[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by hoosier
Three strikes and you may be out
by Benjamin Cohen
I am a product of the Greek System at Tufts. I became a brother in 1954. For the past seven or eight years I have had and continue to have the pleasure and privilege of serving as the chapter advisor/mentor to a fraternity that has had a presence on the Tufts Campus since 1941...

...For someone such as myself who is committed to supporting the Greek System at Tufts it is indeed most disturbing to read about the fraternity/sorority transgressions that haven taken place within the past three weeks. There is absolutely no excuse for such flagrant, immature, irresponsible behavior that places people in harms way...

...I truly believe that membership in a fraternity and/or sorority is an important part of the Undergraduate experience. Reflecting on my own time as an undergraduate, members of the Greek System were looked upon as campus leaders characterized by the achievement of academic excellence, the embodiment of Tufts spirit, conformity to socially accepted norms of behavior and worthy of community-wide respect...

...Sure they participated in their share of campus hijinks, but never in a way that placed people in harms way. Yes, some carried paddles but only as a sign of authority not as instrument of torture and/or hazing. They were looked up to as role models whose behavior and demeanor was to be emulated. To be a member of a fraternity and/or sorority at that time was something to be proud of...

...In a sense, the Greek System at Tufts has just struck out three times...

...My own wife continues to lambaste me regarding my support of the Greek System. She says to me: "For years now you have been advising/mentoring these young men. Nothing has changed. They still perpetrate acts of irresponsible, immature behavior. Why not stop beating your head against the wall and recognize that this childish behavior, on their part, is part and parcel of the Rites of Passage. In the years that follow they will grow up, develop careers, marry, raise a family, and become responsible members of the global society..."

...The members of the Greek System have it within their power to control their destiny as far as their continuing to remain a viable entity on the Tufts Campus. They should not, repeat, should not permit such behavior as we have seen on this campus during these past three weeks to continue given that such repetition will ultimately bring about the demise of the Greek System at Tufts...

...The current members of the Greek System "owe it" to the generations that have proceeded them and to those that will follow them to leave in tact a system that has in the past provided opportunities, and I pray will do so in the future, for: (A) The development of leadership skills, (B) That promote a sense of brotherhood/sisterhood whereby individuals are bound together by a sense of fraternal/sororital love and as such, are committed to each others welfare, (C) That recognizes the worth of each individual, (D) That promotes harmony amongst its members, (E) That stresses the rights of others and respect for property, (F) That respects authority and acts in a law-abiding manner, (G) That does not permit, sanction nor countenance any activity that places others (brothers, sisters, or pledges) in harms way and (H) That promotes good citizenship and positive, effective interaction with all members of the larger, diverse community typical of today's college campus...

...I challenge the members of the Greek System to abandon their wanton ways of "self-destruction" and conduct themselves in a forthright, responsible manner that earns the respect and admiration of all members of the Tufts Community and brings honor to both themselves and they organizations that they represent...

Benjamen Cohen (LA '57) is an advisor for Alpha Epsilon Pi.

Is anybody listening?

Read Brother Cohens (I'm a Delt, but we're all Greek brothers and sisters, aren't we?) comments -- remove the name "Tufts," and replace it with the name of your university.

Does it fit?

If so, do something about it.

As I've said before, it would be terrible to be sitting with a group of brothers and sisters in a few years talking about how wonderful the Greek system used to be before it's death.

I also commend Brother Cohen for his perserverance. I often receive the same comments from my wife and family. I know of many other alumni advisors in the same position. It's discouraging.