Fraternities fear 'underground' groups could form
There is a power struggle between the University of Colorodo and the off-campus Greek system. The school wants to have more control over the fraternities and sororities. At stake is whether the tie between the school and the Greeks becomes stronger or if it will be virtually severed. One of the big issues is that the school wants to institute a deferred rush.
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A series of incidents, including the alcohol-poisoning death of a freshman pledging the Chi Psi fraternity last fall, shows Greek groups have "drifted" from their original purpose, campus officials say. They say the organizations must agree to a series of reforms — or operate without help from the university.
Sororities have said they'll reluctantly sign on.
Fraternities are pushing back. They've said they're wholly against one of the measures CU officials are demanding: a delayed recruitment or "rush" that the groups say would cut their due-paying membership.
Such tugs-of-war are not unusual on campuses nationwide, said Sheldon Steinbach, an attorney for the American Council on Education.
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Next month, fraternities will either agree to CU's terms or choose to exist without campus affiliation.
Failure to agree to a spring-semester rush, a live-in adviser and other terms, school officials say, means the groups won't have access to campus office space, sports fields and student lists they now use for recruitment. Fraternities won't be able to have representatives speak at freshman orientation sessions, their pamphlets will be pulled from the school's Greek Affairs Office and they'll get kicked off the university's Web site.
Underground fraternities?
Lance Powers, a student officer and past president for the Boulder chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, said he feels caught in a power struggle that's unfair for hard-working Greek chapters like his.
He said severing CU-Greek ties wouldn't necessarily be bad for fraternities. They would still be accountable to their national headquarters, he said, but would be out from under the campus' Interfraternity Council, which places limits on how groups can recruit and operate.
But, he said, that reduction in oversight could lead to a sort of Greek anarchy among groups that aren't as responsible.
"My biggest fear is it's going to wind up that we don't have rules anymore but neither do any of the other fraternities," he said. "It would push them underground."
Tug-of-war
Universities and Greek systems, even if off-campus, typically rely on each other for support.
Studies show that fraternities and sororities can help students stay in school, and they build alumni bases that donate to their universities in greater amounts than non-Greeks. Greek houses, in turn, like to be officially recognized by campuses to solidify their reputations.
"They are mutually beneficial," said Jon Williamson, executive vice president for the North American Interfraternity Conference.
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