policies similar to that of the University of Akron and University of
Pittsburgh will be applicable, it is critical to understand how students are making meaning of
their academic experience within the Greek community. This population also was selected
because it was known to the assessors that each individual organization has their own policies
and academic programming required of their national organization. In order to better understand
the needs of the Greek community, it is important to understand what policies and academic
programming they are already participating in.
The survey was sent to the entire Greek community for participation in order to provide
the greatest breadth of responses. This will also allow for the most cultural diversity amongst

participants. In addition to the survey, focus group participants were selected based on rank
within the organization (new member, sophomore, junior and outgoing senior). It was important
to complete focus groups of members at different points in their Greek experience. This is
critical in regards to assessing whether or not formal policies and formal academic programming
will be effective for all members of the Greek community. This will allow the authors to further
understand the various developmental needs of different levels within the Greek community.
Focus group participants were selected based on their own availability and the availability of
authors.
Method of Data Collection
Data will be collected through a combined methodology. Official grade reports provided
by the Student Activities Office will be evaluated as existing data to determine the academic
performance of individuals as it was reported to Youngstown State University. In addition, focus
group responses will also be evaluated to collect qualitative data. Qualitative data is used to
assist authors in “understanding the meaning people have constructed, that is, how they make
sense of the world and their experiences in it” (Schuh & Upcraft, 2001, p. 28). It is critical for
the authors to not only understand the academic performance of the members of the Greek
community but also the way in which members perceive academics are valued and supported. In
order to develop a high quality assessment report, the existing data (official grade report),
qualitative data (focus group responses) will also be combined with the quantitative data
obtained from the survey.
For the purposes of this study, the authors developed a survey as their quantitative
instrument. It is the goal of this assessment proposal to determine the academic programming
and achievement climate within the Greek community at Youngstown State University. Due to

the specificity of the study, no commercially developed quantitative instrument is available to
assess the areas of academic programming and achievement. Web-based data collection will be
used to obtain the quantitative data from the survey. The authors chose to collect the data
through web-based data collection because of the many advantages including: “both quantitative
and qualitative information can be gathered, the return rate is greater and more timely, data
collection time is reduced, anonymity can be managed, data can be more efficiently managed and
cost is lower” (Schuh & Upcraft, 2001, p. 102 – 108).
Procedures
All three members of the assessment team will take part in the collection and evaluation
of the data. The data will first be collected by use of a SurveyMonkey that is being sent to all
290 members of the Greek community at Youngstown State University. The SurveyMonkey
data will analyze qualitative and quantitative information regarding demographics and how each
Fraternity or Sorority member feels supported by various aspects of the Greek community
regarding academics. The Survey Monkey was sent out on March 19, 2015 and will be closed
on April 10, 2015.
Following the SurveyMonkey collection of data, authors will also conduct focus groups.
In order to get a vast variety of perspectives from the Greek community, seven focus groups will
be held. These seven focus groups will focus on each of the following subpopulations within the
Greek community: new members, leaders, graduating seniors, highest and lowest academic
performing chapters, and each council. The focus groups will take place during the month of
April and the goal of the focus groups are to determine the differing levels of academic support
each of these groups receives and the effect that support has on GPA and academic success.

The assessment team will not be seeking IRB approval. The Student Activities Office at
Youngstown State University plans to use the assessment results for internal purposes only.
They do not plan to publish any findings, but rather improve the academic support resources
provided through their office to the Greek community.
Data and Analysis
By utilizing the different assessment strategies, the analysis will focus on the quantitative
and qualitative results from the online survey, the qualitative results from focus group responses,
and quantitative information from past years’ academic records from the Student Activities
Office. Each one of these assessment items are important and as they are combined in the
analysis phase the results will show the complete picture of academic achievement within the
Greek community at Youngstown State University and show the impact of academic
programming, or lack of it, on students at a chapter, council, community, and national level. Not
only will the analysis display trends within the larger community, but the results will be broken
down to reflect specific aspects of fraternity and sorority life.
Starting with the survey, which will be reflective of the entire Greek community at
Youngstown State University, the analysis will focus on many integral parts of fraternity and
sorority life by grouping information to reflect the academic experiences of members. The first
aspect that will be analyzed is when students should be going through the recruitment process,
specifically whether traditional recruitment is currently working for Youngstown State
University or if deferred spring recruitment should be recommended. By looking at when
students began their college career, joined their respective fraternity or sorority chapter, and
current grade point average (GPA) this will help determine which time period most benefits
transitioning students to enter Greek Life. Nelson, Halperin, Wasserman, Smith, and Graham

(2006) actually looked at the relationship between membership in a fraternity and sorority during
the recruitment semester, the GPAs students earned, and the retention rate. These researchers
concluded that deferred recruitment allows students to be academically successful by adjusting to
the academic structure, rigors, and environment (Nelson et al., 2006).
Additionally, by identifying the first semester of students’ undergraduate career and
Greek experience and comparing them to the expected graduation dates a conclusion can be
made as to the impact that being a member of Greek Life has on grades. The analysis of this
data will look at the frequency of four, five, and six plus year projection graduation rates of
students to identify the positive or negative impact on the academic achievement of Greek
students. Qualitative data will also support this conclusion as students were asked in the survey
to identify the personal impact being a member of their chapter has had on each student’s
academics and grades. Finally, with the academic achievement portion of the survey, other
factors different from Greek requirements and responsibilities will be included in the analysis
such as the amount of studying students do weekly, the amount of time students work weekly,
and establishing any financial stressors that may affect students. This will help establish the
dynamic of the student population within Greek Life and show what additional programming and
resources can be offered by the individual chapters, councils on campus, Student Activities
Office, and the International or National Headquarters.
The second aspect of the survey results will focus on the academic needs of the Greek
students within the Youngstown State community. The survey results will show what students
valued the most as they went through recruitment and joined their chapter, including scholarship
opportunities and academic development. This information will show the assessors what can and
should be better highlighted as students, specifically freshman students, come to campus and

look for organizations, like fraternity and sorority life, that will enhance their learning outside the
classroom. An analysis will also take place on the amount of time chapters spend each week on
different aspects of Greek Life, again including studying and academics, to see any inequalities
and disparities between each aspect.
Next it is important to identify where students are receiving academic programming and
if chapters, councils, and the Student Activities Office can lead students to resources on campus
the students may be unaware of to help facilitate that academic programming aspect of fraternity
and sorority life. Through the survey students also identified academic topics that they think that
both they and their fellow brothers and sisters can learn and benefit academically from. By
having the entire community take the survey, programs can be developed to support the students
in their academic development on different levels outside of their individual chapters. Finally,
thinking about the academic programming side of Greek Life, it is important to not only program
events based on the needs of the students but also their availability. If students cannot attend the
programs then it will be all for not, so an analysis must take place to determine the best day to
host academic programming for this specific population.
After understanding the academic dynamic of the entire Greek community the focus
question responses will take clout when adding them in to the survey results analysis. The focus
groups will be divided into specific groups, including new members, leaders, graduating seniors,
high academic performing chapters, low academic performing chapters, the Interfraternity
Council, and Panhellenic Council. The analysis will show the level of support students get
through each part of their fraternal journey to see any discrepancies and need of additional
support for any particular subgroup of Greek students. Additionally, it is important to analyze
the differences between what high performing chapters are providing for members and the

