Following 18 months of revisions and four different drafts, the Greek Standards Document is ready for the next step — the approval of Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas Hill. Following approval, the document’s policies will begin on a trial basis next fall.

The document, which is intended to be a tool for assessing chapters and establishing regulations, puts previously unwritten greek standards into policy. A Greek Standards Revision Team, made up of chapter presidents, members, advisers and alumni worked to produce the four drafts of the document.

The concept for the document began when Brian Tenclinger, assistant dean of students and coordinator of Greek Affairs, came to Iowa State two years ago. He said he wanted to know the university’s policy about minimum grade point average in the greek system and how the chapters were monitored in other ways.

“We need to regulate and give guidelines,” Tenclinger said. “The university is ultimately liable for the greek system.”

The draft policy lists eight expectations for greek students, including a requirement for chapters to maintain an average GPA of at least 2.50.

Chapter status is also defined in the document, such as what it means to be in good standing. The document also details the greek probation process.

Tenclinger said the next step is to get Hill to OK the standards. He said the document, if approved, will be put through trial stages next fall and then, it is hoped, implemented in the spring semester.

“No chapters will be put on probation during the trial,” he said. “We want to give the chapters a chance to meet the standards.”

The first semester, he said, will be spent assessing each individual chapter’s health and helping it make improvements when necessary.

The new rules have caused some ruckus among greek students, Tenclinger said.

“[The administration] liked it and said, ‘Let’s implement it,'” he said. “Students caught wind of the document and were concerned the university was coming down on them.”

Nicole Peckumn, member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, 208 Ash Ave., said she and other greek members wanted more student input.

“I think the whole greek community felt like the university needed to consult us before implementing a document that is going to affect us greatly,” said Peckumn, junior in exercise and sports science.

Shawn Spooner, member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, 237 Ash Ave., said the document was a surprise, which caused problems.

“There was a misconception that the document was law, when it was really just a draft,” said Spooner, junior in exercise and sports science. “It scared people who didn’t realize the status of the policy.”

Tenclinger said he was in a position of having to convince the administration that the fraternities’ and sororities’ input was necessary. He said copies of the drafts were sent to chapters, faculty, national headquarters and alumni for feedback.

The greek community’s discontent fostered a group of chapter presidents, members, advisers and alumni to form the Greek Standards Revision Team. Members were nominated by their houses and the final team was chosen by the Office of Greek Affairs.

Peckumn said the group had to “de-affiliate” to work for the good of all the chapters.

“It was our responsibility to look at the big picture and how this document would affect the whole greek community,” said Peckumn, a team member.

Spooner, also a member of the revision team, said the mission of the group was to make the document more friendly and helpful.

“We wanted it to help more than just point fingers,” he said. “The document now has better wording, is more positive and more clear.”