Survey finds Penn State sororities, fraternities drink more

[Kevin]

Daily Collegian
Pennsylvania State University
March 4, 2003

Survey finds Penn State sororities, fraternities drink more

By Colleen Freyvogel, Daily Collegian

Survey says: Fraternity and sorority members at Pennsylvania State
University drink more than nongreek students.

A Pennsylvania State University Pulse survey released at the end of
February shows 94 percent of students in fraternities and sororities drink
alcohol, compared with 81 percent of students who do not belong to a greek
organization.

"The data shows that fraternity and sorority members drink alcohol at a
higher rate than independent students," said Linda LaSalle, a community
health educator for University Health Services. "A big part of it is the
fraternity and sorority culture. A big part of it is the parties and a lot
of social activities revolve around drinking alcohol."

The survey, which was started in 1995, has a 3-percent margin of error,
said Betty Moore, senior research analyst at the Student Affairs Research
and Assessment Office. Students questioned were randomly chosen.

According to the survey, students who belonged to social fraternities and
sororities were more likely to encounter "problem behaviors," including
being assaulted or humiliated, being in a serious argument or quarrel, or
experiencing unwanted sexual advances.

Moore said they have "consistently" found members of social sororities and
fraternities drink more than the rest of Penn State.

The survey showed only 2 percent of greek members consume one drink an hour
and 8 percent consume nonalcoholic drinks as well as alcoholic drinks when
socializing -- almost two times less than nongreek students.

Mary Kaye Jacono, Panhellenic president, said she does not agree with the
results of the survey.

"It's completely not true," said Jacono. "There's no facts to back that up."

Interfraternity Council president Steve DiOrio would not comment on the survey.

Mike Sabol [senior-management science and information systems] said he is
neither for nor against the findings of the survey.

"I wasn't in a fraternity for the first two years, but before I joined the
frat, I probably drank more," said Sabol, a member of the Chi Phi
fraternity. "Now you go to a party and you go there just to drink, but I
don't think I drank any less before I joined."

Morgan Moran [sophomore-marketing], a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority,
said the amount of greek members that go to parties are miniscule compared
to the thousands of nongreek freshmen who go to fraternity parties.

"I think it seems like [greek members drink more] because, obviously the
stereotypes, and they are always seen as providing the alcohol. So it seems
like they drink more," Moran said. "The whole thing is the Penn State greek
community, especially the fraternities, aren't exclusive, so the freshmen
and sophomores go because older people go to apartment parties or bars."

Although the number of nongreek members might sometimes outweigh the number
of greek members at a party, the survey reported that 29 percent of members
participate in drinking games, compared with 19 percent of nongreeks.

The survey also reported that 32 percent of those who belong to a social
greek fraternity or sorority engaged in unplanned sexual activities,
compared to 19 percent of nongreeks. Nineteen percent of greeks did not use
protection when they had sex, compared with 10 percent of nongreeks.

(C) 2002 Daily Collegian