There have been moments in our industry when the priorities seemed clear. When there was a more universal sense of what the most important areas of focus are or should be. When what we are collectively called to address or answer has been consistent and shared. That has included our need to engage in critical values congruence, respond to hazing deaths, contend with histories of exclusion and racism through activism moving toward a more just fraternity/sorority experience, and most recently a blending of many of those concerns with a response to a global pandemic that has fundamentally shifted the ways we consider work and life broadly. At times it is precisely the difference or perceived difference in priorities among stakeholders that has become central in our industry conversation.
But what should be our priority now? As we emerge from the acute, most critical moments of the pandemic into a changed reality and varied experiences for fraternity and sorority communities, college campuses, and (inter)national organizations, where and how should we spend our time and focus our energy? Those were the questions that emerged for the Editorial Board as we imagined this issue of Perspectives. This issue provides some reflections on how we can realign our priorities and what some of those priorities should or could be. They represent a variety of perspectives and are crafted to challenge our thinking or use a positionality to reconsider the most compelling areas of focus for those of us working with and supporting fraternities and sororities. They are inherently limited, and we value additional perspectives and engagement with this issue around your priorities.
We are also pleased to unveil this issue of Perspectives with a new format on the Association’s new website. It is the hope of the Association and this Editorial Board that this new format for sharing Perspectives as a publication increases interaction with content, creates opportunities to provide continually robust material, and provides for the nimbler sharing of engaging content that is current and valuable to readers. What doesn’t change about Perspectives is the goal to provide meaningful content that challenges readers to consider varied perspectives that inform and impact our ability to do the work of effectively and innovatively advancing fraternities and sororities. This issue’s format represents a change, and we look forward to evaluating and enhancing the publication based on this change. On that journey we welcome your insight and feedback about how Perspectives can continually serve, challenge, inform, and compel you.
