The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-05
'FRATS' AT COLUMBIA
PLAN Big REFORMS
Leaders Working Hard TO Fore.
stall Threatened Facu't,
Interference.
BLAMED FOR "FLUNkINGS"
Conference Proposes scholar.
ship Standard for Admission
and Strictcr House Rules

Aroused by threatened univcrsi't rf,..
ferences In their affairs the fraterni'.cs,,
Columbia University have taken stems "a
rearrange conditions Several Of tho lead
ing fraternities have organized - con.
ference and have been meeting IN score,
for the last month or more. Tho confer,
ence has drawn up n tentative plan o.
agreement. which is TO be suhnittoi n e.
the fraternitee before the end of tho .n.
lege year.
The university authorities have '1.a,
no definite steps to control the fra,rrr.
ties or even to suggest Improvement.
although II was limited last fall that sI..
action might be taken.
The charges that fratcrntics lido,
present conditions are conducive 20 ru..
scholarship on the part Of their mo1.no..
that they are cxtravagant and that .,
neglect in many instances 10 pp. ~,
bills have led the more thoughtful uer.
bers to decide to take things info tH,
own hands
What the fraternities will not &c. h.
cause they believe il TO he impr;.'.,a
and Impossible. are the setting OF r. H..
before which no freshman will -" pledge.
the granting OF a weeks time 10 con
slider bid for membership, the dcidtul
Of the initiation until later iu the fey.
than early in November. when the ...'...
lions are usually held. not to b.l Hs
school boys while still In school ar n..
to bid special students IN the uuf.,.-.,.
One OF the reasons for their lot ra .
willing 10 set q pledge day or 10 ae',
the initiation Of freshman candidates
that the expenses OF the average f~atc
nifty house on Mornngsidc He gh's a..
so high that the income from the u,p
students is necessary az the hcsinuu-
the university year in Sop'"nh,r q.
wait until later in the fall or earlv .H ~.
winter for the initiation Of fro.hr.e
would mean that the houses wpu'a oil.
at a loss for practically four month, ~
the college year and that u would b.
impossible 10 recoup this loss
Some of the fraternities ar" wiling e..
cooperate on the pledging Of the iirs' -ri
students and of the granting 81 TREE tl.
consideration 81 tn. bid. That. however
Ia "A matter that the delegates vii ~
ont during the coming Easter h0'5tt-
when they plan to hold several inprs.s.'
meetings
In order 10 increase the srhola-sN.r
among fraternity men the columbia so.
cieiies have agreed 10 elect oul, those
students whose names are posted on A.
eligible list showing that they are rp .
their studies The Greek letter so -'.,.
also plan higher standard o. scholar
ship FOR upper class mon.
That the fratcrnitios do not 'r'o-i .
put all their efforts into scholars. b.
evident from the fact that the new a- ..
ment makes provision for the organ 2i.
tion Of interfrateruity contests. hlrr."
and the like. with special refercH.e o..
interfraternity leagues for the PROV
OF baseball basketball and other sp'-'-
The national directing bodies co. OH.
various fraternities are working W ~ cd.
delegates establishing a uniform -.-'.
OF bookkeeping in the various '..-
Practically every fraternity At g.
prohibits gambling in the chapter house
and without exception liquors are '.....