I do agree that "walk on eggshells" is a good phrase to describe greek orginizations today. In another discussion, OSU supposedly put off a bad image of greek life in the "Rolling Stone" magazine. This is why we "walk on eggshells." This particular image of college greek life is what makes all these "rules" possible. However, if we didn't give a reason for the rules, they wouldn't be there. In the past, and present even, we do have greek orginizations that defy the meanings and traditions of greek orginizations. The social forum is a good example of this. You go to the social forum and find that people constanly post refrences to beer and partying. This image is bad for greeks. Despite what they think. We constanly get posts asking what opportunities that greek life offers. I know that I try to be as helpful as possible in explaining what greek life is "suposed" to be like. Then when these prospective greeks here about all the parties and beer fests, they get turned off. "Who wants to pay 300-600 dollars to join a drinking club?" I hear that all the time. If you can recruite and do it correctly and responsibly, by all means get out there and do it! I don't condem those who do. The reason why colleges don't allow recruiting anymore is the fact that recruiting has lead to bribing, dishonesty, hazing, pressure to join, confussion, chaos within a org and outside, rivalry among students and greek orgs, . . . the list is long. I'm not saying that this is all that it leads to, or that every school is like this. These are some issues that orgs have to watch out for. We want to present to the students that we are responsible, hard-working, good people. We want a good image. By doing this we take care of internal situations by working together and helping each other. We can not forget that all greek orginizations have common goals:
1. Philanthropy
2. Numbers/Rush
3. Community
4. Helping the school
5. Ritual
6. preserving greek life
We want these goals to be what people see. We want these goals to be why people join.
Mikki
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"The trouble with self-made men is that they worship their creator."
--Unknown
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