strategies that low performing chapters take to facilitate the academic and intellectual
development of their members.
In the focus groups, when working with the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils, it
will be imperative to analyze their overall knowledge of resources, programs, and initiatives
offered by both offices at Youngstown State University and by the North American
Interfraternity Conference and the National Panhellenic Conference. Dependent on the
knowledge of the individual leaders that oversee academics, the Student Activities Office can
determine the training that needs to be offered for new officers each year in regards to their
duties and responsibilities with academics. Each focus group’s purpose will be to analyze the
needs of the community and the overall support that the students feel they have from their
chapters, councils, national or international headquarters, national governing bodies, and the
Student Activities Office.
Finally, the analysis of trends will be vital in understanding where the Greek community
has been academically in the past and predict the directions of the trends for the future of
academic achievement and programming at Youngstown State University. In regards to the past,
the trends will show which chapters are consistently performing well and which ones are not.
These results will also allow an analysis to determine whether fraternities or sororities would
need and benefit more from academic programming and additional academic support. Each one
of these assessment strategies will tie in together and allow for an overall analysis of results that
can offer the opportunity for recommendations and changes within the Student Activities Office
and the Greek Life community at Youngstown State University.

Part 3
Results
Survey Findings. A total of 144 students or 50% of the Greek community at
Youngstown State University participated in the survey, and designated whether they were a part
of the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, or the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Of the
students that participated 40.28% were males representing IFC, 59.03% were females
representing Panhel, and 0.69% represented NPHC. Data regarding the population distribution
of the Greek community can be found in Appendix E1. Each of the 144 students that
participated also designated what year in school they were. Of those participants, 18.8% (a total
of 27 students) were first-year freshmen, 21.5% (a total of 31 students) were second-year
sophomores, 34.7% (a total of 50 students) were third-year juniors, 20.8% (a total of 30 students)
were fourth-year seniors, 4.2% (a total of 6 students) were fifth-year seniors, and 2.1% (a total of
3 students) were sixth-year seniors. Data regarding the students’ year in school can be found in
Appendix E2.
Each of the 144 student participants provided data as to when they first enrolled into
Youngstown State University. Of those participants, 86.1% (a total of 124 students) entered
Youngstown State University as traditional freshman during fall semester, 14.3% (a total of 21
students) were undergraduate transfers, 1.38% (a total of 2 students) entered as freshman during
the spring semester, and 0.69% (a total of 1 student) entered as a nontraditional veteran. Data
regarding the semester the participants enrolled at Youngstown State University can be found in
Appendix E3.
Then the 144 participants provided the specific semester they enrolled at the Youngstown
State University. Of the participants, 0.69% (a total of 1 student) enrolled at Youngstown State

University in Fall 2008, 2.08% (a total of 3 students) enrolled in Fall 2009, 4.17% (a total of 6
students) enrolled in Fall 2010, 20.14% (a total of 29 students) enrolled in Fall 2011, 2.08% (a
total of 3 students) enrolled in Spring 2012, 31.94% (a total of 46 students) enrolled in Fall 2012,
0.69% (a total of 1 student) enrolled in Spring 2013, 18.75% (a total of 27 students) enrolled in
Fall 2013, and 19.44% (a total of 28 students) enrolled this past fall in 2014. Data regarding the
breakdown of each semester the participants enrolled at Youngstown State University can be
found in Appendix E4.
Each of the 144 students that participated identified their major in the survey. Of those
participants, 40.28% (a total of 58 students) belong to the College of Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Science (STEM), 20.14% (a total of 29 students) belong to Bitonte College of
Health and Human Services, 19.44% (a total of 28 students) belong to the Beeghly College of
Education, 16.67% (a total of 24 students) belong to the College of Liberal Arts and Social
Sciences (CLASS), 15.97% (a total of 23 students) belong to the Williamson College of Business
Administration, and 5.56% (a total of 8 students) belong to the College of Creative Arts and
Communications. Of the participants the top majors included, Education with 19.44% (a total of
28 students), Biology and Chemistry with 18.06% (a total of 26 students), Engineering with
12.5% (a total of 18 students), Nursing with 9.72% (a total of 14 students), Accounting and
Finance with 6.94% (a total of 10 students), and 1 student disclosed they were undecided. Data
regarding the designated majors of the survey participants can be found in Appendix E5.
Each of the 144 students that participated also identified their high school and hometown.
Of those participants, 47.92% (a total of 69 students) are from Mahoning County, 17.36% (a
total of 25 students) are from Trumbull County, 2.78% (a total of 4 students) are from
Columbiana County, and 32.64% (a total of 47 students) are from areas outside the three

counties surrounding Youngstown State University. Data regarding the high schools and
hometowns of the survey participants can be found in Appendix E6. Then the students that
participated reported their race and ethnicity. Of those participants, 93.8% (a total of 135
students) identified themselves as Caucasian, 2.8% (a total of 4 students) identified themselves
as Asian, 2.8% (a total of 4 students) identified themselves as Latino or Hispanic, 1.4% (a total
of 2 students) identified themselves as African American, and 0.69% (a total of 1 student)
identified himself or herself as Middle Eastern, and 0.69% (a total of 1 student) identified
himself or herself as Biracial. Data regarding the race and ethnicity of the survey participants
can be found in Appendix E7.
Each of the 144 students that participated identified their cumulative GPA. Of those
participants, 3.5% (a total of 5 students) have a 4.0, 38.2% (a total of 55 students) fall between a
3.5 and 3.99 GPA, 30.6% (a total of 44 students) fall between a 3.0 and 3.49 GPA, 24.3% (a total
of 35 students) fall between a 2.5 and 2.99 GPA, and 3.5% (a total of 5 students) fall between a
2.0 and 2.49 GPA. Data regarding the cumulative GPAs of the survey participants can be found
in Appendix E8.
Each of the 144 students that participated provided when they pledged their respective
fraternity or sorority, which spans a seven year period. Of those participants, 0.69% (a total of 1
student) joined Greek Life in Fall 2008, 7.64% (a total of 11 students) joined in Fall 2011, 3.47%
(a total of 5 students) joined in Spring 2012, 16.67% (a total of 22 students) joined in Fall 2012,
9.03% (a total of 13 students) joined in Spring 2013, 24.31% (a total of 35 students) joined in
Fall 2013, 5.56% (a total of 8 students) joined in Spring 2014, 25.69% (a total of 37 students)
joined this past Fall 2014, and 4.86% (a total of 7 students) joined this semester, Spring 2015.
Data regarding the pledge semester of the survey participants can be found in Appendix E9.

