University of Virginia Library

Rugby Road: New Accent On Service

By George Wilkinson
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer.

Within the University today
there exists a great potential for
serving the community
constructively and promoting good
community-University relations.
This potential lies in the resounding
halls and rooms of the thirty-odd
fraternities near the Grounds.

In the past, community services
were unfortunately only a small
part of each fraternity's plans.
Recently, however, there has been a
commendable (if somewhat less
than is possible and necessary)
upsurge in community-conscience
fraternity projects.

Service Impetus

Led by ZBT, SAM, SPE, and a
half dozen other houses, and
coordinated by the new chairman
of the Inter-Fraternity Committee
on Community Services, Bob
Byron, a new public-oriented
impetus seems to have overcome
Rugby Road.

Projects such as the Blood Drive
(ZBT), Bounce for Beats,
wheelchair basketball (SAM), and
the Muscular Dystrophy Drive
(SPE) are highlights of a campaign
in its formative stages which could
evolve into a community
conscience fraternity effort
unprecedented in size and effect.

Potential

Although the recent initiative
undertaken by the dozen or so
fraternities that regularly support
IFC plans (such as the Keswick Day
Care Center clean-up drive attended
by over fifty frat men) is
encouraging, it is by no means
impressive when the number of
houses at the University is
considered.

According to Mr. Byron, a third
of the fraternities actively support
the IFC projects, with one-third
interested but not overly active.
Therefore, it is empirically obvious
that despite the commendable
individual initiative shown by some
of the houses, the role of the
fraternities in community services is
not yet a great one.

On the verge of what may
conceivably be a breakthrough in
Community conscienceness on the
part of the frats at Virginia, it is
essential for the twenty or so
houses actively or passively
supporting this effort to become
involved at every opportunity and
to encourage non-participating
houses.

Fraternities have a tremendous
amount of potential in an area such
as public service projects. A close
knit house of forty or so men
working on a Saturday afternoon
could achieve significant results in a
vital area and at the same time
rectify a public image-which has
been and is becoming increasingly
tarnished.

In the past, fraternities have
been probably unfairly represented
in certain media. However, this
assault was in part brought upon
themselves by a seemingly
lackadaisical concern (or rather, a
lack of concern) for areas of
potential help. A concerted effort
by the houses at the University
would do much to rectify this
situation.

Clear Opportunities

The major driving force behind
this new impetus should necessarily
come from the individual
fraternities themselves. As a
coordinating agency, the IFC has
shown a great amount of realization
of needs of the community which
can be met by University
organizations. The opportunities
therefore have been presented; it is
the responsibility of the fraternities
to do what is necessary to carry out
these opportunities.

The area of public imagery is
vitally important today to all the
fraternities at the University. In the
past few years; the entire question
of fraternity life and purposes has
been increasingly questioned not
only by incoming students but by
the members of the University
itself.

Without significant changes in
the present system, many of the
houses will be threatened by a
decrease in the number of rushees
and more public hostility towards
their activities. If for no other
reason than this, the presidents
should re-evaluate their positions in
the community service area.

Planned Projects

Planned projects such as an
American Heart Association drive, a
Multiple Sclerosis drive, the
upcoming IFC sponsored Circus for
Children at the Children's
Rehabilitation Center on May 1 and
the IFC Arthritis Drive to be kicked
off May 2, are encouraging signs of
an increase in activities. It will
indeed be interesting to see how
many houses will support this
project. A substantial effort by frat
men at this weekend's Circus would
be a welcome sign and would serve
to show a skeptical public that
fraternities are becoming actively
involved in a vital Community
concern.

The potential and means exist.
It is the inherent responsibility of
the University's fraternities to
utilize this potential in such a way
as to help the community and
rebuild their image. Judging from
recent experiences, the houses are
willing and capable to undertake a
significant community effort. With
a good showing this weekend,
fraternities could effectively
redirect some of their energies
towards a vital public interest.