In 2002, University of Oregon became one of 11 universities in the nation to ban drinking in its fraternities and sororities. It was an effort to cleanse the Greek system and show the community that Greek Life is not just a mirror image of the film “Animal House.”
Unfortunately, the problem still persists. As such a large and visible group, fraternities and sororities have an obligation to the University and the community to hold themselves to a higher standard than what has been demonstrated in the last few years.
Two years ago, the entire fraternity of Theta Chi was cited by the Eugene Police Department for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The chapter’s case ended in a plea bargain with the city in which all members had to attend an alcohol diversion class.
The next two years were shaky ones for the Theta Chi brethren. Police entered the fraternity house two months later after officers saw a drunk woman vomiting on herself. A year later, fraternity members were seen loading kegs into the back of a truck for an official event.
But the fraternity was not without improvement. Theta Chi held a commendable 3.02 GPA during the fall of 2008. Philanthropic efforts raised thousands of dollars for charities. It was a shining moment for the organization.
Then, in one night of senselessness, the men of Theta Chi incurred $10,000 of damages and destroyed two years of meaningful philanthropy, good grades and hard work. Even worse, Theta Chi has perpetuated the stereotypes many members of the Greek community have long sought to smother.
It is unfortunate that these stereotypes are a current reality. In a city that many associate with the kind of fraternity culture seen in “Animal House,” one would expect Greek Life participants to recognize and avoid such actions, and instead seek to promote the positive elements of Greek life. To be sure, many of them do. However, out of the remaining 11 fraternities, four are on warning and one is on probation. Something is certainly wrong.
Efforts to contain parties with private security and patrols have helped reduce the rowdiness observed at fraternities, but these are only within parties registered with the Greek Life office. Something must be done to change the culture of Greek Life. When nearly half of the fraternities are on warning or probation, the problem extends beyond the students, creating a damaging image for the University as a whole and affecting the entire community.
For three-quarters of a century, Greek Life has contributed community and service to the University. It is simply a disappointment when philanthropy and brotherhood are tainted with continued incidents of bad behavior that are unnecessary and easily avoided. The Emerald editorial board does not seek to dismiss Greek Life, but rather to encourage all its members to uphold the standards for which they wish to be known.
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Greek Life must uphold standards, philanthropy
Daily Emerald
January 7, 2009
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