Each of the 144 students that participated provided qualitative responses in regards to
their expected graduation. 21.53% (a total of 31 students) reported an expected graduation date
of Spring 2016. 17.36% (a total of 25 students) expect a Spring 2017 graduation. Closely
following is 16.67% (a total of 24 students) for Spring 2018 as expected graduation. 11.8% (a
total of 17 students) reported Fall 2015 as their expected graduation. 9.72% (a total of 14
students) reported Fall 2016 as the semester they expected to graduate. 6.94% (a total of 10
students) anticipate a Spring 2015 graduation date. 4.17% (a total of 6 students) of students that
participated believe Fall 2017 will be their expected graduation. 3.47% (a total of 5 students)
were reported for both Spring 2019 and did not specify which semester in the year 2018 for
expected graduation. 2.08% (a total of 3 students) of students that participated did not specify
which semester, but anticipate their graduation to be in the 2017 academic year. The final
responses include: Summer 2015, Fall 2018 and not specified for 2016 and 2020 which each
0.69% of the findings (a total of 1 student each). The Data regarding expected graduation dates
for the participants can be found in Appendix E10.
Each of the 144 students that participated provided multiple reasons for joining their
respective chapters. Of those participants, 68.1% (a total of 98 students) joined Greek Life
because of the networking opportunities, 85.4% (a total of 123 students) joined to get involved in
the campus community, 28.5% (a total of 41 students) joined because of the scholarship
opportunities provided, 68.8% (a total of 99 students) joined because of the community service
and philanthropic opportunities, 76.4% (a total of 110 students) joined to become better leaders,
60.4% (a total of 87 students) joined for the socials and mixers, 36.1% (a total of 52 students)
joined because of the academic development, 50% (a total of 72 students) joined to build self-
confidence, 89.6% (a total of 129 students) joined because of friendships, 11.8% (a total of 17

students) joined because they were legacies, and 5.6% (a total of 8 students) stated they have
other reasons for joining Greek Life at Youngstown State University. Data emphasizing the
reasons why the survey participants joined the Greek community can be found in Appendix E11.
Each of the 144 students were asked how much support they receive from their chapter,
their council, the Student Activities Office, their international or national organization, and the
national governing bodies of fraternity and sorority life. Of the 144 participants that reported for
their individual chapters, 15.28% (a total of 22 students) reported they receive minor support
which equates to only one program, 34.72% (a total of 50 students) reported they receive support
which equates to two to three programs, 50% (a total of 72 students) reported they receive
exceptional support which equates to four or more programs. Of the 144 participants that
reported for their councils, 17.36% (a total of 25 students) reported they receive no support,
32.64% (a total of 47 students) reported they receive minor support, 38.89% ( a total of 56
students) reported they receive support, and 11.11% (a total of 16 students) reported they receive
exceptional support.
Of the 144 participants that reported for the Student Activities Office, 13.19% (a total of
19 students) reported they receive no support, 36.81% (a total of 53 students) reported they
receive minor support, 38.19% (a total of 55 students) reported they receive support, and 11.81%
(a total of 17 students) reported they receive exceptional support. Of the 144 that reported for
their international and national organizations, 9.72% (a total of 14 students) reported they receive
no support, 24.31% (a total of 35 students) reported they receive minor support, 38.19% (a total
of 55 students) reported they receive support, and 27.78% (a total of 40 students) reported they
receive exceptional support. Finally of the 144 participants that reported for the NIC, NPC, and
NPHC; 27.78% (a total of 40 students) reported they receive no support, 34.72% (a total of 50

students) reported they receive minor support, 27.78% (a total of 40 students) reported they
receive support, and 9.03% (a total of 13 students) reported they receive exceptional support.
Data regarding the academic support provided to the survey participants can be found in
Appendix E12.
Each of the 144 students that participated provided qualitative responses to provide an
example of academic programming by their highest supporter. 43.06% (a total of 62 students)
reported that study hours and study table requirements as an example of academic programming.
9.03% (a total of 13 students) related directly to national headquarters for individual fraternities
or sororities. There was no specific academic program cited in these responses. In addition,
9.03% (a total of 13 students) either did not answer or reported that they did not understand the
question. 6.25% (a total of 9 students each) reported that their individual organization or
incentive programs are examples of their highest supporter in academic programming. 5.56% (a
total of 8 students) related to general academic programs (including study tips, time management
programs, etc.). 2.78% (a total of 4 students) cited working with other members of their
individual chapters as an example of academic programming by their highest supporter. 2.08%
(a total of 3 students each) reported either utilizing the Center for Student Progress,
Supplemental Instruction or Tutoring Services or Midterm and Finals Week study groups. The
individual organization’s minimum GPA requirement as well as the Panhellenic Council’s study
tables was both cited by 1.39% (a total of 2 students each) of participants. Finally, fraternal
values, the Office of Student Activities, chapter advisor and parent all elicited 1 response each
and made up 0.69% of the 144 responses.
Each of the 144 students that participated were asked to provide qualitative responses to
the following question: “provide an example of programming you wish to see from one of your

lowest supporters”. 25% (a total of 36 students) included: I do not know how to answer this
question, I’m not sure or not applicable. Due to the high percentage of participants reporting that
they did not understand the question, it can be determined that this question was not properly
worded. However, it did elicit some important qualitative data to take note of. 17.36% (a total
of 25 students) felt that more study tables would be an example of programming they wish to
see. 12.5% (a total of 18 students) would like to have more academic programming. 10.42% (a
total of 15 students) would like to see more support from their individual councils (IFC and
NPC). 6.94% (a total of 10 students) would like to see more academic programming through the
Greek Campus Life council. 3.47% (a total of 5 students each) of participants surveyed would
like more responsibility placed on their chapter or national headquarters, more words of
encouragement or more support from the Office of Student Activities. 2.78% (a total of 4
students each) would like more recognition for academic success and more academic resources.
2.08% (a total of 3 students) would like more competition in regards to academics. 1.39% (a
total of 2 students) of participants surveyed would like a higher GPA requirement. 0.69% (a
total of 1 student each) included: improvement to existing system, Student Government
Association Support, more restrictions, better communication, no more chocolate bars, more
involvement, anything, more effort, incentives, less programming and the YSU Student
Leadership Summit.
Each of the 144 students who participated in the survey responded were asked to provide
qualitative responses to the following question: “when you think of academics and Greek Life,
what comes to mind?” 49.31% (a total of 71 students) stated that they first thought of high
standards, performance and expectations. 13.89% (a total of 20 students) of participants stated
that they first thought of the balance between Greek Life and academics. 8.33% (a total of 12

students) felt that academics and Greek Life was a community where everyone supports one
another. 3.47% (a total of 5 students) were Sig Tau Gamma fraternity. 2.78% (a total of 4
students) were competition. 2.08% (a total of 3 students) of participants stated study tables were
the first thing that came to their mind when they thought of academics and Greek Life. 1.39% (a
total of 2 students each) was success, non-existent and they felt it was the individual chapter’s
responsibility. 0.69% (a total of 1 student each) included: studying, no, retention, important,
needs improvement, honor to self and chapter, leaders, academic chairperson, not caring about
grades, academic probation and networking.
Participants were asked, “How does being a member of the Greek community impact
your grades? Why?” All 144 participants answered the question. A summary of the responses
include: 18.75% (a total of 27 students) stated that their membership in the Greek community has
a positive impact on their grades because of the support/academic assistance they receive from
other members of the Greek community, 12.5% (a total of 18 students) indicated that they strive
for higher grades because they want to improve the overall GPA of their chapter, 13.19% (a total
of 19 students) stated that being a member of the Greek community can negatively impact grades
because of time-consuming activities such as Greek Sing, 11.81% (a total of 17 students) stated
being a member of the Greek community impacts their grades positively because of the
minimum GPA requirement and overall academic standard the Greek community or their chapter
holds, 9.72% (a total of 14 students) believe that being a part of the Greek community positively
impacts their grades because of the valuable skills they learn, specifically time management,
8.33% (a total of 12 students) said the Greek community motivates them to maintain a high GPA
to avoid being put on probation, 8.33% (a total of 12 students) said that being a part of the Greek
community had no effect on their grades, 7.64% (a total of 11 students) said that because they

