Fraternities and sororities will be paired up for Greek Week 2019.

Other changes made to Greek Week 2019 include removing the GPA requirement and replacing Cans for Construction with making tie blankets.

The pairings consist of one fraternity and one sorority, with the exception of one pairing consisting of two sororities and one fraternity due to the low number of members. 

These changes have to do with one thing: involvement.

“Last year, people were calling it a ‘PHC (Panhellenic) Week.’ And that’s not what we want,” said Rebecca Cash, senior public relations major and Greek Week overall co-chair. “It’s Greek Week.”

Last year, according to the Greek Week 2018 results, the fraternity participation was low:

•  Zero fraternities participated in Panther Service Day

•  One fraternity participated in trivia

•  One fraternity participated in pyramids

•  Two fraternities participated in tugs

•  Two fraternities participated in Cans for Construction

•  Three fraternities participated in airband

The pairings will form teams for pyramids and airband together. Tugs will remain a separate event, with each fraternity and each sorority forming its own independent teams.

“I know last year some fraternities were like, ‘We want to participate, but we just don’t have the numbers. We can’t get people,’” Cash said. 

She said the pairings will help with deepening the Greek unity on Eastern’s campus as well as increase participation from the Greek chapters. 

Laramie Artega, senior marketing major and the other Greek Week overall co-chair, said Greek Week is important for Eastern’s campus because it brings unity and gets the chapters involved in the Greek community.

Cash said Greek Week is important because it something people can look forward to in the spring semester.

“It’s something fun, and everyone loves competition. I think that’s one of the best parts. You can really get people going and get people together for the base of a competition,” Cash said. “Also again, the unity aspect because yes our community is pretty close, but I think with the pairings you make it even closer because now you might get a new friend out of it.” 

Carole Hodorowicz can be reached at 581-2812 or cdhodorowicz@eiu.edu.