[DeltAlum]

Please read this very carefully.

In fact, please read the entire thread.

Unrealistic?

What is unrealistic is to think that the system can survive if chapters go on with "business as usual." Insurance will bleed us to death financially.

If we expell those who break the law, will it make it impossible to find new members? Will it kill the system? Possible, I suppose, but I think it's equally possible that we might even attract a different kind of member -- one who holds academics and some of the other values upon which many of our organizations were founded higher than underage drinking. I'll bet there are people out there who don't join now because they object to the living circumstances as they exist presently in Greek houses. If that's true, maybe our liability rates would drop instead of skyrocket. Some houses that have gone "dry" actually report an increase in recruitment and membership. I actually have some Fraternity Brothers who don't now, and have never drank. One in particular has seen his chapter closed three times, and the absolutely beautiful house they owned sold to the university. That chapter will probably never open again. Three strikes...

Or did we all just join for the parties?

I don't recall anything in the Delt Ritual about partying. In fact, one part I remember vividly is the one where I pledged not to do "anything to hurt her." Was there anything like that in your ritual? Go back and think about it.

Please take a hard look at who started this thread. Brad is a person who works for a Fraternity at the National level. Someone who can see the "big picture." He doesn't strike me as a temperance worker. In the overall scheme of things, Greek Letter Organizations have many of the same financial responsibilities as a business or any other not-for-profit organization. Not the least of which is perpetuating its' own continued existance. (I guess that's redundant -- you probably can't perpetuate something that doesn't continue, can you? Unless you're perpetuating it memory. Think about that in terms of this discussion.) That's what we pay our professional staff for. That's part of their job.

Now, I'll say this once again -- although I'm sure not for the last time. I'm not against drinking. I like parties. I enjoy alcohol in moderation. (Damn, there's that "M" word again) If we were moderate in these things, we probably wouldn't be in the situation we're in.

What I don't relish is the spectre of sitting around in about ten years -- maybe having a drink with a brother alum -- talking about how great the Greek System WAS! Maybe saying how sad it is that today's undergraduates can't have the experience because it died of neglect when somebody saw the coming demise and did nothing about it.

Fraternally,
DeltAlum