are a part of the Greek community, they are held to a higher standard and therefore want to
achieve higher grades, 6.25% (a total of 9 students) said their chapter’s mandatory study hours
impact their grades, 4.86% (a total of 7 students) said being a part of the Greek community
improves their grades because they want to represent the Greek community well, 4.86% (a total
of 7 students) stated that being a part of the Greek community keeps them motivated, 4.17% (a
total of 6 students) said they strive to obtain good grades because they would like to hold
leadership positions in their chapters, 4.17% (a total of 6 students) stated that their chapter
prioritizes academics and holds them accountable, 2.78% (a total of 4 students) said that being a
part of Greek community makes them work harder, 1.39% (a total of 2 students) stated that being
a part of the Greek community has a positive impact on their grades but gave no explanation as
to why, 1.39% (a total of 2 students) said being a part of the Greek community is stressful,
0.69% (a total of 1 student) said being a part of the Greek community ties them to campus and
positively impacts grades, 0.69% (a total of 1 student) stated being in the Greek community
boosts his or her confidence in academics.
Each of the 144 participants were then asked to rank in order of importance of aspects in
fraternity and sorority life in their individual chapters. Based on the rankings Academic
Achievement was the most important aspect with an average ranking of 3.03, followed by
brotherhood and sisterhood with an average ranking of 4.56, followed by both recruitment and
philanthropy with an average ranking of 4.96, followed by membership development with an
average ranking of 5.19, followed by campus involvement with an average ranking of 5.73,
followed by risk management with an average ranking of 7.02, followed by community service
with an average ranking of 7.07, followed by social events with an average ranking of 8.13,
followed by Greek Week, Greek Sing, and alumni/ae events with an average of 8.78, and last fell

sports and intramurals with an average score of 10.07. Data regarding the most important
aspects of fraternity and sorority life in chapters can be found in Appendix E13.
Each of the 144 participants then reported how much time a month they spend on
different aspects of fraternity and sorority life by using a scale of 0 (no time at all) to 5 (15 or
more hours a month). Of those participants that used 0 the top aspects included, alumni/ae
events with 16 votes, speakers and educational programs with 10 votes, intramural sports with 6
votes, and risk management programs with 4 votes. Of those participants that used 1 the top
aspects included intramural sports with 50 votes, speakers and educational programs with 48
votes, intramural sports with 41 votes, risk management programs with 39 votes, and formals
and socials with 35 votes. Of those participants that used 2 the top aspects included intramural
sports with 47 votes, formals and socials with 45 votes, speakers and educational programs with
43 votes, alumni/ae events with 43 votes, and recruitment with 31 votes.
Of those participants that used 3 the top aspects included recruitment with 52 votes,
formals and socials with 45 votes, membership development with 45 votes, brotherhood and
sisterhood events with 40 votes, and campus involvement in events like Greek Week, Greek
Sing, and homecoming with 40 votes. Of those participants that used 4 the top aspects included
community service and philanthropy events with 45 votes, brother and sisterhood events with 43
votes, campus involvement with 39 votes, membership development with 37 votes, and meetings
with 36 votes. Finally, of those participants that used 5 the top aspects included meetings with
60 votes, studying and academic programs with 59 votes, campus involvement with 46 votes,
community service and philanthropy events with 38 votes, and membership development with 28
votes. Data regarding the time spent monthly on fraternity and sorority obligations can be found
in Appendix E14.

Each of the 144 participants were also forwarded the opportunity to provide the topics of
academic programming they would most benefit from having. Of those participants, 82.6% (a
total of 119 students) would like to see academic programming focused on time management,
645.3% (a total of 94 students) would like to see programming focused in studying preparation,
62.5% (a total of 90 students) would like to see programming focused on goal setting, 56.6% (a
total of 81 students) would like programming that addresses test anxiety, 52.8% (a total of 76
students) would like to see programming focused on test taking skills, 41% (a total of 59
students) would like to see programming for note taking strategies, 36.8% (a total of 53 students)
would like to see programming focused on effective listening skills, 34.4% (a total of 50
students) would like see a mentor/mentee program, 33.3% (a total of 48 students) would like to
see programming that enhances math skills, 33.3% (at total of 48 students) would like to see
programming with graduate school presentations, 31.9% (a total of 46 students) would like to see
programming to enhance writing skills, 27.8% (a total of 40 students) would like to see
programming that highlight different learning styles, 21.5% (a total of 31 students) would like to
see programming that advertises study abroad opportunities, 17.4% (a total of 25 students) would
like to see programming that enhances reading skills, and 0.69% (a total of 1 student) would like
to see more leadership development. Data regarding the academic programming participants
wish to see can be found in Appendix E15.
Each of the 144 students identified whether their individual chapters, their councils, the
Student Activities Office, international and national organizations, and governing bodies have
standards that they must achieve to remain active within the fraternity or sorority. Of those
participants, 100% (a total of 144 students) reported their chapters have standards that must be
met, 90.97% (a total of 131 students) reported they believe their councils have standards, 69.44%

(a total of 100 students) reported they believe the Student Activities Office has standards,
89.58% (a total of 129 students) reported they believe their international or national organization
has standards, and 72.92% (a total of 105 students) reported they believe the national governing
bodies have standards. Data regarding the standards reported by the survey participants can be
found in Appendix E16.
Participants were asked, “How are you held accountable for not reaching academic
standards as a Greek man or woman?” All 144 participants answered the question. A summary of
the responses include: 65.28% (a total of 94 students) indicated that they would experience loss
of privileges or be put on probation from their chapter, 21.53% (a total of 31 students) are held
accountable by having to complete required study hours if they do not reach their academic
requirement, 5.56% (a total of 8 students) will have to have a discussion or judicial hearing with
chapter members to decide on the best action going forward, 2.78% (a total of 4 students) said
they could face possible suspension, 2.08% (a total of 3 students) said they would have to meet
requirements (unspecified), 2.08% (a total of 3 students) indicated they have never been on
probation and did not know what would happen, 2.08% (a total of 3 students) simply stated that
they are held accountable, 1.39% (a total of 2 students) responded with “none,” 1.39% (a total of
2 students) said they can receive fines, 1.39% (a total of 2 students) responded with “yes,” 0.69%
(a total of 1 student) said they can be suspended from the university, 0.69% (a total of 1 student)
said “very high,” and 0.69% (a total of 1 student) said they would receive a referral to attend
services offered through the campus Center for Student Progress.
Each of the 144 students were also asked to identify their means for support to be in their
respective fraternity or sorority. Of the 144 participants, 74.3% (a total of 107 students) pay
dues with personal funds, 19.4% (a total of 28 students) has a family member that pays their

