Trinity College(CT) - All Greek Orgs Told to Go Co-ed

[Kevin]

Such irony... 58K/year tuition and we're worried about a culture of privilege? Yikes.

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Such irony... 58K/year tuition and we're worried about a culture of privilege? Yikes.

Rich people, they're just like us!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Such irony... 58K/year tuition and we're worried about a culture of privilege? Yikes.

Yes, and about elitism. Irony indeed.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Yes, and about elitism. Irony indeed.

Right, like Hahhhhvad and Princeton with their final clubs and eating clubs.

[Psi U MC Vito]

The thing is, they are not trying to reform the campus culture. Instead they are trying to kill one of the more visible examples of the drinking culture, but I doubt all the people going to the parties are Greek.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

The thing is, they are not trying to reform the campus culture. Instead they are trying to kill one of the more visible examples of the drinking culture, but I doubt all the people going to the parties are Greek.

Exactly. They think "ha ha, the rich kids can't have their fun now" when the rich kids will go right on having their fun - and will probably have even more fun since they will (the majority of them) no longer have to pay national dues. If they want to reform the campus culture, they have to change the kinds of students they admit.

I also LOL every time they think that going co-ed is the solution. Does anyone remember in Pledged how she was talking about a co-ed fraternity that drank its asses off and were all having sex with each other? But of course, she was OK with it because they didn't have evil exclusionary membership selection practices like a sorority. Eric Cartman sums it up:

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Exactly. They think "ha ha, the rich kids can't have their fun now" when the rich kids will go right on having their fun - and will probably have even more fun since they will (the majority of them) no longer have to pay national dues. If they want to reform the campus culture, they have to change the kinds of students they admit.

I think this IS part of Trinity trying to change the kinds of students who would even be interested in applying there. Around here, it's got a reputation for being a place for upper middle-class white students from the New York and Boston suburbs, who had decent grades but no admissions "hook" for an Ivy, as well as for international students (who also tend to be wealthy because most colleges don't offer financial aid for international students).

Because of that reputation, they have a hard time attracting first-generation college students, as well as students of color. They also don't have very generous financial aid. They want to make themselves look more inclusive by getting rid of what some deanery see as a last bastion of white male dominance on college campus (their ire doesn't usually extend to NPHC groups).

Yes, there is a major irony in schools with tuition bills larger than the median US household income accusing the Greek system of being "elitist."

[glittergal1985]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I think this IS part of Trinity trying to change the kinds of students who would even be interested in applying there. Around here, it's got a reputation for being a place for upper middle-class white students from the New York and Boston suburbs, who had decent grades but no admissions "hook" for an Ivy, as well as for international students (who also tend to be wealthy because most colleges don't offer financial aid for international students).

Because of that reputation, they have a hard time attracting first-generation college students, as well as students of color. They also don't have very generous financial aid. They want to make themselves look more inclusive by getting rid of what some deanery see as a last bastion of white male dominance on college campus (their ire doesn't usually extend to NPHC groups).

Yes, there is a major irony in schools with tuition bills larger than the median US household income accusing the Greek system of being "elitist."

Co-sign. Unfortunately, they will never be able to attract a different type of student without greatly reducing tuition, which may then cause the school to have to reduce the program offerings which make it attractive to begin with.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I think this IS part of Trinity trying to change the kinds of students who would even be interested in applying there. Around here, it's got a reputation for being a place for upper middle-class white students from the New York and Boston suburbs, who had decent grades but no admissions "hook" for an Ivy, as well as for international students (who also tend to be wealthy because most colleges don't offer financial aid for international students).

Because of that reputation, they have a hard time attracting first-generation college students, as well as students of color. They also don't have very generous financial aid. They want to make themselves look more inclusive by getting rid of what some deanery see as a last bastion of white male dominance on college campus (their ire doesn't usually extend to NPHC groups).

Yes, there is a major irony in schools with tuition bills larger than the median US household income accusing the Greek system of being "elitist."

Trinity is kind of a weird school. It's really not in a great area at all (I work in Hartford, grew up in the region and am familiar with the area), but markets itself as a upper-echelon school. Plus, there's a similar school nearby (Wesleyan) with a better academic reputation and in a safer area (Middletown). I work with some Trinity grads who are very bright and have done well, so they are doing something right academically.

I didn't realize they were stingy on aid; I got some academic prize in high school where they paid for my admission fee and I ended up with some solid academic scholarship offers. That may have been an effort to attract local kids, though.

ETA: For the list of orgs, I think Kappa Sig also has a chapter at the school.

[KKGAlumDGMom]

This is particularly sad to me as my chapter (while I was an active) was involved with the installation of the Kappa chapter at Trinity back in the early 80's.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Well, okay, what CAN the administration do to change campus culture? Young adults living alone for the first time are gonna experiment, can that ever be changed?

[Psi U MC Vito]

And it's blindingly obvious what they are trying to do. It isn't even a reform of the Greek system because the three changes are arbitrary. While there is a large difference in amounts of Fraternities and Sororities, there are organizations for both genders. Perhaps trying to increase the amount of organizations of both types if there are large groups of people who cannot get into one or another. I can see the point about pledging, but if they require an open NME process that for the national orgs fits national policy they can nip the bud on both hazing and exclusivity. And the 3.2 GPA seems arbitrary to me. I can definitely agree requiring the organizations to meet the All Campus GPA, but the 3.2 seems like a pretty high arbitrary number to meet. But like I said, they don't want to reform the system, they want to get rid of it. Maybe they realize that an outright ban won't work and are trying to backdoor it.

ETA: For the above, there are things they can do. One thing that comes to mind is the Minerva House system at Union College. Which oddly enough doesn't seem to cut on the amount of drinking.And honestly, they are a private school. They can boot particular problem children if they feel that it would make a difference.

[ree-Xi]

Nothing is going to change at Trinity. Enough people aren't in these groups that the changes won't affect the party scene on a major basis, and for those who are members, all that will be accomplished is that they don't have a formal name to label them.

Those who go there will just find other ways to get around the rules (just like the students at every other college or university). Heck, they even have a shuttle bus to the Hartford bars.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Well, okay, what CAN the administration do to change campus culture? Young adults living alone for the first time are gonna experiment, can that ever be changed?

Originally Posted by 33girl

If they want to reform the campus culture, they have to change the kinds of students they admit.

.

[glittergal1985]

If they don't want to have a culture of privilege and elitism, then they should probably relocate the college out of the Northeast...