Quote:
Originally posted by Rudey
Let's look at 2 problems: Hazing and Drinking.
1) If you expand into a party school, know that these 2 problems are going to be there more throughout the student population and not just in Greek organizations. Many, many organizations just expand for the sake of expanding or want the prestige of numbers or chapters at big schools. I think this needs to be rethought since as a simple numbers game, no matter what these party school chapters will have more problems.
So then, a problem has been identified. Can't fraternities work together to dispel the old myths? I think a collective effort to return to our real roots could payoff with enough cooperation. Those chapters that choose not to participate will probably die off - you're right in that partying is rampant (I saw a study that it is more of a problem in the midwest than anywhere else) - but if fraternities start taking a more responsible approach, holding themselves accountable to each other, conditions will improve, yes?
2) Different chapters have different policies. Some folks don't care if you drink. Some turn their heads and pretend nobody underage drinks. Some care only if you use kegs. Some are totally dry. Some are dry but drink at parties they hold at bars. I don't feel comfortable telling someone in another fraternity with a different policy how to address their problems. I don't think another chapter would just knock on my chapter's door one day and also ask for advice on how to stop their members from abusing alcohol to begin with. The same goes for hazing. Certain fraternities consider study hours hazing. Some consider scavenger hunts to be hazing. I, myself, consider anything you'd be ashamed to tell someone's mother to be hazing.
You're also onto another problem here - where to draw the line - again, through cooperation with each other, couldn't some sort of consensus be achieved, with attention being paid to those in violation of a comprehensive policy?
3) In a perfect world, we would all have large chapters with no problems. But it's not a perfect world. We have enough issues dealing with how to get brothers to be more active as seniors, to make sure rush goes well, that our alumni stay involved, etc. How could we possibly exert even more energy, time, and money to help? Many of us have been strong-armed into holding these workshops and you yourself think they don't work. What more can we even possibly do?
Again, if greeks aren't willing to get involved and fix the problem themselves, someone else will - permanently. I think that eventually, greeks will see this, and do something about it. But I think we'll have to see a national org go under before the flames are fanned high enough to get the attention this deserves.
4) My solution is to concentrate more on the me and not on the we. It's not to say that fraternities shouldn't help each other out and work together, but it just says that we need to recognize that our problems are different and we can only come up with the solutions ourselves.
But again these are my thoughts. Am I right or wrong? I would think I'm right given the fact that fraternities still have not moved to the "we" approach.
-Rudey
|
I would hope that you eventually are wrong - I think you have the right perspective that it's the "me" approach right now - if greeks can't get to "we" to fix problems, then the external forces trying to shut us down may yet be victorious, to our own detriment.
Good dialogue so far! Anyone else feel like contributing? This is how problems get solved, folks.
By the way, is anyone else having problems posting? I get error messages, and have to submit twice to get anything on threads today....
"There seems to have been a slight problem with the GreekChat.com Forums database.
Please try again by pressing the refresh button in your browser.
An E-Mail has been dispatched to our Technical Staff, who you can also contact if the problem persists.
We apologise for any inconvenience."
John?