dues, 6.3% (a total of 9 students) pay dues with financial aid refund checks, and 4.86% reported
other ways of paying dues. Data regarding the financial support of the survey participants can be
found in Appendix E17. Additionally, the 144 students were asked to describe their current
living situation. Of the 144 participants, 38.9% (a total of 56 students) live at home with family,
24.3% (a total of 35 students) live in an off-campus apartment, 20.1% (a total of 29 students) live
on-campus in a residence hall, 16.7% (a total of 24 students) live in a fraternity house, and 6.3%
of student reported they have other living arrangements. Data regarding the living situation of
the survey participants can be found in Appendix E18.
The participants were asked, “If you were having difficulty with a class or assignment,
what would you do?” All 144 participants answered the question. A summary of the responses
include: 50.69% (a total of 73 students) stated they would ask a brother or sister in their chapter
for help, 29.17% (a total of 42 students) indicated they would ask the professor, 12.5% (a total of
18 students) would seek help from a classmate, 11.81% (a total of 17 students) would seek
tutoring, 11.11% (a total of 16 students) would go to the campus Center for Student Progress,
9.03% (a total of 13 students) indicated that they would dedicate more time to their studies,
6.25% (a total of 9 students) would speak to their chapter’s academic development or scholarship
chair, 5.56% (a total of 8 students) would speak to someone (unspecified) who already took the
class, 4.17% (a total of 6 students) would ask members of the Greek community for help, 4.17%
(a total of 6 students) indicated they would seek help, but they did not include from what source
they would seek help, 2.08% (a total of 3 students) said they would utilize campus resources, but
they did not specify which resource, 1.39% (a total of 2 students) would reduce the time spent on
Greek Life and other organizations to focus on the class, 1.39% (a total of 2 students) would
utilize the Math Assistance Center on campus, 1.39% (a total of 2 students) would speak to an

advisor, 0.69% (a total of one participant) would simply complete the assignment, 0.69% (a total
of 1 student) would attend study tables, 0.69% (a total of 1 student) would talk to the Greek Life
academic advisor, and 0.69% (a total of 1 student) indicated they would pray.
Each of the 144 students provided ways they believe they are recognized for academic
achievement by their councils. Of those participants, 47.22% (a total of 68 students) either did
not know or reported receiving no recognition, 17.36% (a total of 25 students) reported receiving
recognition through awards, 15.97% (a total of 23 students) reported receiving recognition
through the Greek Honor Roll at Greek Sing, 9.72% (a total of 14 students) reported receiving
recognition through Order of Omega, 2.08% (a total of 3 students) reported receiving
recognition through scholarships offered, and 1.38% (a total of 2 students) reported receiving
recognition through rankings.
Participants were asked, “How does your chapter recognize high academic achievement
each semester of your members?” Of the 144 total participants of the survey, 143 answered this
question. A a summary of the responses include: 41.96% (a total of 60 students) said they
receive awards or certificates, 18.18% (a total of 26 students) receive some type of incentives,
weekly prizes, or rewards, 14.69% (a total of 21 students) receive pearls, pins, or badges to
recognize their achievement, 8.39% (a total of 12 students) indicated the attend a Dean’s Dinner
if they are on the Dean’s List, 6.99% (a total of 10 students) receive some sort of informal “pat
on the back” or praise and congratulations, 4.2% (a total of 6 students) receive some sort of
recognition at formal, 3.5% (a total of 5 students) said they have no method, 2.1% (a total of 3
students) responded “N/A,” 2.1% (a total of 3 students) responded with scholarship, 2.1% (a total
of 3 students) said they receive scholarships, 2.1% (a total of 3 students) said they are recognized
by not having to complete mandated study hours, 1.4% (a total of two participants) responded

with “I don’t know,” 1.4% (a total of 2 students) said the Rosken Scholars Program, 1.4% (a
total of 2 students) responded with their chapter honor roll, 0.7% (a total of 1 student) mentioned
each of the following: checking the grades, discussion with the academic chair, celebrate,
counting toward fraternity of the year, National Honor Society for Greek Life, ceremony to
recognize grades, special recognition, and simply that it is expected.
Each of the 144 students provided ways they believe they are recognized for academic
achievement by the Student Activities Office. Of those participants, 58.33% (a total of 83
students) either did not know or reported receiving no recognition, 13.19% (a total of 19
students) reported receiving recognition through the Greek Honor Roll at Greek Sing, 13.19% (a
total of 19 students) reported receiving recognition through awards, 4.86% (a total of 7 students)
reported receiving recognition through Order of Omega, and 4.17% (a total of 6 students)
reported receiving recognition through Who’s Who Amongst American University and College
Students and Youngstown State University scholarships.
Each the 144 students reported their current employment status. Of the 144 participants,
41% (a total of 59 students) are employed off-campus, 26.4% (a total of 38 students) are
employed on-campus, 18.8% (a total of 27 students) are employed both on-campus and off-
campus, 13.9% (a total of 20 students) reported they have no current employment, and 4.17% (a
total of 6 students) reported other types of employments. Data regarding the current employment
status of the survey participants can be found in Appendix E19. Additionally, the 144 students
reported the number of hours each week they work. Of the 144 participants, 11.9% (a total of 20
students) do not work, 9.7% (a total of 14 students) work less than 10 hours each week, 36.1% (a
total of 52 students) work 10-20 hours each week, 26.4% (a total of 38 students) work 20-30
hours each week, 11.1% (a total of 16 students) work 30-40 hours each week, and 2.8% (a total

of 4 students) work 40 or more hours each week. Data regarding the number of hours the survey
participants work each week can be found in Appendix E20.
Each of the 144 students reported the amount of time each week they study for classes.
Of those participants, 18.75% (a total of 27 students) study between 1 and 5 hours each week,
39.58% (a total of 57 students) study between 6 and 10 hours each week, 21.53% (a total of 31
students) study between 11 and 15 hours each week, 10.42% (a total of 15 students) study 16-20
hours each week, 5.56% (a total of 8 students) study 21-25 hours each week, 2.08% (a total of 3
students) study 26-30 hours each week, and 1.38% (a total of 2 students) study 31-40 hours each
week. Data regarding the number of hours the survey participants study each week can be found
in Appendix E21. Additionally, the 144 students reported which days work best for them to
attend academic programming workshop. Of those participants, 40.3% (a total of 58 students)
prefer Monday, 33.3% (a total of 48 students) prefer Tuesday, 45.1% (a total of 65 students)
prefer Wednesday, 29.2% (a total of 42 students) prefer Thursday, 12.5% (a total of 18 students)
prefer Friday, 9% (a total of 13 students) prefer Saturday, 24.3% (a total of 35 students) prefer
Sunday. Data regarding the availability of the survey participants for programming can be found
in Appendix E22.
Focus Group Findings. The first focus group was conducted with the executive board
members of the IFC. The focus group included two representatives from APD, two
representatives from Sig Tau and one representative from TKE. No representatives were present
from Sigma Chi or SAE for this focus group. The focus group was held on April 20, 2015 from
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM. This focus group was facilitated by researcher, Ashley Jones. Four
recurring items that were discussed throughout the entire focus group were: the high academic
standard the Greek community is held to, the incentive that comes from one’s organization

