From: jaturne@eng.clemson.edu (james turner)
Subject: more frat stuff
Followup-To: Frats
Reply-To: jaturne@eng.clemson.edu
Organization: College of Engineering, Clemson Univ.
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 15:41:01 GMT




O.K., I've been reading more than I care to about the roll of fraternities on 
college campuses.  I attend a university where approximately 80% of the campus 
leadership positions are held by greeks.  Some people complain that this is not 
proportional to the campus population, which is true.  However, I have noticed
that voter turnout on campus elections tends to be predominantly greek, so I find
no reason for students to complain.  If you don't like the people in the offices,
then vote them out!

Personally, I am not greek.  That is a choice I made while an undergraduate, and I am
happy with it.  Other people make other choices, and they are happy with them.  Part
of the learning experience of college is making choices and learning to live with
them.  I feel that frats (and sororities) do perform a beneficial function to society
in some ways, and are harmful in other ways.  But, I can assure you that it is not
a problem inflicted on greeks only.  Being non-greek has its benefits and problems
also.

Greeks promote a sense of community among members, and are a way for people to meet
and have fun.  They also perform a philanthropic function in both monetary and man-
hour ways.  As a compromise, greeks _tend_ (just a generalization, so no flames) to
sacrifice a degree of individuality to join the system.  Greeks also have to put up
with a less than sterling reputation on hazing, date-rape, alcohol misuse, etc.
Not every greek is a masochistic, alcoholic, rapist... some NON-greeks _do_ fit this
description.

Being a non-greek allows a student to be more of an individual and free-thinker.  As
a sacrifice, the non-greek must realize that he/she is giving up a force-fed study
structure as a pledge, which tends to benefit pledges on a grade basis.  The non-
greek also gives up a social format that encourages meeting new people in other
greek houses, which is an excellent way for a new student to meet new people.  Non-
greeks also must work harder to be philanthropic.  There just aren't that many 
established programs for service that are on an individual basis (except tutoring
for a group, etc.).  Non-greeks are also required (or allowed, depending on your
personal view) to make their own friends, on their own.

So, there are pros and cons to both sides.  Why argue about which is right/wrong?!
Just let people make a choice and leave them alone.....



P.S.   Josephh Greathouse:  I am not disagreeing or agreeing with you.  I would	just
like your opinion on something....

|>This is highly campus-dependent.  Here, the non-Greeks smash the Greeks
|>in GPA.  Furthermore, it is a good argument that Greek GPAs are dis-
|>torted because pledges are required to keep large amounts of study 
|>hours, while actives have no such requirements.  And pledges get fac-
|>tored in with the rest of the actives for GPA determination.

>Statistics, please?

|>[Although, I will grant, that more Greeks graduate than non-Greeks,
|>proportionally.]

>That right there says something very positive about the Fraternity system.  And
>yet you assert later in this post that this same system is not beneficial nor
>desirable.  How can a group which improves a member's chance of graduating be
>such a terrible detriment to the college?  What would happen to the graduation
>rate without Fraternities?  Answer: It would probably drop.

Do you think the policy of keeping exam-files in the houses has anything to do with
this, and if so, do you feel it is fair/equitable to have exams on file that other
members of a class do not have access to?