Private colleges ban fraternities, sororities

[moe.ron]

Private colleges ban fraternities, sororities

By Leana Donofrio

Daily Kent Stater (Kent State U.)
10/14/2002

(U-WIRE) KENT, Ohio -- The numbers are staggering. Greeks claim a large number of the most powerful people in the United States:
Seventy-five percent of the U.S. Congress is Greek. More than 85 percent of student leaders in 720 college campuses are Greek members. Eighty percent of Fortune 500 executives are Greek, according to Kent State University's Greek-life Web site "10 Fast Greek Facts."

But a "fast fact" that is not listed on the site is that only three of the top 10 most prestigious liberal arts schools have Greek systems, according to U.S. News and World Report's 2002 report on U.S. colleges and universities.

Deaths among college Greek members and the movement away from community service has left some schools with the choice of removing fraternities and sororities from their campuses.

This decision to do away with the Greek system has already happened at schools like Williams College, Bowdoin College, Colby College and Alfred University in New York.

Alfred faced a nightmare situation that contributed to the demise of its Greek system after a student was found dead behind a fraternity house in February.

Benjamin Klein, 21, was allegedly beaten by members of his fraternity, Zeta Beta Tau.

Alfred spokeswoman Susan Goetschius said the student's death was not found to be a direct result of the beating, and charges have not been brought against the fraternity brothers who beat him.

"What we heard is that they [Klein and some fraternity brothers] divulged secrets [about the fraternity] at a chapter meeting in Syracuse," Goetschius said.

Although she warned that details surrounding the incident are only hearsay, she said his fraternity brothers beat him on the way home from the meeting in Syracuse on a Saturday.

She said it is then believed Klein apologized to his brothers and said he was going home.

Goetschius said members of the fraternity reported Klein missing when they discovered his car was still at the fraternity house.

Klein was officially reported missing the next day, and was found frozen and dead later that night just yards away from the backdoor of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity house.

Klein's death was a factor taken into consideration by the Alfred board of trustees when deciding whether or not to phase out Greek organizations on the campus.

All the board of trustees members but one, who abstained from voting, recommend the organizations be removed.

Although a few fraternities and sororities still exist at Alfred, they cannot recruit new members and cannot remain at all if they are not in good standing with the university. Two Greek organizations at the university were removed recently after breaking the school's anti-hazing policy. The hazing infractions happened after Klein's death.

"The Greek system is beyond repair," Robert McComsey, the chairman of Alfred's board, told The New York Times

Removing fraternities and sororities from college campuses is not new.

Williams College began phasing out fraternities and sororities in the early 1960s, spokesman Jim Kolesar said. None were left by 1969.

And deaths are not new, either.

Alfred experienced another death of a member of a local fraternity, Klan Alpine, in February 1978. This one directly related to hazing.

"He [the student] was put in a trunk of a car with a six pack and a bottle of liquor and told to drink," Goetschius said.

The student was found dead at the fraternity house.

Alfred has done a number of studies on fraternities and sororities following the deaths.

Researchers found the number of students who binge drink and receive low grades was higher with Greek members than students not involved in a Greek organization.

And hazing is an ongoing problem in the Greek system despite efforts made by Greeks themselves to stop it.

Brandon Joseph, the vice president of Alpha Epsilon Pi at Kent State, said his fraternity has a rule against hazing.

"Hazing is not what the Greek system is about; if it does happen, that is terrible," Joseph said. "Hazing is probably still out there. We are non-hazing and have a phone number to report incidents to our national chapter."

Goetschius said despite laws against hazing in 42 states, including Ohio, it "is going on, and people are not aware of it. People will always say, 'It's not a problem here.'"

But people such as Goetshcius said the vow of silence that goes along with Greek organizations also keeps the violations and illegal activity the organizations sometimes engage in secret.

Despite tight bonds between Greeks, 83 percent of Alfred's board of trustees who voted to remove Greek organizations were themselves affiliated with them.

Public universities like Kent State University cannot remove the Greek system as a whole, Robert DeKoven said.

DeKoven, an expert on educational law and professor at the California Western School of Law, said public universities only can ban a Greek organization if it breaks the law or university policy. He said this is because public universities are bound by the Constitution and cannot discriminate against a group.

Kent State's Sigma Alpha Epsilon was suspended for one year because of a paddling booth fundraiser during the fall orientation week.

Individual chapters of fraternities like Pi Kappa Pi have been banned permanently at places like California State University-Chico after an 18-year-old pledge died of alcohol poisoning after a "brotherhood event" at the chapter's fraternity house.

Goetschius said it is not an easy decision to remove a huge part of college life, but it is even harder to cope with the death of a student.

Benjamin Klein's death caused "a lot of grief among current students and alumni," she said.

Kolesar said students have not viewed Williams College negatively because they don't offer Greek life.

In fact, he said, "many students say they come here because we have no fraternities or sororities."

Kolesar also said when the university made the move to diversify the campus and make it coed he believes the transition was smoother because there were no Greek organizations.

Kolesar said this is because many Greek organizations in the early '60s did not allow minority and Jewish students to join, which created an environment of exclusion rather than inclusion.

Greeks themselves, like Joseph, admit the mission of Greek organizations has shifted over their long history.

"In a way they have streamed away from community service," Joseph said. "But I see things turning around. We've done M.S. [Multiple Sclerosis] walks, read to kids, tutored."

Alpha Epsilon Pi president Joseph said he doesn't think universities should ban Greek organizations.

"It is terrible because they don't know what they are doing," Joseph said. "They are getting rid of something great."

[lifesaver]

Originally posted by Arya
Private colleges ban fraternities, sororities
And deaths are not new, either.