having a high GPA and in turn, the competition to achieve this and the belief that honor societies
like Order of Omega are assisting in the shift of the negative Greek perception the men feel the
media and pop culture portrays of fraternity men presently. The members of the IFC focus group
also offered many suggestions, including: a focus on academics in recruitment, further
recognition of academic success, a way to hold one another accountable for grades and various
incentive suggestions.
In regards to recruitment, it was suggested that a focus be placed on recruiting men that
“hold themselves to a high academic standard”. The men of the IFC agreed that they feel it is
difficult to motivate a member to be motivated to perform well academically. Many of the men
cited that if men who are already intrinsically motivated to perform well academically are
recruited, it will assist in creating a positive academic culture. Further recognition of academic
success and various incentive suggestions aligned closely with this focus group. The men of Sig
Tau suggested using an incentive program similar to their Roskin Scholar Program, where their
national headquarters send each member who achieves a 3.25 or higher GPA a t-shirt and a
certificate. The men felt a tangible incentive, such as a t-shirt and certificate as well as
recognition for accomplishments outside of simply the highest overall GPA would make the
Greek community strive for further academic success. Finally, the men suggested holding one
another accountable for grades. They feel as though they do this in their own chapter, but as a
council and as a Greek community they also need to do this for their fellow students. They
stated that they weren’t exactly sure how they would specifically go about holding one another
accountable because they felt it would be a case by case basis.
The second focus group was conducted with one representative from: AXiD, AOII, ZTA
as well as one representative from one fraternity, APD. No representatives were present from

DZ, SAE, Sig Tau, Sig Chi or TKE. All representatives identified as being in their third or
fourth year of active membership within their fraternity or sorority. The focus group was held on
April 20, 2015 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM. This focus group was facilitated by researcher, Ashley
Jones. Two aspects of the academic culture within their respective chapters as well as the Greek
community were stressed. First, the third and fourth year members felt that it was critical for
members of the Greek community to utilize the services provided through campus resources
such as the Center for Student Progress, Supplemental Instruction, the Math Assistance Center
and the Writing Center.
Also, they felt it was also important for the academic chair within their respective chairs
to not always be viewed as the “bad guy” who simply puts members on academic probation.
They felt chapters should strive to refer academic accountability issues to their executive board,
chapter president or chapter advisor. They believe that the Academic Chair should be viewed in
a positive light and as a resource and support system for all members, not just those whom may
be struggling academically. For recommendations, the third and fourth year students felt that a
clear direction at the Greek Campus Life level in regards to academics with specific goal setting
would be helpful. The felt this would also assist in their ability to motivate other chapters within
the community. Similar to the IFC response, the third and fourth year focus group also felt that it
was important to recognize improvement in academics, not just highest GPA.
The third focus group was conducted with members from the four organizations who
have in the past five years, reported the lowest GPAs: AXiD, DZ, APD and TKE. Three
representatives were present from both AXiD and DZ. One representative was present from
APD. No representative attended from TKE. The focus group was held on April 21, 2015 from
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM. This focus group was facilitated by researcher, Ashley Jones. The

members of this focus group felt that the skills members need to be successful academically
within their organizations included: attendance at study tables, mandatory use of campus
resources such as the CSP peer mentors and a way to hold members accountable. They also felt
that it was critical to implement an “on watch” support system for members that may be close to
being on academic probation in order to offer them the appropriate support to hopefully, keep
them from being on academic probation. The focus group recommended that in order to achieve
the above suggestions, a GCL Academics chairmen or committee should be put into place in
order to encourage people to go to study tables and experience academic success as a
community.
They also felt that the Academic Chair needs to focus on their chapter as a whole and
their academic achievement and development not just members on probation. They also focused
on a desire to have career development as part of their academic growth within the Greek
community. In addition, they felt that further creating an academic community amongst the
Greek members could be achieved by all members wearing their letters to the first week of
classes so that they can identify other members of the Greek community in their classes, creating
a Greek Life Resource Library that includes old notebooks and text books and a fun, “Major
Mixer” so that members are able to find other members of the Greek community who have the
same major as them. The participants also suggested they would like to have updates on how the
Greek community is doing academically after Fall semester or throughout the semester, not just
annually at Greek Sing.
The fourth focus group was conducted for the two chapters that earn the highest GPA and
win the Academic Award at Greek Sing continuously each year. The focus group included a
mixture of 6 students from Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity (a total of 2 students) and Zeta Tau

Alpha Sorority (a total of 4 students) on April 21, 2015 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. This focus
group was facilitated by researcher, Chad Warrick. Based on this focus group there were four
distinct focuses as the students answered questions. First, students believed that it would be
beneficial for students to pair together based on the same majors to host programs, study,
schedule classes, and work together with group projects. Secondly, students would like to see
additionally programming to help improve academic skills, which included career development,
time management, stress management, and financial literacy. Thirdly, students want grades to be
made a priority by restructuring the Fraternity and Sorority of the Year Awards and by offering
different academic awards at Greek Sing. Finally, the students would like to see the governing
councils hold the chapters and individual student more accountable for not making grades.
The fifth focus group was open to Greek Life members who are in their first or second
year at the university. The focus group included one member from Alpha Xi Delta sorority and
was held on April 22, 2015 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Researcher, Nicole Horvath, facilitated
the focus group. The focus group participant indicated that her chapter uses a point system to
reward proper academic habits such as meeting with an academic advisor, going to a professor’s
office hours, or receiving A’s on tests and assignments. However, based on her learning style,
workshops are most beneficial to her but her chapter does not hold any workshops to promote
academic development. She believes she receives the most support from her chapter
specifically, but also recognized the Panhellenic Council’s GPA requirement and the Student
Activities’ leadership development workshops.
When asked the percentage of focus on academics, she responded with 80%. She said
time spent on activities such as Greek Sing is detrimental to her and other sisters’ grades because

the focus during March and April is only on Greek Sing. She also said that sometimes, other
Greek events can make her academics take a backseat, but none are as bad as Greek Sing.
The participant was asked who holds members accountable regarding grades. She was
given the option of her chapter, council, the Student Activities office, NPC, and her national
organization. She said she believes she is only held accountable by her local chapter’s academic
achievement chair.
When asked for her to give recommendations on what she would like to see from the
Greek community in regards to academics, she strongly emphasized Panhellenic study tables
where she can get to know other sorority women while studying for the same subject areas. She
also would like to see presentations or workshops to Panhellenic members as a whole on the
subjects of time management and scheduling.
The sixth focus group was for any Greek members in their fifth or sixth year of schooling
at the university. It was held on April 22, 2015 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM and researcher Nicole
Horvath facilitated the focus group. Two sorority women, one AOII and one ZTA, attended the
focus group. It was concluded that both women felt the most support in regards to academics
from their individual chapters (locally and nationally) and both thought support was lacking from
the Panhellenic Council and Student Activities Office. In regards to the Panhellenic Council,
one participant of the focus group stated, “I know all sororities have a requirement, but [Panhel]
doesn’t know if I’m exceeding because they don’t record it … But I’m not super involved on
Panhel, so I don’t know.” The other participant said regarding the Student Activities office, “I
personally don’t feel very supported. I don’t see much action. I mean, if they do something, I
don’t know about it.”

