Article: Is Greek System Broken...Can it be reparied...Should it...

[DeltAlum]

"For two Tulane University students, pledging a fraternity became a nightmare after the older members of Pi Kappa Alpha allegedly scorched them with boiling water, leaving them with second- and third-degree burns across their bodies.

Fraternities came under fire yet again this week after several chapters nationwide were involved in hazing and drug-related incidents.

Ten students from the New Orleans university are now facing felony battery charges after the Wednesday incident, which was reportedly intended to give pledges an opportunity to prove their pain threshold, according to The Associated Press. The incident occurred during "Hell Week," when fraternities try out prospective members.

Earlier this week, San Diego State University suspended six fraternities after drug enforcement authorities arrested several of the chapter's students on suspicion of dealing drugs on campus."


Here's a link to an ABC article Doug Case posted on Fraternal News...

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4815509&page=1

The questions aren't all new, but I think were inevitable after the San Diego State situation and a few other recent problems.

[Coramoor]

I bet the Pikes at Tulane are the same dorks that come to Greek Chat and ask what type of croakies to wear to rush and what are the reputations of the frats there (not that they need outsiders opinions to make up their mind).

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by Coramoor

I bet the Pikes at Tulane are the same dorks that come to Greek Chat and ask what type of croakies to wear to rush and what are the reputations of the frats there (not that they need outsiders opinions to make up their mind).

Asking what kind of clothes and accessories you should wear to something is always pretty bad........

There is nothing wrong with asking about the reputations of fraternities at different schools. It certainly doesn't make you a "dork". The PC bullshit that gets spewed all over GC about every house being unique and good in their own way is tired and played out. It doesn't work that way, sorry.....at least not in my experience at many, many different schools. There are shitty houses, there are ok houses, and there are good houses just about everywhere.

I've never seen anybody that has asked for people to make up their minds for them. I've seen plenty that have asked for reputations, etc., which is just fine. Most are very gracious towards those of us that will actually answer their questions honestly without sugar coating everything.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by macallan25

Asking what kind of clothes and accessories you should wear to something is always pretty bad........

There is nothing wrong with asking about the reputations of fraternities at different schools. It certainly doesn't make you a "dork". The PC bullshit that gets spewed all over GC about every house being unique and good in their own way is tired and played out. It doesn't work that way, sorry.....at least not in my experience at many, many different schools. There are shitty houses, there are ok houses, and there are good houses just about everywhere.

I've never seen anybody that has asked for people to make up their minds for them. I've seen plenty that have asked for reputations, etc., which is just fine. Most are very gracious towards those of us that will actually answer their questions honestly without sugar coating everything.

If someone is asking on an internet message board what sort of shoes he should wear to a rush party, chances are, he's not going to get into a top house. The "every house has something to offer" line is exactly what he needs to hear. I'd rather he go to a bottom house than none at all.

Most of the people who were and are members of smaller chapters have positive experiences. No need to get someone's hopes up by telling them that either join this "elite" chapter, or forget about greek life together because it's not worth it.

[Tom Earp]

It still boils down for what a few do in a chapter or National, it still makes all of us a Greeks look bad.

I have never been a propoent that if a few do something then the total chapter should suffer.

Get those that do some of these things out ASAP!

But still, the mentality of one or two do, then it must be all Greeks no matter who or what designation the name is.

[LXA_KA_1287]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

It still boils down for what a few do in a chapter or National, it still makes all of us a Greeks look bad.

I have never been a propoent that if a few do something then the total chapter should suffer.

Get those that do some of these things out ASAP!

But still, the mentality of one or two do, then it must be all Greeks no matter who or what designation the name is.

It's more of an issue when the Mainstream Media is looking for something to make a huge issue out of.

Yes, it's a horrible situation and we hope it never happens again, but with the increase of Greek Life in pop culture, we become more of a target to become the next Shark Week of sorts.

We work so hard through community service and get a small mention in a newspaper, just to see hard work get blown out of the water by another headline showing people with poor judgment wearing Greek letters.

I think that for the most part, the system works very well as is and doesn't need very much as far as changes go. I think here at Marietta, they're actually trying to get ahead of the curve a bit, which is ruffling the feathers of some fraternities on campus, but its nothing major.

It's just the media...let them go back to covering how you'll be killed by a shark this summer.

[LaneSig]

[QUOTE=Kevin;1649381]If someone is asking on an internet message board what sort of shoes he should wear to a rush party, chances are, he's not going to get into a top house. The "every house has something to offer" line is exactly what he needs to hear. I'd rather he go to a bottom house than none at all.

Most of the people who were and are members of smaller chapters have positive experiences. No need to get someone's hopes up by telling them that either join this "elite" chapter, or forget about greek life together because it's not worth it.[/QUOTE]

co-sign

[DeltAlum]

Originally Posted by LXA_KA_1287

It's more of an issue when the Mainstream Media is looking for something to make a huge issue out of.

Are you suggesting that the arrest of this many people, some using fraternity housing as their base of operations, isn't news?

I'd say it's a pretty big story.

I'd also say that it's one that prospective students and their parents would be pretty interested in.

The thread is a little off the track (not unusual), but my concern is about longer lasting issues for Greek Letter Organizations, and more wide ranging than the SDSU and other campuses involved.

The consequences could be much deeper than this incident. I hope not.

[LXA_KA_1287]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

Are you suggesting that the arrest of this many people, some using fraternity housing as their base of operations, isn't news?

I'd say it's a pretty big story.

No, just merely stating that the story seems to have become a whipping post and that its outlived its useful lifespan as a story.

Hazing arrests should be reported as to hopefully stem the problem. Show the punishment for doing stupid stuff.

I just think that the media has spent too much time pondering on it for right now.

[DeltAlum]

What gives this story its legs are the felony arrests. Both for hazing and drugs.

Not to mention a little sadism and a death or two.

[49erFounderPKT]

I have to agree with LXA_KA_1287, the Greek system itself is not broken, but perhaps it is the GLO's within it that cause the problem. It is a question of responsibility. Right now I am trying to establish a colony of my chapter with the school's GL Office. However, the overall representation of fraternities and sororities are under intense scrutiny, even when a chapter of a completely different GLO gets in trouble it reflects negatively on all.

We are fighting to exist on campus and respective Deans sight current wrongdoings as a reason to deny expansion. We all feel it is our duty to uphold the standards that all commit themselves to, and most fulfill.

The only way that the Greek system is broken is if no other chapters or organizations learn from improper actions. A long and storied tradition is what we are all apart of, it is my opinion that we at least owe it to those who came before us if not ourselves to act responsibly.

[GooniePDT49]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

"For two Tulane University students, pledging a fraternity became a nightmare after the older members of Pi Kappa Alpha allegedly scorched them with boiling water, leaving them with second- and third-degree burns across their bodies.

Fraternities came under fire yet again this week after several chapters nationwide were involved in hazing and drug-related incidents.

Ten students from the New Orleans university are now facing felony battery charges after the Wednesday incident, which was reportedly intended to give pledges an opportunity to prove their pain threshold, according to The Associated Press. The incident occurred during "Hell Week," when fraternities try out prospective members.

Earlier this week, San Diego State University suspended six fraternities after drug enforcement authorities arrested several of the chapter's students on suspicion of dealing drugs on campus."


Here's a link to an ABC article Doug Case posted on Fraternal News...

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4815509&page=1

The questions aren't all new, but I think were inevitable after the San Diego State situation and a few other recent problems.

I think the system needs some revision. At my college it was incredibly tough to get our chapter started, as I had previously stated in another thread, because of past events involving greeks. I think it depends on the severity of the occurence and the frequency of such occurences.