NEW FRATERNITY, SORORITY LIFE DIRECTOR TAKES OFFICE Greek life recruitment halted until next semester

KATHARINE DEROSA News Editor

JOE WHEELESS, THE NEW DIRECTOR of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, took his position on Monday, according to university spokesperson Michael Porter.

Before coming to VCU, Wheeless was the assistant director of Student Leadership Development at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, Wheeless stated in an email. He also worked in fraternity and sorority housing at High Point University in High Point, North Carolina, according to William & Mary’s faculty website.

“My overall goal is to work with the students to strengthen and build a fraternity/ sorority community that adds value to the VCU community and a student’s college experience,” Wheeless stated.

Wheeless has a degree in broadcasting from Western Carolina University and became active in Greek life during his undergraduate years, according to William and Mary’s faculty website.

The first thing I want to do is work with the governing councils to create a recruitment process to happen in February 2022.”

Joe Wheeless, Director of the

“I had a great experience during my undergraduate years that I decided to stay at Western Carolina University (WCU) and obtain a master’s degree in College Student Personnel,” Wheeless stated. “That was the start of my career in student affairs.” report released on Aug. 5. One recommendation included the hiring of a new director of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

VCU is further investigating certain recommendations from the report, including the development of a diversity, equity and inclusion plan for Fraternity and Sorority Life, revamping the big brother program and revising and expanding the recruitment process, per the internal report.

Office

of Fraternity and Sorority Life

Wheeless stated he joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity his second semester of college and joined the leadership team.

The university has been working to implement various recommendations from external reviewer, Dyad Strategies, since its report detailing Greek at life at VCU was released on Aug. 2. VCU hired Dyad Strategies as a result of the death of freshman Adam Oakes on Feb. 27 at a Delta Chi fraternity event, where Oakes’ family says he was hazed. Eleven people were indicted on Sept. 24 in connection to Oakes’ death. All were indicted for “unlawful hazing of a student” and six were indicted for “purchase, giving alcohol to a minor.”

The Dyad Strategies report included 14 recommendations. Some are currently being implemented, per VCU’s internal