Greeks display letters around city

Greek letter signs have recently been approved to be on display outside sorority and fraternity houses to help promote Greek pride off-campus.

This is a result of a recent agreement between the Student Government Association, along with the Greek organizations on campus, and the Milledgeville Historic Preservation Commission. Greek organizations with houses in the historic district are now allowed to have markers designating their residence outside their homes.

While actual letters cannot be placed on the houses, the organizations are allowed to have markers similar to ones already in place that denote the significance of the homes. Two sororities, Alpha Delta Pi and Zeta Tau Alpha, have installed signs in the front yard of their houses so far, and a third, Delta Zeta, is currently finalizing paperwork to install a sign at their house.

The compromise came after members of the SGA and the Greek organizations met with the commission as early as last August.

“We wanted to get some recognition for those houses, and the HPC was open to them being marked with the black signs out in front,” said Alissa Torchia, SGA Chief of Staff for External Affairs, one of the main people involved in the agreement. “Will Darden, a welder, got the supplies to weld the signs and put the letters on.”

SGA Vice President Evan Karanovich said coming to an agreement with the HPC has been one of SGA’s goals throughout the school year.

“It’s something we’ve been pushing for a while, since the beginning of the year, and it’s good for these organizations to be formally recognized,” Karanovich said. “(Torchia) has been one of the main people at the forefront pushing for this.”

Zeta Tau Alpha President Kirstie Layne said that her sorority, along with several others, have been working on this issue with the HPC for several years.

“It allows us to show the work we’ve been doing with them, and it’s great that they have finally agreed to accept us into the historic district because they have had concerns in the past,” Layne said. “Our sororities deserve to gain the recognition in the community and we should be able to take care of these homes as we have demonstrated we can.”

Torchia said that with the signs now being allowed at the houses, the sororities will have more recognition and visibility.

“It serves not only the campus positively, but also the community because it gives the organizations an opportunity to show off the houses, and it allows the HPC to keep up their mission of preserving the historic district,” Torchia said. “Plus it gives the sororities a sense of pride about where they live and the organization of which they are a part of.”

“It’s great that this agreement has been reached and is open to all the Greek organizations,” Karanovich added. “We’re excited for the opportunity for these groups to grow and for the presence of Greek life to be more visible on campus.”