Mention of the greek system conjures up a variety of images in the minds of different people of the Iowa State community.

Members may discuss brotherhood or sisterhood found in their houses. At the same time, some students might talk about an image of parties and alcohol.

Fraternity and sorority members say they are working hard to accentuate the positives of the greek system, despite media coverage of recent months and negative stereotypes that are hard to overcome.

“People don’t see the real us,” said Stu Sorrel, president of Interfraternity Council. “They’ve got your ‘Animal House’ stereotypes, and that’s not what the greek system is about.”

The image of a greek system as a party atmosphere has been rooted in society for years. Recent movies, including “Scream 2” and “Dead Man on Campus” have also perpetuated the stereotype, said Brian Tenclinger, Greek Affairs coordinator.

Recent media attention regarding the rape trial of former Sigma Alpha Epsilon member John Tate also has presented the greek system with a challenge.

“I thought it was unfortunate that [the media] kept referring to it as the SAE trial even though Tate was a former member,” Tenclinger said. “It was not an SAE issue.”

Todd Lammert, assistant treasurer of SAE, also said he felt attention was unfairly directed towards the chapter instead of Tate.

“We’re still being connected directly with it, even though we haven’t had any connection … since it’s happened,” Lammert said. “We haven’t gotten any credit for disposing of a problem as soon as it happened.”

Four members of ISU’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter were temporarily suspended in February when allegations of drug-related sexual misconduct surfaced. Tate was arrested in February, and found not guilty by a Story County jury last week.

Tate was removed from the fraternity after notice of the allegations.

“The fraternity did a housecleaning in the spring [1998] semester,” Tenclinger said. “Those members that were not living up to the standards of Sigma Alpha Epsilon are gone. Tate was one of them.”

In addition to the recent trial, the greek system also has faced other issues and perennial stereotypes that have presented it with a challenge. Sorrel said the greek system is becoming accustomed to negative publicity

“We don’t really get worked up about it anymore,” he said. “The greeks have the stereotypes, and it’s easy for [the media] to attach to that.”

Carolyn Jones, president of Panhellenic Council, said that although there has been a great deal of negative news on the greek system recently, she feels the media has been covering the issues in the news.

“A lot of it is nothing we could have prevented as a Panhellenic or IFC,” Jones said.

Jones said she has remained positive about the strength of ISU’s greek community.

“As a greek system in the past, we’ve won big awards and are looking forward to winning again,” she said. “We’re trying to use our resources to reach out to people, and if that can reach the paper, we’ll do our best to get it there.”

Tenclinger said the best way to promote the community is to tell people about the positive things it is doing.

“I think we’re taking a positive step toward promoting the little things that weren’t really emphasized in the past,” he said.

Tenclinger said the Office of Greek Affairs has planned a variety of programming throughout the year to help “the chapters reeducate themselves.”

Some proposed activities include major programs for greek leaders, national speakers, a student-run marketing team to promote greek life and prospective student liaisons which would work with admissions.

“[The prospective student liaisons] are not so much to recruit people into the greek community, but to help the general public understand what greek life is all about,” he said.

Although the stereotypes remain difficult, Tenclinger said he thinks publicity on the chapters and system as a whole has been relatively objective.

“Media coverage here is fair compared to other campuses [I’ve been at],” he said.

Despite struggles with their image, leaders said they are looking to promote the positive aspects of their greek system this year. SAE especially will be focused on rebuilding a positive chapter.

“It starts out with rushing the key people, getting guys in the house that are dedicated to rebuilding,” Lammert said.

“It comes down to guys stepping up and being leaders,” he said.