Greeks DO do it better!

[ChiOmega4Me]

This was printed in our newspaper...thought it was ridiculous.



This just in. All students at T h e University of Tulsa will no longer be allowed to drive automobiles on campus, because a student might crash and kill himself. Every person who attends TU must also wear a helmet any time he/she consumes alcohol, because if that individual gets drunk and falls down – a head injury might result. Finally, should the outdoor temperature fall below 45 degrees, all TU students must don a long-sleeve shirt to prevent catching a cold. Of course none of these scenarios are actually true, but in light of recent developments, a good portion of the Greek community at TU seems to be upset about the new fire safety codes. According to the freshly enforced mandates, none of the fraternity houses are allowed to host more than 50 people at any one time. This has shut down all of the on-campus parties and caused strife on fraternity row. Well, no wonder! This new imposition is ridiculous; not because it lacks a valid purpose, but because it declines a group of young, maturing individuals their right to choose. It takes free will away from the fraternities, albeit for a noble cause, and provides no solution to counteract. Put another way, fraternities should not host these dangerous parties, should not entertain throngs of guests in irresponsible settings and should not endanger the lives of fellow students. However, if the university takes the choice to do the right thing out of the hands of TU fraternity members, and forces them to comply with the afore-described mandates without offering a viable resolution – then the fraternities have lost more than just their freedom to choose between right and wrong. They’ve lost a traditional liberty. Everyone with a brain knows it’s stupid for a poorlylighted house to get overcrowded while students are drinking and smoking cigarettes. The fire safety codes are probably good ideas, because they promote the well-being of TU students. But what safe alternative is the administration offering in exchange for snatching away this conventional right? Although I realize the ramifications of ignoring a fire safety code, and although I realize it is stupid to have these drunken orgies in the first place, I think it completely appropriate for the Greeks to be upset, simply because they are losing freedom. It is for no other reason at all that I support their grumblings. After all, I don’t even like the idea of Greek life. I am not a Greek. I’ve never been too keen on the idea of organized friendship. I don’t need to pay outrageous fees in order to buy friends. This is supposed to be college, not the Tulsa location of Rent-A-Friend. And if I want to perform an altruistic deed for my community, must I wear a sorority sweatshirt in order to do so? All of the fraternities and sororities claim to be supporting a philanthropic motive with every party they toss. Please. How many of us really believe that the students who dance to loud music and get smashed on the weekends are helping out the less-fortunate citizens of Tulsa? Aside from a few exceptions, the Greeks on this campus greatly annoy me. They give off the impression that they’re Greek gods, and that everything respectable at TU originates at a keg party—excuse me—fraternity house. Take for example the 2002 logo for Greek Week that was plastered on the blue T-shirts: "No matter what the letter, Greeks do it better." They don’t have school spirit – they have Greek spirit. "Go Greek!" They worship their own self-worth to such a degree that they cannot bring themselves down to the level of mere TU student status and wear the blue Eye of the Hurricane T-shirts at the basketball games like the rest of us mortals. As far as I’m concerned, none of the Greeks should be truly accepted on this campus until they quit parading their Greek essence around the TU community and stand up for TU as a united whole. They control SA, they control most of the major organizations on campus and they are very involved individuals – I cannot deny this. But the independents need to step in and reclaim a portion of the campus activities and honors. Thankfully, this year’s Homecoming Queen was an independent, but that’s only a small step in the right direction toward campus balance. This campus is overrun by Greeks primarily because the rest of the student body exudes inactivity. Why don’t you independents vote in the student elections? You are losing your campus voice to the Greek population. That’s a much bigger loss than not being able to get trashed on a Saturday night.

VERONICA HEFNER

Senior Staff Writer

graphic by Mariko Takahashi

The independent students need

to become more active on campus.