Here's Why Greeks Suck
 

So yeah, the editor of our school paper just ran an article about how greeks are so awful -- we just do philanthropy because our nationals require it, we all do drugs, we all drink like fishies, and we top it off by being one big STD public service announcement.

All in all a very poorly researched article.

Anyone got any suggestions where I can get MY research? I need to get it in by Thurs. I want to say the NPC site has some good ones -- like 85% of congress is greek, or something? need to find it again -- but if any of YOU can help that'd be fantastic.

Greek love and all mine, when I'm not smashed, drugged up, and having sex with anything that moves,
~ Jacquelyn.

Greek Statistics

71% of those listed in "Who's Who in America" belong to a fraternity.
Of the nation's 50 largest corporations, 43 are headed by fraternity men.
85% of the Fortune 500 executives belong to a fraternity.
40 of 47 U.S. Supreme Court Justices since 1910 were fraternity men.
76% of all Congressmen and Senators belong to a fraternity.
Every U.S. President and Vice President, except two in each office, born since the first social fraternity was founded in 1825 have been members of a fraternity.
63% of the U.S. President's Cabinet members since 1900 have been Greek.
A National Conference report shows a majority of the 600 NIC fraternity chapters are above the All-Men's scholastic average.
A U.S. Government study shows that over 70% of all those who join a fraternity/sorority graduate, while under 50% of all non-fraternity/sorority persons graduate.
Less than 2% of an average college student's expenses go toward fraternity/sorority dues.
Over 85% of the student leaders on some 730 campuses are involved in the Greek community.
Over $7 million is raised every year by Greeks nationally.
850,000 hours are volunteered by Greeks annually.
Many favorite stars are Greeks, such as: Tim Mcgraw, Johnny Carson, Cindy Crawford, Michael Jordan, Horace Grant, Travis Tritt, George Bush, David Letterman, Bill Clinton, Anne Klein, Liz Claiborne, Jimmy Buffett, John Elway, Lou Gehrig, Martin Luther King,Jr., Frank Gifford, Ted Koppel, Neil Armstrong, Amy Grant, Donna Mills, Elvis Presley, Jane Pauley, Faith Daniels, John Goodman, and Candice Bergen. The list goes on and on...

Thank you! I need specifics though -- quoted references. Where'd you get the information? Someone's national website, NPC website, etc.

Just do a search on google on
fraternity sorority greek statistics

you can also find more good info with a search.

What GLO was Clinton in?

Don't think I'd promote that one. Not good for our rep.

Bwahahaha! That cracked me up, DNTKE.

And zntke711, thanks, should have thought of that myself. Guess I was just hoping someone had it at their fingertips :) Let me know if anyone else finds an INCREDIBLE site though.

Should I mention the part about how you have to have an STD to join?

LOL when I read that thread title, I thought you suddenly went anti-greek or something.

Hahaha. I'm all, Wellllll, that was fun, but enough's enough.

Nah. I'm still obnoxiously pro-greek! Yaaaaaay for being too excited!

Ah no. ;) :p

There will always be people who are anti-greek. It is up to you to kill them with kindness and the facts. :)

fight ignorance: be yourself
 

Anyone who tries to bash greeks has their own agenda, and won't be convinced otherwise. You just have to keep on doin' what you do as a greek, and let the community see for themselves.


Words only go so far, and can only describe so much.
"From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it."

I'd have to differ with you. I don't know how this campus is but on my campus people are more inclined to believe letters to the editor than the editor themself. The reason is that people see through poorly researched or inaccurate editorials. People understand editorials are SUPPOSED to be biased.

I have the same problem at my school so you're not alone:D

I would be very leery of using any info I got this way -- a lot of what is on the web is rumor or plain wrong. If you can't verify and trust where the information came from, don't use it.

For example: it is not true that every president born since 1825, except for two, was in a fraternity (at least not an NIC fraternity; Clinton was an APO and L.B. Johnson was in a local that later joined PiKA, although he was never initiated into PiKA and is not recognized by PiKA as a brother). In the 20th century alone, you have non-Greeks William G. Harding, Herbert Hoover, and Richard Nixon. And if I'm not mistaken Harry S. Truman was initiated into Lambda Chi Alpha while he was president (which is cool, but doesn't support the idea that being Greek in college leads to success later in life). Check out the Nifty Fun Fact thread.

Aside from the NPC and the NIC, you might check out The Center for the Study of College Fraternities. In particular, you might look under FAQ's, especially the one titled Where can I find the source of those great-sounding stats that are always used to promote Greek Life?

You might want to include some information of relevance to your campus. For example, at my university, the Greek Affairs Office always published/made available the average GPA of each fraternity and sorority as well as the all-campus men and women's average GPAs. If you have some especially sharp greek students, this might work well. Also, do a quick poll of campus student government leaders to find out who is greek and who isn't (usually the greeks already know this).

Since I am a university administrator, I am a member of the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Among other things, I belong to NASPA's Fraternity and Sorority Knowledge Community. Our special section of the website includes a list of references and research abstracts. I have included this link to the knowledge community below. Though our committee is not anti-greek by any means, please be advised in advance that the research currently cited/reviewed regarding alcohol use reflects negatively on greeks. I wouldn't argue the "we don't drink more than non-greeks" point unless you've got some good studies to back that up. :)

http://www.naspa.org/communities/kc/...ity.cfm?kcid=6

.....Kelly :)

THANK YOU SO MUCH, y'all. I really appreciate you guys helping me out like this.

If they publish it on the web (not likely, but I suppose possible) I'll let y'all know where my article and the one before it is.

greek love!
~ Jacquelyn.

For what it's worth, the University of Pittsburgh Greeks provide the largest pool of blood donors in Pittsburgh. In a city where organ transplants were pioneered, that's talking a LOT of blood!