Joseph Oravecz, associate dean of students, announced yesterday that he will be leaving Syracuse University on April 9.

Oravecz said that he is leaving for personal reasons but did not clarify further.

‘I have no idea what it’s for but I hope everything’s OK about it,’ said Maggie Misztal, Student Association comptroller.

Many students were not expecting the news at all.

‘I’m surprised,’ said Andrew Thomson, chair of the Student Association’s traditions committee and former SA president. ‘He will be very difficult to replace.’

‘I’m 100 percent shocked,’ Misztal said.

Because Thomson served as an SA member when Oravecz was hired in 2002 to the recently formed OGLEL, he observed his transition into the office.

‘He did a good job combining the Office of Greek Life and the Student Activities Office into the new office,’ Thomson said. ‘It’s a difficult task getting students who hadn’t worked together previously to work together.’

Oravecz also served as the adviser of the Interfraternity Council and worked closely with the brothers of many fraternities.

‘He really built a firm relation between IFC and OGLEL,’ said Charlie Walker, president of IFC and a junior religious studies major. ‘Before, things were separate. He was the intermediary.’

As adviser, Oravecz consulted IFC and informed its members about the university’s position on greek issues.

‘Basically with any new university policy, he gave us a heads-up so we were always prepared to represent IFC’s views and wishes,’ Walker said. ‘He always seemed to put greeks first (despite) everything he had to do.’

Oravecz worked on the Chancellor’s Commission on Substance Abuse Prevention and the Campus Security Greek Subcommittee, and also worked on a Traditions subcommittee of the Correction Action Team.

‘We’re definitely going to miss him,’ Walker said. ‘For the two years he was here, he benefited IFC in a positive way. It will be hard to find someone with the dedication he had to greek life.’

Published on March 29, 2004 at 12:00 pm