Binge Drinking has an Up-Side?

 Binge-drinking students happier and more accepted than others: study

By Eric Pfeiffer, Yahoo! News | The Sideshow 

A study released on Aug. 20, 2012, suggests binge drinking has social benefits for college-age students.

Researchers completing a new study on alcohol consumption have discovered that college-age students who binge drink are happier than those who don't.

Those who engaged in binge drinking tend to belong to so-called high-status groups: wealthy, white, male and active in fraternity life. And those who did not belong to the high-status groups could achieve similar levels of social acceptance through the act of binge drinking. In fact, the study results suggest that students engaged in the heavy drinking practice to elevate their social status amongst peers rather than to alleviate depression or anxiety.

"The present study offers another insight into the nature of a seemingly intractable social problem," the study released on Monday reads. "It is our hope that by drawing attention to the important social motivations underlying binge drinking, institutional administrators and public health professionals will be able to design and implement programs for students that take into account the full range of reasons that students binge drink."

The Washington Post reports that the study's co-author and Colgate University associate professor Carolyn Hsu presented some of the findings during the American Sociological Association gathering in Denver last week.

Interestingly, the study results compiled from surveying 1,600 college students also continues to support past evidence suggesting that binge drinking leads to a number of problems affecting the mind and body, including alcoholism, violence, poor grades and risky sexual behavior.

"I would guess it has to do with feeling like you belong and whether or not you're doing what a 'real' college student does," Hsu told LiveScience. "It seems to be more about certain groups getting to define what that looks like."

Binge drinking was defined as consuming more than four drinks in one occasion for women and more than five drinks for men. Sixty-four percent of respondents said they had engaged in the practice, compared with 36 percent who said they had not.

Those statistics differ from similar evidence gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC's statistics measure binge drinking in the same quantity but limit the consumption period to two hours or fewer. Its results also found that the majority of binge drinkers (70 percent) were over the age of 26. The CDC has also found that 90 percent of alcohol consumed by people under the age of 21 is done in the form of binge drinking, compared with 75 percent among all U.S. adults.

Yahoo News! August 20, 2012
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/binge-drinking-students-happier-more-accepted-others-study-194406168.htm

Cornell Cracks Down on Drinking in Greek System

University Cracks Down on Drinking in Greek System

By Brendan Doyle and Michael Linhorst

Citing student safety and a need to change the culture of the Greek system, the University informed Greek student leaders Tuesday that they must implement - in no less than two years - some sweeping changes to how they run their fraternities and sororities. As a condition of receiving University recognition, Greek organizations will have to bar freshman from attending parties with alcohol and eliminate alcohol completely from their recruitment and pledging activities. Chapters will also face stiffer penalties for hazing under the new rules.

“Things like hazing or alcohol are not healthy experiences in becoming a fraternity man or sorority woman,” said Travis Apgar, associate dean of students for fraternity and sorority affairs, as he laid out the changes during a meeting on Tuesday of student leaders from across the Greek system. “We want to make sure the [Greek] experience remains relevant, and to do that we have to have a culture change.”

“We spend a very large amount of time … every year dealing with the problems in our system,” including judicial issues and the fallout from those issues, Apgar said. The changes are intended to create “a truly safer system,” he said.

Apgar emphasized that the planned changes and their 2012-2013 school year deadline are “not negotiable.”

However, the University is allowing Greek student leaders to decide on a timeline for the gradual implementation of the changes.

According to a proposed Interfraternity Council schedule [13], the first change will be the prohibition of “alcohol-centered Thanksgiving dinners” this fall. In January 2011, the first day of fraternity rush will be alcohol-free and the IFC will hold an event to “aid in values-based recruitment.” After rush week, there will be no mixers - parties between one fraternity and one sorority - that involve alcohol for three weeks. For the remaining five weeks of the new member education process, informally known as pledging, each sorority can have two mixers each week.

Starting in the fall of 2011, freshmen will not be allowed to attend any fraternity parties in the second half of the fall semester. Three days of rush week during January 2012 will be dry. Mixers will be prohibited for the first six weeks of the new member process, and each sorority can have two mixers a week for the remaining two weeks.

Finally, in fall 2012, freshmen will be prohibited from all fraternity parties that involve alcohol. In January 2013, the entire rush week will be alcohol free. Social events between fraternities and sororities that involved alcohol will be prohibited during all eight weeks before new members are initiated.

“Clearly, you’re going to have to recruit in a very different way,” Apgar told the Greek leaders at the meeting on Tuesday. “You’re going to have to reimagine the recruiting process.”

Dean of Students Kent Hubbell ’69, who was also involved in creating the new rules, said that trying to curb underage drinking and alcohol abuse is “a safety issue, not a moral issue.”

“We are trying to be preventative and proactive” in avoiding tragedy and promoting the health and safety of students, he said.

Hubbell emphasized that the more stringent regulations are part of a broader, University-wide initiative to deal with alcohol abuse. He said that the Universtiy’s previous efforts to combat this problem have been met with “mixed results.” Other efforts currently underway in addition to the Greek system changes include an enhanced parental notification policy [14] and more collaboration between the Ithaca Police Department and Cornell University Police Department on enforcement of drinking laws.

