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From the school paper (I have removed the school name out of deference to Carnation):

Sororities and fraternities to go national

XXXX sororities and fraternities to go national
By KW, PR Intern

While on-campus sororities and fraternities have been a large part of student life at XXXX for years, the administration recently decided to move toward making them national organizations.

“I am starting the process by inviting other Greek organizations to come and look at us, but am unsure where that will go,” said E.S. , director of student activities. “The administration wants to begin moving toward national fraternities and sororities, but I do not know exactly when we will become national.”

Greek life begins each fall with rush week, an opportunity for pledges to get to know all the organizations and find out where they fit in. If a pledge is not picked by his or her choice organization, he or she can either try again next fall or accept the invitation of another group.

“There is a mutual selection process going on where men and women of each organization will rank order the people going through rush,” S. said. “The administration has a process of dividing them down the middle.”

In the past, rush week has also involved silly antics by pledges. According to S., this will change, due to a stronger enforcement of the hazing policy in order to adhere to the eventual tie with national terms.

“Retreats are good, as well as team-building activities, but wearing silly outfits to calss is against the hazing policy,” she said. “In the past, displaying the new members has been more important than allowing them to get to know members of the organization.”

S. said there are two purposes to pledge – letting the pledges get to know the history of the organizations, such as past members, and allowing them to get to know members joining with them and older members in the fraternity or sorority. “Anything that does not fall under these two rules is not permitted,” she said.

This includes: actions that recklessly or intentionally endanger the physical and mental health or safety of students; encouraging the consumption of any food, drink, drug or any other substance; exposure to weather; sleep deprivation; assignment of activities that would be illegal or unlawful, or might be morally offensive to the individual; physical brutality, including paddling, striking with fists, open hands or objects and branding; kidnapping, transportation or stranding of individuals; verbal abuse, including line-ups and berating of individuals; conduct that could adversely affect the dignity of the individual, including wearing of apparel that is conspicuous or extraordinary, carrying items such as paddles and canes and the performance of public stunts and activities; tasks of servitude, including errands and clean-up activities for active members, alumni or any other XXXX student; the denial of sufficient time to study; nudity or lewd behavior; late or early activities which interfere with academic activities or requirements; or any activity not consistent with the policies and mission of XXXX College.

S. , who is in charge of enforcing the hazing policy, said hazing in general has been a state law for many years, but the policy, which was adopted in 2001, is just now being enforced.

“The reality is – why would you want to be mean or abusive to women or men joining your organization? It can either A. make them not want to join or B. make them turn around and do the same thing to future members,” said S. . “Older members see what happened to them and say, ‘Why can’t it happen to other members?’ which is why it should be stopped now.”

Anyone breaking the hazing policy will be investigated, and consequences can range up to no social events or intramurals for one semester to one year for the entire organization, according to S. .

One gradual change that will come about with the move to national fraternities and sororities involves technology. S. said computers are used by national organizations, and XXXX will eventually use them as well.

“But this year computers will not be used,” she said.