Princeton to ban freshman affiliation with fraternities, sororities as of fall 2012

[flirt5721]

I am not sure if this goes here or in another thread.

http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/a...ction=topstory

"Because Princeton social life revolves around the residential college and the clubs and because of concerns that we have had about aspects of fraternities and sororities, the University does not recognize fraternities and sororities," they wrote. "We found that they can contribute to a sense of social exclusively and privilege and socioeconomic stratification amount students. In some cases they place an excessive emphasis on alcohol and engage in activities that encourage excessive and high-risk drinking."


If the university does not recognize the chapter how can they not allow them to go through recruitment?

[thetaj]

Oops! Link didn't work. Found it though: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/a...ion=topstories

makes me

[LXA SE285]

"We found that they can contribute to a sense of social exclusively and privilege and socioeconomic stratification amount students. In some cases they place an excessive emphasis on alcohol and engage in activities that encourage excessive and high-risk drinking."

And the eating clubs don't?

[agzg]

I feel like Princeton or someone else that I'm confusing with Princeton does this every year.

[DEVODUDE]

LXA SE285:And the eating clubs don't?

Very good point!!!

ZBT:"Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present & Impacting the Future."

[ShortAndSweet]

I'm confused. So Princeton doesn't recognize the sororities and fraternities, but the national GLOs do?

[KSUViolet06]

agzg, you're sort of correct.

Princeton sends out a strongly-worded anti-Greek letter every year (discussing the fact that they don't recognize them and all the other "negatives.")

It never stops students from joining.

Maybe they think that taking this extra "step" will.

ShortAndSweet -- yes, they are recongized by their HQ, but not the school. There are a few other schools like that (ex: Santa Clara in CA has a thriving Greek system that the school doesn't recognize.)

[NinjaPoodle]

Approximately 15 percent of Princeton undergraduates participate in four sororities and about a dozen fraternities.

I'm curious what percentage of students participate in eating clubs.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by NinjaPoodle

I'm curious what percentage of students participate in eating clubs.

Just about 75%, according to Wikipedia. I have a bunch of friends who went to Princeton--all of them joined eating clubs as a sophomore, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic background. I don't know a single NPC/NIC Greek from Princeton; I have heard that the administration is fine with NPHC groups because they aren't residential.

[SWTXBelle]

But according to the article, NPC/NIC groups aren't residential, either. CAN they forbid freshmen from joining a group which is not recognized by the university? Obviously, they have control over university groups, but could they forbid students from becoming , say, Masons or Elks? Some lawyery type want to weigh in on freedom of association and this ban?

[Low C Sharp]

Yes, they can do this. It's a private school. When you enroll, you agree to follow the rules. (Lawyer type here.)

Since no penalty is stated, it sounds like this is just the same old same old with different language. I doubt it will have any effect on the GLOs that currently operate without campus approval.

[Munchkin03]

This GC freakout happens every time Princeton or Dartmouth do something related to their Greek systems. They're Princeton and Dartmouth...they can do whatever they want and it's not going to hurt donations. Princeton will probably still be #1 in the Ivy League for alumni donations, officially recognized Greek system or none. :::yawn:::

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

Since no penalty is stated, it sounds like this is just the same old same old with different language. I doubt it will have any effect on the GLOs that currently operate without campus approval.

Yeah, this is REALLY stupid. Why would you even bring it up without saying "if you join a GLO as a freshman, you will be expelled" or whatever.

[amIblue?]

OK, to me, this at an Ivy League school is laughable:

[GLOs] "can contribute to a sense of social exclusively and privilege and socioeconomic stratification among students."

I have family and friends that attended Dartmouth, Yale, Princeton, and Penn. I love my friends and the classmates that I've met over the years. I would loved to have had the opportunity to go to an Ivy. That being said, to think that students at Princeton wouldn't have a sense of social exclusivity and privilege but for the fraternities and sororities is preposterous.

[Low C Sharp]

I actually think that's not nuts. It's one thing to feel exclusive and privileged vis-a-vis the rest of the world. It's a different thing to feel that way within a university community, especially freshman year. They're trying to minimize stratification WITHIN Princeton early on. I see that as consistent with embracing the stratification of a larger society as reflected in Princeton's role compared to Rutgers or Montclair State. It's similar to a Greek chapter that is proud of its status/exclusivity compared to the rest of campus, but tries to eliminate cliques among the membership.