Where have all the pledges gone?

[justamom]

Though fraterity recruitment seems to be improving in our area, it's a drop in the bucket compared to how things USED to be. Why?
Parental support is disappearing-hazing, alcohol deaths, sex related bad PR AND economics. The money involved is a bigger issue than some families may admit.

The recruits- If we have been somewhat successful as parents, we've raised our sons to be independent thinkers. They have a wider circle of friends and confidence in social situations. They are aware of the hazing and have enough self respect to say "I don't need that". They are still aprehensive about the unknown and hesitant when they hear stores of getting beatup for the hell of it or beatings with paddles, forced to drink to death, the stories of "hell week". ( It isn't JUST the parents who fear these things.)

When you have a young man leave for college, he isn't given the same send off as our dauhters. We expect almost as much from them as they expect from themselves. Who can THEY turn to when they are uncertain. Sometimes it's easier to AVOID the risk of failure by foregoing a fraternity than to join and quit because you don't like the physical violence that MAY be involved and being perceived as a "pussy".

Edited to add-So any people have been RUINED financially. Not only were retirement funds wiped out, but many people put money into stock funds for college and now, the money is GONE!
Fraternitiesand sororities are the LOWEST priority on a very, VERY long list!