"Worst of times" for Greek life

[oldu]

My previous post dealt with the "best of times" for college Greeks -- this addresses the opposite:

The depression of the 1930s dealt a devastating blow to fraternities and sororities. Enrollments dropped dramatically and many who were able to go to college found Greek life an unaffordable luxury. Younger groups with limited financial assets and little alumni support simply could not survive. Ironically, many of the chapter closings were not from lack of members but financial insolvency from overly ambitious housing choices. Several national organizations disintegrated and dissolved, while others merged into stronger groups. Only a small handful of the oldest and wealthiest fraternities and sororities avoided a loss of chapters. There was little or no expansion for more than a decade.

During the late 1960s events took place which again threatened the Greek system. Starting on each coast and in some major urban areas as a protest against an unpopular war, the "cause" grew at a phenomenal pace to include almost any and all authority or tradition. To many students, being Greek was irrelevant and our numbers dropped dramatically. The situation spared no group, no matter how large, small or wealthy they were, and chapter after chapter closed. The national organizations frenziedly placed chapters in many small and younger institutions in order to survive. Several groups were absorbed by larger stronger fraternities and sororities because they had become finaiclally insolvent.

I think the latter is far more troublesome for the Greeks. Fraternities and sororities enjoyed a healthy bounce back following the Depression/World War II years of decline. The Greek system has never fully recovered from the late 60s and 70s. Attitudes and emphases have changed. To sustain growth national organizations have sought new institutions to add chapters lost at the older more esteemed campuses. While some groups have grown, many are still faltering. A much smaller number of campus leaders today feel that Greek membership is of value to them.

What are your thoughts?