In 1993, Henry Wechsler of the Harvard School of Public Health, conducted a nationwide study of almost 18,000 college students and their alcohol use, behaviors and opinions. To be qualified for a high-binge drinking campus, more than half of the students responding to the survey had to indicate that they were binge drinkers. The strongest predictor for binge drinking was living in a sorority or fraternity house. Also, students involved in community service, the arts or studying a great deal were less likely to binge drink. Rarely do fraternity and sorority members have a social activity when alcohol is not present.
Alcohol plays a large part of the Greek socialization process.
Students living in Greek residences were more likely than non-Greek students to indicate that partying and drinking are important collegiate activities. For many Greek students, binge drinking began in high school and continued throughout college. Institutions should begin to examine the accountability, or lack thereof, that fraternities and sororities have to their members. Greek residents are more likely to tolerate drinking which is contrary to their founding principles. College administrators should hold Greeks and the national Greek organizations responsible for their actions.