Greek affairs office again left without director

    Students within Tufts' Greek community are working to keep fraternity and sorority life running smoothly following the abrupt departure of Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Patrick Romero-Aldaz.
    Romero-Aldaz left Tufts on Aug. 27 to direct the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of South Florida, leaving the Greek office primarily student-led and without any plans on the horizon of hiring a new director. Until a replacement is chosen, Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman will act in Romero-Aldaz's stead.
    "I was offered an opportunity I couldn't refuse to lead another Greek community with a position that is larger in scope and responsibility," Romero-Aldaz told the Daily in an e-mail.
    Since he came to Tufts at the end of the 2007 academic year, Romero-Aldaz worked to align Tufts' fraternities and sororities with national Greek regulations. Most notably, he advocated a strict BYOB policy in line with national regulations that forbid Greek houses from supplying alcohol. He also eliminated alcohol from the Spring 2008 rush process.
    Romero-Aldaz's departure leaves the Greek community without an acting director, not unlike the one-year period prior to Romero-Aldaz's arrival at Tufts when students took on the responsibilities of running the Greek system alone, including coordinating rush. 
    His position will remain unfilled indefinitely due to a hiring freeze on new staff members as a result of the financial downturn, according to Reitman. He maintained, though, that "there will be no lack of attention to the Greek system."
    Reitman will take over the position of chair of Tufts' Fraternity and Sorority Life Advisory Council, a group created by Romero-Aldaz that consists of both students from the Greek system and university officials. The advisory council enacts and administers policy and oversees the direction of the campus Greek community.
    "There's no diminution in the level of importance in which we view having these functions," Reitman said. "We're going to keep everything going."
    Jacob Maccoby (LA '09), who served as Inter-Greek Council (IGC) president last fall, praised Reitman's temporary takeover of the position.
    "Dean Reitman has always been a strong supporter and friend of the Greek community at Tufts, and there is nobody I would rather have as our adviser and our advocate," he told the Daily in an e-mail. Maccoby added, however, that he hoped the university would appoint a full-time replacement as soon as possible.
    Others pledge that the vacant position will not prove an obstacle.
    "It's sad to see Patrick go because he was a great connection for us, but I don't expect people in the Greek community and people who look at the Greek community to see any drastic changes or noticeable changes," said junior Jason Clain, public relations manager for the IGC.
    Maccoby agreed that Romero-Aldaz's departure would not affect the IGC's goals and proceedings.
    "No matter what," he said, "we will continue to provide the strong leadership, first-rate community service and excellent social events that this campus and this community [expect] from us."
    Romero-Aldaz said that despite facing certain obstacles, he was satisfied with his tenure at Tufts.
     "When you take a position that is charged with bringing about change, you realize it is not always going to be easy," he said. "But I will say that my time at Tufts has been most rewarding because I've had an opportunity to help make some positive change, learn a great deal about myself and, most importantly, work with some truly fantastic students."