MIT’s fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups are a superb resource. For members, they are a source of outside-the-classroom education. Historically, they’ve been a focal point of social life for members — but they’ve also been a seedbed of lifelong friendships and future professional partnerships, an incubator for exciting new ideas, a leadership training ground, and a source of mentoring support for generations of members.

The FSILGs’ benefits, moreover, aren’t limited to members. They develop leadership qualities that benefit the entire MIT experience. The FSILGs are highly effective at fostering volunteerism. They also improve MIT’s finances: the fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups provide private housing for fully a third of the Institute’s students. And, the existence of independent residences gives students otherwise-unavailable housing options.

MIT’s decision to house all first-year students in residence halls raised concern among the Institute’s fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups. In response, MIT officials set up a task force of alumni, students, faculty, and staff to explore how to improve the FSILGs’ status. The result was Project Aurora, an ambitious initiative to support and renew the FSILG system. The Project Aurora report affirmed the value of FSILGs and urged that MIT staff, students, and alumni together seek to solve any significant problems affecting the FSILG community. To that end, the report recommended:

• continued MIT transitional financial assistance for the FSILGs;
• changes in recruitment practices and techniques;
• better communication among senior administrators, alumni, and students; and
• creation of a council made up of students, house corporation members, and alumni that would set standards and develop a shared-governance process for the 38 MIT living groups.

The report, which also included a long-term plan for siting some FSILG houses on campus, has palpably changed the atmosphere around student housing issues. Alumni concerned about the FSILGs are today working with current members and MIT staff to enhance the quality and the stability of the system.

Changes under way

One key change in the works is an effort to boost the FSILGs’ membership ranks, in the process helping solidify their finances. MIT adjusted the orientation schedule so first-year students get an earlier introduction to the community: rather than hold rush and recruitment halfway through the fall term, new students can now join immediately after orientation, even though they continue to live in campus residence halls for the full academic year.

The initiative has paid off. In fall 2006, fraternities and independent living groups recruited 305 new members — a level that has remained constant since 2002. Sorority recruitment numbers have been on the rise, and their main recruitment period — which has been held in the Independent Activities Period for the past three years — will coincide with fraternity and ILG efforts in the fall this year.

Two new programs are further helping houses boost their financial strength. In addition to the traditional loan program, the Independent Residence Development Fund (IRDF) now offers FSILGs operating and renovation grants for education-related services in the FSILGs, like equipping computer rooms and putting in wireless networks throughout the chapter. MIT is also aiding the FSILG Cooperative, a new organization that negotiates discounts with vendors and helps handle member houses’ bookkeeping. Aided by MIT’s $80,000 in start-up funds, houses in the Cooperative are saving from five to 20 percent on most services, which translates to $1,000 to $3,000 in yearly savings for each participating house.

MIT staff and alumni leaders, meanwhile, have launched two classes to help house treasurers and house managers upgrade their skills. Over 100 students have taken part, and additional offerings are planned.

Additionally, throughout the academic year, the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association, and FSILG Office sponsor numerous skill-building retreats, workshops, and discussion groups for FSILG students. Over 450 students participated in these programs over the past academic year.

In other key steps:

• the facilities department is studying potential on-campus sites for the FSILGs;
• an Interfraternity Council team is exploring ways to improve the environment for living and learning in the houses; and
• alumni have developed an accreditation process to identify “best practices” and flag potential problems early.

Meanwhile, Stephen Immerman HM, senior associate dean for student development, and Bob Ferrara ’67, director of FSILG alumni relations, are fundraising for exciting FSILG initiatives. The pair also worked with MIT’s information services and technology staff to make possible high-speed fiber-optic links to off-campus chapters, which is proving extremely valuable.

Looking ahead: The role of private support

These and other changes are not only enhancing the outlook for FSILGs but are also igniting discussions on further improvements. It’s already clear, however, that the process of change and renewal for the FSILG system is gaining vital momentum. Your gift can help ensure a bright and lasting future for a group of institutions that do so much to ensure the vitality of MIT. Your gift in support of one or more of the FSILGs — or of the system as a whole — can take different forms. The Independent Residence Development Fund (IRDF) is the core resource for low-cost loans to houses planning improvements, and gifts to that fund are welcome. What’s more — unlike direct gifts to individual houses — gifts to the IRDF are tax-deductible, and are also more likely to qualify for corporate matching gifts.