Sullivan finishes first year
Greek coordinator keeps working for unification

By LaNasha Houze
Staff Reporter

Since Tom Sullivan’s first day as coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, he has been working to improve Greek relations oncampus.This month marks Sullivan’s one-year anniversary as coordinator of the Greek community, and students say he has already made progress during his tenure.Sullivan said his objectives as adviser are to continue improving communication between the governing Greek bodies as well as among Greek and non-Greek students.

Katie Urban, Panhellenic Council president, said even after completing his graduate program at Texas A&M University last year, Sullivan still doesn’t work a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job.

“He is really dedicated to his job,” Urban said. “He stays for 10 p.m. meetings that end at 1:15 a.m.” Jessie Korth, a senior political science major and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, said Sullivan deals with the Greek community in a hands-on manner.

“I rushed in fall 1997, and I didn’t even know who the coordinator was until there was a glitch with the computers during (Recruitment) in fall 1998,” Korth said. “(Sullivan) is much more visible.”Kristen Kirst was the coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs before Sullivan.In an effort to increase consciousness, last spring Sullivan appointed Artist Thornton, a graduate student, as adviser to the National Panhellenic Council. Thornton, hall director of Milton Daniel Hall, said that although NPHC formed in 1997, the organization is still in its infancy stages. The lack of knowledge about the new organization made communication difficult between the three Greek governing bodies, Thornton said.

“The camaraderie was not as strong among all the (Greek) groups,” Thornton said. “(Sullivan) hiring me as adviser shows his dedication. He has put forth a strong and sincere effort to unify the Greek community.”

Until this year delegates from Interfraternity Council, PHC and NPHC didn’t meet in a formal setting. Thorton said Sullivan formed All Council meetings where delegates share information about their organization.

Sullivan is also launching the Fraternity and Sorority Ambassador Program. Sullivan said ambassadors will be trained to counsel Greek students dealing with depression, eating disorders and alcohol or drug abuse.

“The ambassadors will be trained to listen to student’s problems and direct them to the correct facility on campus for additional help,” Sullivan said.

Walker Moody, former Interfraternity Council president, said Sullivan’s efforts are continuing to develop the already strong Greek organizations.

“When (Sullivan) came in, we continued to grow due to the increased communication,” Moody said.

Overall, Sullivan said the vision that he has for the Greek community is a continuing process.

“The expansion of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs is based upon the students’ needs in that time period,” Sullivan said. “I want to push and challenge students to desire more from their organizations. An organization is like a pencil. It continuously becomes dull and less effective and (therefore) must be sharpened.”

LaNasha Houze
l.d.houze@student.tcu.edu