A new committee has been formed on campus of Saint Louis
University to promote black Greek Life. Students Tracey Randall and
Andrew Chappelle have recently founded the Committee for the
Advancement of Historically Black Greek Lettered Organizations
under the Black Student Alliance.

“Number one, we want to bring about awareness about how we
equally serve the community,” Randall said. “Number two, we want to
be able to sponsor events on campus.”

There are nine historically black Greek letter organizations,
including Sigma Gamma Rho, which was chartered last year under the
Student Government Association. About eight of the “divine nine”
are represented by students on SLU’s campus.

The nine organizations have city-wide St. Louis chapters.

“Basically I’ve had a number of (black) students come up to me
over the past year, expressing their wish to have a presence on
campus,” said BSA President Andrew Chappelle. “None of the groups
who talk to me feel that they’ve been listened to.”

In the past, if members of the city chapter of a historically
black Greek organization wanted to publicize or hold events on
SLU’s campus, they would have to pay for space and had limitations
on where they could put flyers, which is a huge burden.

“What we’re trying to do is establish some sort of inter-chapter
committee made up of SLU students,” said Linda Wardhammar,
associate director of the office of student life. “We’re exploring
different options for this group.”

Essentially the committee will work as a stepping stone for
students that are a part of SLU’s campus as well as the city
chapters. With this committee, students that belong to these
organizations will hopefully begin to have equal opportunities on
campus for their events.

“It’s more so at this point giving these students the
opportunity to do things on their respective campus,” Randall
said.

According to the committee bill, the historically black
fraternities and sororities (with the exception of Sigma Gamma Rho)
cannot to be chartered on the SLU campus under SGA and “are unable
to book rooms without charge, and feel isolated from the campus
community.”

The bill also states that the previous policies were inequitable
and discriminatory in nature.

Chappelle hopes this committee will draw interest from potential
minority students to Saint Louis University.

“I am really focused on minority recruitment this year. I would
want a relationship with prospective minority students,” Chappelle
said.

This committee should help attract students who wish to be a
part of the historically black Greek organizations and still attend
SLU.

“It’s a good thing; I’m sure we’ll be able to make progress,”
Wardhammar said.