Five Towson Sororities on Probation (Alcohol)

[fantASTic]

You know, the more I read about this, the more I think it's just. They knew it was wrong - whether it was tradition or not. Hazing is a tradition in many chapters and schools, yet we all know it's wrong. If we choose to do it, we must be prepared to accept the consequences. These women represent their sorority, and all the sororities deserve to be punished.

Greek Life cannot afford to keep around schools which flaunt the rules like this. It becomes a liability as opposed to a benefit.

[AlphaXi4983]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

You know, the more I read about this, the more I think it's just. They knew it was wrong - whether it was tradition or not. Hazing is a tradition in many chapters and schools, yet we all know it's wrong. If we choose to do it, we must be prepared to accept the consequences. These women represent their sorority, and all the sororities deserve to be punished.

Greek Life cannot afford to keep around schools which flaunt the rules like this. It becomes a liability as opposed to a benefit.

This is not a new problem at Towson. It was a problem when I pledged, it was a problem before I was there, it was a widely known (within the greek system) problem when I was active, it's just that no one did anything about it. One of my sisters was rushed to the hospital on Bid Day for almost the exact same reasons as we saw this Bid Day. It was common knowledge that Rho Chis showed up to the field drunk, many of the sisters drank before and I'm sure there were even pledges that did the same. I know of at least once incident where sisters of one of the sororities would drink in the garage before bid day and not even get caught. The girls knew it was wrong - they're not stupid, they just don't expect to get caught becuase Towson has been, in my opinion, notoriously flawed in dealing with issues in the Greek system unless the national gets involved.

The reason they got caught this time? They were stupid enough to post pictures of themselves drinking on Bid Night on Facebook. Really now - how dumb can you be? We were always told that any Bid Day activities were to be dry. The rush process is going to be dry. Did people drink? Yes. But we didn't have Facebook to post it on. They were wrong. They know it. They're just pissed they got caught and called out on it. And I'm not just talking about the 5 on probation - I'm talking about all 8, my chapter included. Kudos to Towson for finally having the balls to act. I whole-heartedly support their decisions.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AlphaXi4983

This is not a new problem at Towson. It was a problem when I pledged, it was a problem before I was there, it was a widely known (within the greek system) problem when I was active, it's just that no one did anything about it. One of my sisters was rushed to the hospital on Bid Day for almost the exact same reasons as we saw this Bid Day. It was common knowledge that Rho Chis showed up to the field drunk, many of the sisters drank before and I'm sure there were even pledges that did the same. I know of at least once incident where sisters of one of the sororities would drink in the garage before bid day and not even get caught. The girls knew it was wrong - they're not stupid, they just don't expect to get caught becuase Towson has been, in my opinion, notoriously flawed in dealing with issues in the Greek system unless the national gets involved.

The reason they got caught this time? They were stupid enough to post pictures of themselves drinking on Bid Night on Facebook. Really now - how dumb can you be? We were always told that any Bid Day activities were to be dry. The rush process is going to be dry. Did people drink? Yes. But we didn't have Facebook to post it on. They were wrong. They know it. They're just pissed they got caught and called out on it. And I'm not just talking about the 5 on probation - I'm talking about all 8, my chapter included. Kudos to Towson for finally having the balls to act. I whole-heartedly support their decisions.

I'm sorry, but I have a giant problem giving "kudos" to a school that knew this was going on for years, to the point of people getting rushed to the hospital, and the only reason they used any discipline is because pictures showed up on Facebook. That sounds an awful lot like "do things that might be injurious to yourselves or others, things that are against your national rules, as long as you don't embarrass the school."

AOII Angel, I agree w/ everything you said.

[AlphaXi4983]

The problem is, even if the school knows its going on, it can be hard to take action until they have tangible proof that it's going on - and what better way than sisters self-incriminating by handing out photos for the world to see? There have been cases where the university has taken action against individuals or even certain chapters, but this if the first time (that I know of) where it has been addressed as a wide-spread problem.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AlphaXi4983

The problem is, even if the school knows its going on, it can be hard to take action until they have tangible proof that it's going on - and what better way than sisters self-incriminating by handing out photos for the world to see? There have been cases where the university has taken action against individuals or even certain chapters, but this if the first time (that I know of) where it has been addressed as a wide-spread problem.

A member having to go to the HOSPITAL isn't tangible proof??

And for what it's worth, photos can be altered or doctored. I would find them the least credible thing to hang something on, and one of these days that's going to happen - photoshopped photos online expressly to get a group in trouble and the group fights it.

[AlphaXi4983]

Originally Posted by 33girl

A member having to go to the HOSPITAL isn't tangible proof??

And for what it's worth, photos can be altered or doctored. I would find them the least credible thing to hang something on, and one of these days that's going to happen - photoshopped photos online expressly to get a group in trouble and the group fights it.

No one did a did a breathalyzer test on her or the other girls involved - it looked like just an accident and they (the university and the EMS) treated it as such. Photos have been used as evidence in legal trials for decades. Even though Photoshop is more prevalent now than in past eras, photos are still often highly regarded as evidence, along with witness testimony. All evidence is falliable.

[MaggieXi]

Can I ask who exposed these photos? I'm only asking because I find it surprising that actives would have public profiles for anyone to go in and look at their pictures. Especially if it is during recruitment!