Pitt-Johnstown fraternities’ members are working to make the fraternities more desirable for students to join, according to Student Affairs Vice President Shawn Brooks.

He said he suggested that fraternity brothers rethink the way they conduct social events in order to make them more exclusive and by invitation only.

Brooks said he meets with interfraternity council members during their meetings, and the last time they met was prior to spring break.

Party guidelines were a main topic discussed at their last meeting, according to Brooks.

He suggested that they hold more closed parties instead of having all parties open to all students and provide brothers with connections to the fraternities’ alumni, and internship as well as job opportunities.

Delta Sigma Chi President David Urbassik, a senior accounting major, said there is a concern about students’ lack of interest in Greek life on campus in general.

Urbassik said he knew that there were about 30 brothers in his fraternity at one point in the ’80s, but there are only about 15 active brothers now.

“And it’s really confusing why people are not interested in Greek life any more,” he said.

He said a possible reason for the lack of interest is that some of the activities they do are unseen by many students.

He said there is a misconception among some students that all the brothers do is party.

“We help out. We do community service. We try to make the school a better place for everybody,” Urbassik said.

He said the brothers meet every week to discuss plans for the coming weekend and make sure they keep up with service hours.

Having been in Delta Sigma Chi for two and a half years, Urbassik said he was the fraternity’s social chair last year, and he is also the vice president of the interfraternity council this year.

He said the council has biweekly meetings, during which they share house news and any campus-related information.

There are two brothers from each active fraternity on campus constituting the eight-members council, according to Urbassik.

Besides Delta Sigma Chi, the other three active fraternities are Kappa Delta Rho, Sigma Tau Gamma and Delta Chi, according to Pitt-Johnstown’s website.

Brooks said the fraternities should provide the brothers with a value-added experience because, at the end of the day, how their time is  spent outside of their classes should help them get employed.

“It’s a no-brainer,” Brools said, referring to connecting with alumni network.

“I think that the sense of belonging is important.”