Alfred experienced another death of a member of a local fraternity, Klan Alpine, in February 1978. This one directly related to hazing.

"He [the student] was put in a trunk of a car with a six pack and a bottle of liquor and told to drink," Goetschius said.

The student was found dead at the fraternity house.

The part EVERYONE (reporters) always glosses over is that the current president of Alfred U was an active member of Klan Alpine in February 1979. Yet hes all "get rid of those greeks."

I guess thats how it works at ole Alfred U. Kill someone and then get to be university president. If thats how it really is they got more problems than their greek system. At least I can say I aint never killed a motherfu*ker.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by Arya
Public universities like Kent State University cannot remove the Greek system as a whole, Robert DeKoven said.

DeKoven, an expert on educational law and professor at the California Western School of Law, said public universities only can ban a Greek organization if it breaks the law or university policy. He said this is because public universities are bound by the Constitution and cannot discriminate against a group.

The tough question to ask yourself is this:

If it weren't for the legal issues mentioned above, how many public colleges and universities would be trying to do the same thing?

And who is to blame?

If you are honest with yourself, you will have to admit that hazing, alcohol and drug abuse are alive and well in the Greek System.

Until those problems are fixed, we will be forced to continue to fight for our survival.

[FuzzieAlum]

I noticed this article focused on Alfred University. If even a little bit of what we've heard about their system is true, I can see why the university is interested in closing it down. (I can also see why the remaining Greeks are fighting to keep it open.)

What it amounts to is that when a Greek system gets screwed up, the university is going to try to kill it. I don't see that the administrator being Greek himself has much to do with it. If I was a Greek life advisor at a school, and the AXD chapter was beating its pledges, you can bet I'd try to kick them off campus - even though I am an AXD myself.

If a school has a Greek system that's upholding its own values, the university probably won't do much. There are exceptions (Dartmouth), but they're unusual.

And once a system is gone, it doesn't usually come back. That's a big threat for us all to face.

DeltAlum is right. The university is usually reacting to a real problem. And while we all know these problems aren't unique to the Greek system, it's no excuse to say, "Dorms, sports teams, everyone else does it, too." After all, we set ourselves up as being men and women of character. We shouldn't be surprised when people expect us to live up to that.

[XOMichelle]

Hazing, alchohol abuse and legal issues re alive in EVERY other student group on campus, except maybe religious groups. But you don't see the University getting pissed off becasue the Gymnastics team coats the freshman in flour, chocolate syrup and katchup and makes them drink and run around campus. Hmmm.
Not that i condone any activities that might get someone killed or injured. That chapter should be kicked off campus. But I think there is a double standard, and I think that is unfair.

-M

[DeltAlum]

There is somewhat of a double standard. On the other hand, there is a thread under Risk Management (I think) that talks about an entire college marching band being suspended and investigated.

Besides, it's beside the point. If you break the rules, you'd better be ready to accept the penalty.

[Optimist Prime]

GDI's suck.

[KappaKittyCat]

There was once a day when Greeks were the paragons of college men and women. We believed in high ideals and we reflected our beliefs in our behaviour. In this day and age most Greeks merely pay lip service to said ideals. What would our Founders think if they saw us? Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, but we're doing this to ourselves.

[sugar and spice]

Agreed. I know that, as Greeks, we're all quick to get upset when some university decides to shut down the Greek system, knowing how many benefits it can provide for so many people. But not all Greek systems are the same! When that particular university's Greek system has the serious problems that Alfred University's seems to have, it only makes sense to shut down the system there, or it'll only get worse and cast a worse light over all of us.

[SATX*APhi]

The situation with Alfred's Greek life is unfortunate; however, not all private universities are doing away with Greek life. I believe the title of this article is misleading. St. Mary's University, where I joined Alpha Phi, is a private university and in no way are they considering doing away with Greek life. About 25-30% of our campus is Greek and we have an outstanding Greek system.

[Kevin]

Money talks and statistics prove that you'll get more donations from your Greek alums than you will from independants.

I think 20 or 30 years from now when their old greek alums are no longer around schools will be left wondering wtf happened to all of our donations?

[Senusret I]

I notice that people in the article are saying that the general fraternities and sororities are moving away from community service.

Since student organizations are subject to the rules of their hosting institution, why doesn't the school require a certain amount of community service hours or projects in order to be considered "recognized" by the school?

I just don't think that the school can use the "lack of service" angle as an excuse to eradicate an organization.

[FuzzieAlum]

I personally believe Greeks are doing more service than ever before.

However, it would be difficult for a university to require community service as a condition for recognition. Are the hockey team, the cheer squad, the young Democrats, the role-playing society, and the GLBA required to do service for recognition? No. Their purpose isn't service. Most GLOs, too, do not mention service to others in their purposes (there are exceptions). We do service because we believe it is important to make us better people and to give back, but fundamentally we are SOCIAL organizations.

Doing more service is a good thing, don't get me wrong, but all the service in the world won't help us if we don't clean up our act socially. If my chapter single-handedly ends world hunger but forces our pleges to drink to death, have we fulfilled our mission? Have we furthered Greek life? Have we built a responsible sisterhood. No.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by FuzzieAlum
I personally believe Greeks are doing more service than ever before.

Doing more service is a good thing, don't get me wrong, but all the service in the world won't help us if we don't clean up our act socially. If my chapter single-handedly ends world hunger but forces our pleges to drink to death, have we fulfilled our mission? Have we furthered Greek life? Have we built a responsible sisterhood. No.

She's right.

Cleaning up highways, working in soup kitchens, supporting charitable causes are important and necessary.

But if your chapter is still hazing, all of the above is wasted.

[Kevin]

Kind of funny how the same colleges that would call requiring service projects from new members "hazing" would also try to eradicate you because of your lack of service projects.