When asked for recommendations they would like to see in the future, both participants
said Panhellenic study groups based on major would be extremely helpful. One participant
already partakes in study groups with Panhellenic members, but knows there are probably more
Greek men and women with the same major that she has never met. Both participants also said
they would appreciate recognition during All Greek Formal for their academic achievement.
They mentioned that this is somewhat done during Greek Sing, but they said it does not hold
much merit because it’s during intermission and many people are not present or paying attention.
When asked what Order of Omega is, only one of the participants was able to describe it; the
other focus group participant did not know what Order of Omega is. A final recommendation is
to have workshops put on through Student Activities. They would like all members of the Greek
community to be divided by academic college so that members have the opportunity to meet
other Greek members from their major or college. The purpose of these workshops would be to
form study groups and use others as a resource.
The seventh focus group was conducted with members of the NPC Executive Board.
Two members of AXiD, one member of ZTA and one member of DZ participated. No
representative from AOII was present. The focus group was held on April 23, 2015 from 3:30
PM – 4:30 PM. This focus group was facilitated by researcher, Ashley Jones. The women of the
NPC felt that Order of Omega, the Greek honor society needed to be emphasized more. They
felt as though they knew what it was; a way to recognize academic achievement but they do not
know anything about what it means to be an active member of the society. In addition, they felt
that Gamma Sigma Alpha, an honor society which requires a 3.5 GPA or higher and has limited
spaces would also be a way to recognize high academic achievement within the Greek
community. They felt that if a member dedicated more of their time to being affiliated with an

honors program, they would be more likely to attend and dedicate more of their time to honor
society related events. Similar to many of the other focus groups, the women of NPC also felt
that it was critical to also recognize chapters with excellent academic programming models that
may not have the highest GPAs. They also felt that it was critical to recognize the chapter with
the most improved GPA.
Summary and Conclusion
Many conclusions can be made based on looking at groupings of questions and how they
correlate with one another. Specifically, the authors looked at when students enrolled at
Youngstown State University, when students joined Greek Life, and finally the expected
graduation date. Based on these three questions, the authors were able to identify whether or not
deferred recruitment would be a benefit to increase the overall academics of the Greek students.
The results concluded that students at Youngstown State University already defer their own
recruitment process by making their own decision to wait at least one semester to join a fraternity
or sorority. The results from these survey questions showed that 52.08% (a total of 75 students)
represent the students that deferred their own recruitment. Data regarding deferred recruitment
can be found in Appendix E23. If Youngstown State University continues to facilitate traditional
recruitment it will be important for the Student Activities Office to identify why these students
are deferring the recruitment process and how the current Greek students can use values-based
recruitment to cater to the needs of the incoming freshman.
From the data, it can also be concluded that the amount of academic support received
from the individual chapters plays a role in overall member GPA. This can be demonstrated by
looking at the filtered results of the highest achieving chapters and comparing them with the
results of the lowest achieving chapters. The authors filtered the results to view the data from

those who indicated they are a member of either Zeta Tau Alpha or Sigma Tau Gamma, the
highest achieving sorority and fraternity respectively. It can be noted that 65.7% (a total of 23
participants) indicated that they received “exceptional support” from their chapters (see
Appendix E24).
Comparing the same question, the authors filtered the results to view the answers of
Alpha Phi Delta Fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, and Delta
Zeta Sorority, encompassing the two lowest achieving fraternities and two lowest achieving
fraternities. The results showed that only 36.7% (a total of 22 students) believe they receive
exceptional academic support from their chapter (see Appendix 25). By looking at both sets of
data, it can be inferred that there is a greater likelihood of members performing better
academically if they feel they are receiving academic support. Members from the low-achieving
chapters indicated that they also did not feel a high level of support from other areas including
their council, the Student Activities Office, their national/international organization, or their
national council (see Appendix E25). The data from this question suggests that academic
support cannot rely solely on the individual chapter.
Another common theme through the survey results and focus group responses included
the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils and the Student Activities Office holding chapters
and its members accountable for not upholding the scholastic standards of the Greek community
and the chapters within it. The students spoke and displayed how they would like to see their
councils play a more active role in the chapters’ academic achievement, because although they
already have high academics collectively there is always room to grow closer to that perfect 4.0
GPA. By also pairing questions together, the authors discovered that the average amount of time

it takes Greek students to graduate is 4.6 years, so this could be another focus or goal for the
councils or Student Activities Office to hold Greeks to the standard of graduating in four years.
Not only did the students request more accountability from their governing organizations,
they would also like to see more programming to help facilitate their growth in under-developed
skills. In introducing more academic programming, there can also be a better effort made by the
council leaders to promote what is already occurring on campus to help facilitate the growth and
development of Greek students. Through the survey and focus groups the students did articulate
the areas they would like to see more academic programming. They would like to see academic
programming that focuses on financial literacy, career development, time management, stress
management, goal setting, studying preparation, and test anxiety to name the top
recommendations. An assessment can be completed after the academic programming to
correlate whether or not these workshops and programs are efficient and are adequately helping
students and chapters increase their individual and collectives GPAs.
One interesting correlation that was found throughout the survey results and the focus
groups was the amount of the Greek Life community that is employed, their academic
programming needs and overall considerations for the community. 41% of survey participants
reported that they are currently employed off-campus. 26.4% reported working on-campus.
18.8% of participants reported that they were employed both on and off campus. Only 13.9% of
the population surveyed reported that they were unemployed. The large majority of the
participants also reported that 36.1% works between 10 – 20 hours per week and 26.4% work
between 20 – 30 hours a week on average.
In addition to a large amount of the surveyed population being employed and working
10+ on average a week, 74.3% reported that they pay all of their membership dues with personal

funds. Finally, it is critical to note that 82.6% of participants felt that they would most benefit
from academic programming as it relates to time management. Focus group participants also
consistently cited “having to work” or “work” as a challenge they had to balance along their
academic coursework and involvement in the Greek community. This demographic
characteristic of the surveyed population poses interesting considerations for the authors in
regards to potential recommendations. It is important for the authors to consider the limited
amount of time members of the Greek community may have for more formal academic
programming initiatives. It is also important to consider what financial contributions can be
made to the Greek community in the form of scholarships or financial aid that may also be able
decrease the amount of hours necessary for the members of the Greek community to work in
order to pay their membership dues. It would be interesting to see that given additional financial
support, would the academic needs of the community change or would the Student Activities
Office see an increase in academic success amongst Greek community members. Data regarding
the correlation of balancing different obligations can be found in Appendix E26.
Implications for Practice
The following results of this assessment project need to be examined cautiously, as only a
sample of Greek affiliated students from one institution (Youngstown State University) was
assessed. Youngstown State University is a medium, public research institution. A total of 90%
of the 12,172 undergraduate students that currently attend YSU commute rather than live on
campus. This provides another defining characteristic that could impact the validity of the
assessment project.
In addition, the results lacked racial and ethnic diversity, yielding 93.8% of survey
participants identifying as White/Caucasian and 100% of Focus Group participants were

