Someone asked that I address the topic of Greek Life taking over the institution that I work at, but I think I'm going to go a little broader with the topic and address the importance of Greek Life.Just to be clear...when we reference "Greek Life" we are NOT talking about a large influx of residents of Greece. No, we're talking about social fraternities and sororities that are both local as well as nationally affiliated.
Just to be transparent...my best friends in college were in a fraternity and I advised fraternities and sororities for twelve years.
I believe that Greek Life can be a valuable asset to pretty much any college or university, but for that to happen two things need to take place:
(1) Institutions need to move beyond the old stereotypes of fraternities and sororities.
(2) Organizations must adjust to the times and consider things like financial cost, time responsibility and what now constitutes hazing.
Clearly, for the first thing to happen the second must already be in motion. Where the biggest obstacle lies with the organizations is this peer-pressured "legacy of hate" that is wrapped in a blanket called "tradition" and passed down from one pledge class to the next. You got your's...so you're gonna' make sure they get their's. But what does breakin' wood over a man's ass teach about brotherhood? What does having a group of girls walk around campus all wearing shirts that read, "I Give Great Head!" teach about sisterhood? As corny as some people think it is, national organizations and their chapters that have legitimately moved away from hazing and concentrated more on community service, academic superiority and extracurricular involvement saw not only a rise in their chapter numbers but also had longer retention rates. That means more men joined...and they stayed around longer.
I'm not looking to turn this into some type of sermon. As I said...I'm a big proponent of Greek Life. The bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood that you can build...bonds that connect you with other all across the country...aid in leadership growth and development. But if national organizations and their chapters, as well as local organizations, continue blindly embracing "traditions" that run directly againest current hazing laws then all they will be doing is feeding into the stereotypes that are already pervasive. In the end, you want your letters to mean something...to endure. Not just be a memory.
Now if only we were so lucky at FDU to have girls walking around wearing "I Give Great Head" T-shirts!! lol ... then again they would've been easier targets for The Fingie ... some good points you brought up though
ReplyDeletethere are a few of us greeks out there who have been known to use this term.. "i love my org but i hate being greek".. to be honest, i've used it a couple times.. It's not so much that we hate everything about greek life.. Its just the pety stuff, the hate, the talking behind the back, the need to prove that i pledged (i mean, was educated) harder than you did..etc.. I have no issues with anyone that wasn't educated as long as i was (8 WEEKS, 2 DAYS AND 19 MINUTES)..your "intake process" is your "intake process". if your org is about what it says it's about, then you get respect from me.
ReplyDeleteas for the more physical "intake process'", consider this.. we can all take a hit, heal and move on.. it's the mental that stays with you.. Mindfuck someone good enough and he/she is your bitch for life..