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Bill Barna, a 1986 UNL graduate and vice president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s chapter board, told regents that recent action taken against fraternity chapters has reverberated among alumni and donors with ties to the Greek system.

Last week, UNL suspended Phi Gamma Delta, best known as FIJI, for violations of the Student Code of Conduct, including “reckless alcohol use, hazing and inappropriate sexually based behavior.�

Phi Kappa Psi’s UNL chapter received a multi-year suspension in February after an investigation uncovered “problematic alcohol use� in the chapter house at 1548 S St., as well as at off-campus parties.

In all, five fraternities have been suspended since 2014 for violations of student conduct rules.

Those suspensions have raised questions as Sigma Alpha Epsilon has worked to raise $2.6 million for improvements to its 88-year-old chapter house at 635 N. 16th St., Barna said.

“One of the things that continues to come up is the continued viability of the Greek system at UNL and whether their donations of $10,000 or $50,000 would be wasted because the fraternity is no longer part of the system going forward,� Barna told regents during the public comment period of Friday’s meeting.

Barna said the simple answer to those concerns was “Yes, your money will be well-spent going forward.�

But current and former fraternity members have felt under the gun, he said.

“We do acknowledge, however, there is a feeling of trepidation amongst the alums; there’s a feeling of gloom amongst our student members about the relationship that exists right now between the Greek system and the UNL administration,� Barna said.

Jerry Woodward, a 1989 UNL grad who sits on the corporate board for Sigma Nu, said alumni around the country always ask the same question when Greek life at UNL comes up in conversation.

“What is the university’s position on and what is the commitment to fraternity life and Greek life in general?� Woodward said.

UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green said a “number of issues� involving individual houses over a period of years have created “a feeling that UNL is not Greek-friendly.�

“That’s not true, not true at all,� said Green, who sits on the national board of Alpha Gamma Rho.

Donde Plowman, UNL’s executive vice chancellor, is in the process of creating a task force to study the Greek system, the university’s alcohol policy and how it polices those rules, Green said.

Speaking after the meeting, Green said he “would love to see the Greek system more prosperous at UNL -- not the opposite.�

“But there is a perception -- I think it’s a misperception that is out there in the fraternity system because of the number of penalties there have been, because of the number of suspensions -- that there is some kind of systematic oppression trying to put the Greek system down,� he said.

“That’s not true at all. I would say exactly the opposite.�

Woodward told regents that while the fraternity has had some problems -- Sigma Nu was suspended in 2014 when dozens of fire code violations were discovered inside its chapter house at 625 N. 16th St. -- he tells alumni that the relationship between Greeks and UNL is “very positive.�

“We do have our challenges, but we hope that our commitment together is strong to continue the great experience our students need to have here at the University of Nebraska,� Woodward said.

In 2014, Sigma Alpha Epsilon ended the pledge process to eliminate the potential for hazing to take place, replacing it with a certification program that includes education to teach the risks associated with alcohol and partying.

Alpha Gamma Rho also ended the pledge process, and other fraternities have moved away from the tradition.

Barna said members of the Greek community will continue to work with UNL administrators to seek common ground.

“We’re committed to changing that gloom to optimism,� he said.