Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Interfraternity Council has been honored with three regional awards by the Southeastern Interfraternity Conference. The awards were presented recently at the SEIFC Leadership Academy.
The UGA IFC received the Educational Programming Award, the Risk Management Award and a Sustainability Award. In addition, the IFC was named to the Gamma Sigma Alpha Honor Roll in recognition of its continued scholastic merit.
“We strive to set the standard for IFCs across the Southeast and nation, and receiving these awards validates the work the Interfraternity Council has put into making fraternity life a beneficial experience for students and a positive contribution to the campus and community,” said Ross Doelling, IFC president.
The UGA IFC received the Educational Programming Award for its sponsorship of various educational programs throughout the year. The council’s members participate in two Greek Life Office leadership programs, the Sophomore’s Leaders Circle and the Greek Ambassador’s Program. Other programming efforts include the Future Leaders Institute, an exclusive leadership program for new members; Georgia Next!, a new member educational retreat; and the Greek Men’s Group, a safe space for fraternity men who identify as gay, bisexual or questioning.
The Risk Management Award recognizes the IFC that best sets and enforces minimum standards and promotes ethical conduct and responsibility while educating chapter leaders and members on risk management issues. The UGA IFC’s efforts include risk management and liability seminars and creation of a plan of accountability each semester to demonstrate efforts to limit risk.
The Sustainability Award recognizes IFC programs and initiatives that encourage sustainability in order to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations. This past year, the UGA IFC partnered with the UGA Office of Sustainability in a nationwide recyclable waste collecting competition for fraternities.
The Gamma Sigma Alpha Honor Roll recognizes that UGA IFC members have kept their average GPAs above the all-men’s average at UGA for the past 21 years. For the fall of 2010, IFC fraternity men averaged a 3.20 GPA, 0.15 above the all-men’s average of 3.05.
The IFC promotes strong academics through minimum standards for chapters and academic enrichment plans for chapters falling below a 3.0. The council also oversees a scholarship program that rewards deserving and needy individuals.
“The Greek Community publicly states that it is committed to strong scholarship and minimizing risk through education. The awards that UGA’s Interfraternity Council received highlight the UGA Greek community’s efforts to live up to those stated values,” says Wes Fugate, IFC adviser.
The Interfraternity Council is the governing body of 25 member fraternities at UGA. Six executive board members, eight committees and their adviser ensure that Greek men strive for excellence in every aspect of college life. Each chapter under its jurisdiction must attend biweekly meetings to discuss upcoming events and issues within the fraternal community.
For more information, call 706/542-4612 or see www.uga.edu/ifc.
The Interfraternity Council is a registered student organization in the Department of Campus Life within UGA’s Division of Student Affairs.