White/Caucasian. This is important to note also because only .69% of the NPHC Greek
Community at YSU participated in the survey and 0% participated in the Focus Groups. It can
be determined that the findings do not include enough information to determine academic culture
within the NPHC Greek community nor would the authors be able to provide valid
recommendations for practice for this specific community due to a lack of evidence. One final
cultural consideration is the distribution amongst survey participation amongst women (59.03%)
and men (40.28%). It is important to note that the findings from this assessment study were
based on predominately female responses, which could affect the future effectiveness of
academic program initiatives implemented and the satisfaction and response of the male students
from the Greek community.
One final implication for practice lies in the difference in findings amongst the survey
results and the focus groups. It appears there was a discrepancy amongst the feedback
opportunities. It is also critical to note that Carrie Anderson, the Assistant Director for Student
Activities and advisor to the Greek Community was present during the IFC focus group session.
Though no specific feedback was given, her presence could have potentially skewed the
participants’ responses.
Recommendations
Through general observations, survey results, and focus group responses numerous
opportunities for recommendations occurred to improve and enhance the Greek experience at
Youngstown State University. By first examining the core values and mission of the office,
there was incongruence between core values fraternities and sororities represent, including
academic achievement excellence and the values of friendship, brotherhood, and sisterhood
indicated in the mission of the community. With 52.08% of students deferring their own

recruitment, the authors recommend that the mission statement of the Greek community and the
core values, like academic achievement, should be clearly defined by using the Council for the
Advancement of Standards. The incorporation of core values that encapsulate the complete
Greek experience will establish the expectations of the office and give students the opportunity
to match the values of their chapter with the values of the collective Youngstown State
University Greek community. Additionally, by creating a clear mission statement with shared
Greek values will allow students to speak to values, like academics in the recruitment process.
Since Youngstown State University does have traditional recruitment, having core values to base
conservations and interactions with potential new students will appease a broader group of
students that value scholarship and may think that fraternities and sororities do not focus on
academics.
Next, the focus of the assessment was to really see how the students feel supported by
different levels of Greek Life, including their chapter, their council, the Student Activities
Office, their international or national organization, and the North-American Interfraternity
Conference, National Panhellenic Conference, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Many
students reported either not being supported by the councils and Student Activities Office or just
not knowing what the councils or office does for academic support. In seeing this, the authors
recommend that the councils establish a new officer or rearrange the current duties of officers to
provide more academic support and programming to improve upon the already impressive grades
of the Greek community. During the focus groups with both councils, but more specifically IFC,
members did not know about the resources provided by the NIC and NPC so it is imperative that
officers know the resources and relay the information to chapters to use. With council officers
highlighting these resources, the authors also recommend that there also be training for delegates

to learn how to relay the important resources and information to chapter members at chapter
meetings so that everyone in the Greek community is on the same page and feels the benefits of
the resources.
Additionally, IFC and Panhel students reported that they would like to see the council
executive boards hold chapters and individual members accountable for not achieving minimum
standards. Based on the conservations and recommendations by students within the community,
the authors recommend that any students falling below a certain cumulative GPA be barred from
participating in Greek Week, Greek Sing, Greek Formal, and sports until the GPA rises above
the standard. This will give students not meeting academic standards the opportunity to focus on
why they are attending Youngstown State University and get back on the academic track.
Finally, the authors recommend that there be corrective actions and policies established by the
councils to take actions against chapters not meeting the academic standards for chapters in IFC,
Panhel, and NPHC. Many of the recommendations can be taken on and carried out by the
officers in charge of academics on the executive boards of the councils.
Next, a big focus of the assessment was on providing students with academic
programming to benefit chapter members in their classes, but also in their professional career.
Two things were observed through the survey results and focus group questions including Greek
students just not knowing programs that are currently offered by the Youngstown State
professionals and Greek students identifying areas of improvement not only for themselves but
their chapters as well. So students just not knowing about programming goes back to the council
officers being knowledgeable of resources and highlighting them during council meetings, but
the delegates have to accurately relay the message as well for Greek students to take advantage
of the programs. Additionally, the authors recommend that more academic programs are offered

to the Greek students by both the councils and the Student Activities Office in collaboration with
other offices on campus. Students through the survey reported the major areas they think the
Greeks could benefit from additional programming, which included time management skills,
stress management skills, career development, goal setting, test anxiety, and studying strategies
to name a few predominantly recognized by students.
Additionally, with programming the authors’ biggest recommendation for academic
programming and initiatives is establishing “Greek Learning Communities,” similar to the
living-learning communities found in residence life and housing. Some of the highest
concentrated majors in Greek Life included Education, Sciences including Biology and
Chemistry, Engineering, Accounting and Finance, Nursing, and Communications. These
communities can be reassigned based on the need of the Greek community each year. Within
these learning communities, the authors recommend that students host major mixers to connect
with Greek students from other chapters in the same major, establish study groups, and
coordinate class scheduling so Greeks can support each other within classes and on projects.
Students’ responses also suggested that these groups hold programs and workshops for
the entire community to learn fundamental life skills from major areas, such as Accounting and
Finance students teaching Greeks how to write checks and budget their funds. These learning
communities would establish a built in support system for Greek students that can be overseen
by the academic officers of the councils. Finally, based on the survey results the authors
recommend that IFC, Panhel, NPHC, and the Student Activities Office provide programming on
Wednesdays, Mondays, or Tuesdays for optimum attendance by the Greek students.
Lastly, the recommendations of the authors will focus on recognition and Greek awards.
Greek students expressed that they would like to see academics as a positive. In hearing the

responses of students, the authors recommend that the Fraternity and Sorority of Year Awards be
restructured to reflect the ideals of being in a Greek community, which includes more academic
awards. Students expressed interest in seeing a chapter academic programming award, most
improved GPA, best new member GPA, along with the normal Academic Award given out a
Greek Sing each year. With the introduction of not only academic awards in the Fraternity and
Sorority of the Year calculation but also awards that reflect other aspects that encapsulate Greek
Life, students would like to see Greek Sing and Greek Week eliminated from the calculation of
Fraternity and Sorority of the Year. One student correlated receiving fifth place in Greek Sing to
the chapter earning an overall GPA of 1.5 since the award is ranked on the same scale.
The authors share the recommendation of eliminating Greek Week and Greek Sing from
Fraternity and Sorority of the Year because it not only heightens the competiveness between the
chapters but also negatively affects the academics of the students that must participate. Through
the focus group responses students shared their concerns about the number of hours that are
required for Greek Sing practices and the negative responses students receive for missing
practices to complete school work or to study. One sorority women even commented that a
woman in her respective sorority lost her cumulative 4.0 GPA because of the amount of time put
into Greek Sing. With these two events not being a part of the calculation for Fraternity and
Sorority of the Year less pressure to win will be put on the chapters members and they will be
able to better balance academics and the demands of participating in Greek Week and practicing
for Greek Sing.
Finally, to recognize students for high academic achievement the authors recommend that
Order of Omega is separated from Greek Sing and that the students have the opportunity to
experience the initiation ceremony established by Order of Omega nationally. Greek students

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