The greek community fights a lot of stereotypes.

They are a group of college students that have been characterized as drunken, wild party animals.

Because of movie images of beer kegs and togas, the greek community is considered to be a dominantly white organization.

How many minority students are seen wearing greek letters on campus?

Not many.

As the university is working to diversify the student community, greek affairs officials said they working to change the face of the organization.

But their approach is counterproductive.

They have been focusing on chartering new fraternities and sororities that appeal to specific minority groups.

More than 27,000 students attend Iowa State. According to the ISU Greek Affairs Web site, 13 percent are in the greek system.

Fifty one greek chapters take bids from potential members and only two are multicultural.

So less than 5 percent of ISU greek houses are established for minorities.

Greek recruitment officers should work to bring minority students to houses that are established on campus.

It takes time to organize a successful fraternity or sorority on campus.

Delta Sigma Theta, an off-campus African-American sorority, is one of only eight houses that doesn’t have a residence for its members.

Keianna Chatman, community service and membership intake chairwoman for Delta Sigma Theta sorority, said since the house doesn’t get university funding, it has to depend on alumni and current students for support.

Houses depend on alumni’s fond memories of Veishea floats and Yell like Hell competitions to open up their checkbooks to make such memories for future members.

How is a new chapter supposed to receive alumni donations when the house hasn’t had any at Iowa State?

This is difficult.

Complicating the issue is the fact that hardly any data exists about the topic.

On the ISU Greek Affairs Web site, there are statistics about the percentages of greek men and women, average number of house members and the average grade point averages.

Similar information on minority representation in the greek community isn’t available.

Minority recruitment should start with existing houses.

Then Iowa State can have a diverse greek organization instead depending on multicultural frats and sororities.

Iowa State works hard to diversify its campus, and rightfully so. Diversity enriches the culture and texture of the educational experience.

And the greek community should offer its members the same.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Zach Calef, Omar Tesdell