The Impact of Greek Life: Findings from a National Study

Ramsey G. JabajiCoordinator for Student

Involvement & Leadership Development Programs

University of Maryland, College Park

Julie OwenAssistant Professor, Leadership

& Integrative StudiesGeorge Mason University

John P. DuganAssistant Professor, Higher

EducationLoyola University Chicago

Marlena MartinezAssistant Director, Fraternities,

Sororities & Living GroupsMassachusetts Institute of

Technology

Format for Presentation

• Brief overview of leadership development & Greek life

• Overview of Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL)

• Participant worksheet• MSL Greek Life findings- (social Greeks &

cultural Greeks)• Implications for practice• Participant breakout session• Questions

Presentation Learning Outcomes

• Participants will have an awareness leadership development work in the context of Greek Life

• Participants will better understand the different leadership outcomes and experiences of social Greek students, cultural Greek students, and unaffiliated students

• Participants will be capable of integrating Greek life leadership findings from the MSL study to enhance leadership programs within Greek life

Leadership Development & Greek

Life

Why? Because we say we do!• Mission, Vision, Values, Principles• Inter/National Organizations• Umbrella Groups (NALFO, NIC, NPC, NPHC, NMGC)• Campus Fraternity and Sorority Affairs OfficesHow?• National/Regional Councils and Conferences• Inter/National Organization Standards, Reports, Awards• Campus Outcomes, Programs, StandardsBut are we really?• Call for Values Congruence, Relevancy of Fraternal

Movement, ASSESSMENT!

Overview of MSL

The purpose of the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) is to improve education and

society by enhancing knowledge regarding contemporary youth leadership development as well as the influence of higher education

as a context in which building leadership capacity occurs.

To examine student leadership values at both the institutional and national levels with specific attention to the environmental

factors that influence leadership development in college students.

Overview of MSL

Rationale1. A significant gap between theory and

practice as they relate to college student leadership

2. An unclear picture of the leadership development needs of college students

3. Uncertainty regarding the influence of the college environment on theoretically grounded leadership development

Overview of MSL: Theoretical Framework

Social Change Model (HERI, 1996)

Overview of MSL: Conceptual Framework

• Inputs: students' pre-college characteristics

• Environment: programs, experiences, relationships, and other factors in the collegiate environment

• Outcomes: students' characteristics after exposure to the college environment (Leadership Efficacy)

(Astin, 1991; 1993)

Overview of MSL: Sample

• 52 Participating Institutions:– Geographically diverse, Variety of

institutional types, Differing levels of leadership programming

• Total Sample Size = 165, 701• Respondents = 63,095• Return Rate = 38%

Overview of MSL: Overall Sample

Gender:• Male: 38.3 %• Female: 61.5 %• Transgender: 0.1 %

Class Standing:• Freshman: 23.3 %• Sophomore: 21.7 %• Junior: 26.3 %• Senior: 28.8 %

Race/Ethnicity:• White: 71.8 %• Black / African

American: 5.2 %• Asian / Asian

American: 7.9 %• Latino/a: 4.4 %• Amer. Indian: 0.3 %• Multiracial: 8.2 %• Not Included: 2.3 %

Overview of MSL: Instrument

• Instrument created by MSL research team– Pilot tested to verify reliability and

validity– SRLS-R2 used to measure SCM– Average completion time = 20 minutes – Schools could also ask up to 10

institution-specific custom questions

Purpose of this Study

• To understand the factors that contribute to socially responsible leadership development for social Greek students, cultural Greek students, and unaffiliated students in order to enhance Greek leadership programs.

Small Group Work

• Complete the worksheet provided asking you to think about the different factors (environments) that contribute to socially responsible leadership for social Greeks, cultural Greeks, and unaffiliated students. Spend several minutes with your neighbor discussing your thoughts/ideas/rationale.

Our Findings

Omnibus Socially Responsible Leadership Scale (5-point scale)

Mean NStd.

Deviationunaffiliated

3.95 1473 0.39

social Greek 3.98 1476 0.37

cultural Greek 3.93 1450 0.46

Total3.95 4399 0.41

Findings continued

Leadership Efficacy (4-point scale)

Mean NStd.

Deviationunaffiliated

3.12 1289 0.64

social Greek 3.27 1267 0.59

cultural Greek 3.23 1293 0.63

Total3.20 3849 0.62

Findings Continued

Omnibus Socially Responsible Leadership Scale

UNAFFILIATED SOCIAL GREEKS CULTURAL GREEKS

CULTURAL GREEKS

(STUDENTS OF COLOR)

TOTAL VARIANCE EXPLAINED

44% 45% 46% 38%

DEMOGRAPHICS 2% 2% 6% 2%

PRE-COLLEGE FACTORS

9% 8% 6% 12%

QUASI PRE-TEST 22% 22% 20% 9%

COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT

11% 13% 14% 15%

STRONGEST PREDICTORS

Socio-Cultural Discussions

Socio-Cultural Discussions

Socio-Cultural Discussions

Involvement in College Organizations

Mentoring- Community Member

Involvement in College Organizations

Involvement in College Organizations

Socio-Cultural Discussions

Mentoring- Faculty Member

Leadership Positions in College Organizations

Community Service Leadership Positions in College

Organizations

Findings Continued

Leadership Efficacy

UNAFFILIATED SOCIAL GREEKS CULTURAL GREEKSCULTURAL GREEKS

(STUDENTS OF COLOR)

TOTAL VARIANCE EXPLAINED

44% 42% 38% 39%

DEMOGRAPHICS 3% 2% 4% 8%

PRE-COLLEGE FACTORS

14% 12% 10% 10%

QUASI PRE-TEST 20% 15% 9% 8%

COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT

7% 13% 15% 14%

STRONGEST PREDICTORS

Socio-Cultural Discussions

Leadership Positions in College Organizations

Involvement in College Organizations

Involvement in College Organizations

Leadership Positions in College Organizations

Socio-Cultural Discussions

Socio-Cultural Discussions

Socio-Cultural Discussions

Mentoring- Community Member

Involvement in College Organizations

Leadership Positions in College Organizations

Leadership Positions in College Organizations

Implications for Practice

• Socio-Cultural discussions matter• Involvement in college organizations

matter• Leadership positions in college

organizations matter

Small Group Work

• What does socially responsible leadership look like in a Greek Life context?

• How can you enhance delivery of Greek leadership programs around what we know relates to leadership?

• Based on the MSL findings related to Greek Life & student leadership, what meaning do you make for your campus and how might you alter your existing Greek leadership program (or what might you think about when establishing a Greek leadership program)?

Thank you!

• Questions?• To sign for the 2009 MSL study, visit

www.leadershipstudy.net (Sign up and pay in full by April 15 and get a discount!

• Email us with questions!Ramsey Jabaji- rjabaji@umd.edu)John Dugan- jdugan1@luc.edu) Julie Owen- julie.e.owen@gmail.com)Marlena Martinez-

marlenam@MIT.EDU)