|
[QUOTE]Originally posted by mdshoreboy
[B]2 Issues I see with that:
(1) Fraternities cannot sell brotherhood, they have to sell fun and a good time. For those guys, sadly, their fun exists in the realm of alcohol overload. Eventually that guy will outgrow it but by then the new batch of bros will pick up where he left off.
(2) No one is holding them accountable for their actions. What is the chapter president doing to uphold the fraternity mission? Are they holding enough other events to establish a balance?
---
I have to disagree with this point. Brotherhood is one of the things that IS sold on my campus. We have 5 fraternities and 2 Sororities. (at one time, we had 7-5, and are starting to build back up. we've gone from 20% male greek, to 52, though the female average is still steady at a small 17%, low because of a lack of options(said a number of non-greek women)) Out of the 7 houses, only the fraternities have houses they can live in(something the sororities are trying to remedy, with full support from most of the houses), and out of those, 1 is always dry(phi delta theta), one is conditionaly dry until the end of this year(Sigma Nu), and the other three are not dry. Or at least, not in practice. Each house on campus has their reputation, and the reality. Unfortunatly, there is a student anti-greek sentiment from a small group of students, supported by a small group of faculty, but the administration has turned pro-greek in recent times(as many of them are not only greek, but greek alums from this campus). The anti-greek sentiments are founded in steriotypes, that are strengthened by the occasional mistake.
One of the things I learned at College of Chapters this past summer(Sigma Nu's training program for delegates from all our chapters) is how to push things in rush that aren't "c+p" Or chicks and parties. Our rush this year was completely non-chicks and parties. It was founded in brotherhood and our ideals. through these things, we managed to gain the second biggest candidate class out of the 5 fraternities, some of which pushed chicks and parties, and some of which didn't. A couple fraternities on our campus, through athletics, and other "training" camps that start before the rest of the school year, gather pledge classes, in an informal manner of having people say "yes, I'll rush you" basicaly before the offical school year starts. Be that based in friendship, or the possibly parties that those two houses throw, I'd say its more the former than the latter, since no parties are thrown at that time. They are called pre-(xxxx) (house nickname) during fall term here, as it is known who they are going to rush. Though a couple fraternities use chicks, parties, and drinks to bring in pledges, we don't, and in the last 4 years, have had some of the biggest classes out of all the houses on campus. A successful campaign needs no bribes.
M.
Sigma Nu,
Knox College
|