Several of the Greek leaders at the meeting spoke out against the changes, noting that recruitment could suffer and that years of tradition and culture would be changed. The executive board members of the IFC emphasized that they were simply handed a mandate, and expected to create a timeline for the goals to take place.

“The changes that are going to happen were not our idea at all,” said Interfraternity Council President Allen Miller ’11. “We’ve spent so much time trying to argue with the administration … We’re at a point where we know things aren’t negotiable.”

Beyond the substance of the new changes, some Greek leaders said they were also displeased that the University had contradicted the Greek system’s tradition of self-governance.

Others, like Panhellenic Council President Nora Allen ’11 noted that the changes could be a valuable opportunity to put a positive face on a Greek system plagued by stereotypes of debauchery and illegality.

“People who join the Greek system are social and outgoing. They want that experience,” Allen said. “The people who are attracted to that are always attracted to that. With the dry process, we might attract the people who were originally deterred from the Greek system because of the way we are perceived on campus.”

Allen added that alternative opportunities to meet potential recruits in an alcohol-free environment are part of the planning process for the changes.

“What we’re doing is providing other opportunities for Greek women to meet freshmen girls,” Allen said of the future of recruitment in the sorority system.

University administrators said they had not yet decided how to logistically keep freshman from attending open parties and mixers. The IFC’s proposed implementation plan suggests providing “ID scanners or similar technology to chapters registering open parties” that check the student IDs of every attendee.

During the Tuesday meeting, Apgar said the changes were intended only to increase safety and promote values in the Greek system.

“We’re not trying to create a dry system. We’re not trying to close any fraternities or sororities. We’re not trying to shrink the system,” Apgar said.

Apgar said the changes could even lead to growth in the Greek system.

“This gives us an opportunity to sell ourselves” in a way that we’ve never done before, he said. He later added that he hoped to see new forms of recruitment other than alcohol-focused events.

“I’d love to see our chapters doing other creative recruitment opportunities,” Apgar said.

The changes come as amendments to the University’s recognition policy for Greek chapters. The policy is an agreement between the chapters and the University that allows chapters to operate at the University if they follow the policy’s restrictions. If the restrictions are not obeyed, the University can revoke a chapter’s recognition.

“To have recognition revoked is essentially what happens when we want to close a chapter,” Apgar said.

The IFC Executive Board had initially proposed an alternative plan to appease the worries of the administration while still maintaining what they saw as the Greek system’s traditional culture. According to Apgar, that plan was well thought-out, but administrators ultimately rejected it because it did not provide for a dry recruitment.

Also emphasized in the University’s three-tiered plan is a zero-tolerance policy for hazing, an issue which has previously been the subject of controversy on campus. Apgar said that hazing sanctions will be harsher, although he said the exact specifics of penalties will be determinded, along with the rest of the timeline for changes, in the coming months.

A forum will be held on Sept. 8 to allow students and administrators to discuss the changes. The forum will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Willard Straight Hall.

Michael Stratford contributed reporting to this story.

© 2010 The Cornell Daily Sun. All Rights Reserved.

Ohio University Gays and Greeks Develop Play

Gays team up with greeks to eliminate group divides
4/14/2010 11:53:00 PM	Email this article • Print this article
Actors and actresses in Gays, Greeks and Grape Juice perform in Baker University Center Theatre last night as part of Pride Week. (John Nero PICTURE EDITOR) Callie Driehorst • For The Post • cd234008@ohio.edu An audience packed into Baker University Center Theatre last night to watch Gays, Greeks and Grape Juice, a play about two distinct groups of friends. The performance was part of Pride Week, which is sponsored by the Ohio University LGBT Center and was funded by the Greek Programming Council. About 220 people attended Gays, Greeks and Grape Juice starring Joseph Klocke. The plot centered on how a group of greek friends and a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered friends worked together to write a play. In the process, the students not only realize how inaccurate stereotypes can be but also that what they share in common is what they had thought divided them. Dustin Page, a graduate student studying college student personnel, wrote and directed Gays, Greeks and Grape Juice. Page said that although previous programs have tried to connect Greek Life and the LGBT community, attendance had been low. "We're hoping to bridge the gap between the two groups by sharing what we have in common with them," he said. Chauncey Jackson, a senior studying political science and former Student Trustee, said he wanted to see the interactions between the two polarized groups. "Even though I'm non-greek, it's good to see them coming together for greater good. ... It's important for OU to be a safe place for all students," he said. Mickey Hart, director of the LGBT Center, said that problems arise when people rely on stereotypes when making judgments. "The lesson of the play is that we rely on stereotypes too broadly ... you really have to be critical of any form of stereotype," he said. "... Some people fit stereotypes, but not everyone does. ... It's important to draw on those stereotypes to point out how false they are." Rosalyn Robinson, a junior studying organizational communication, attended the play because of her involvement in Greek Life. "Fraternities are just seen as so masculine and sororities are seen as so feminine. It's a common misconception that gay people wouldn't belong. There's no perceived in-between and that's sad," she said. Page said the most important thing is the LGBT community has allies - people who support the LGBT cause - at Ohio University. "If greeks can be allies, anyone can," he said. http://thepost.ohiou.edu/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=31302&SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&S=1

Greeks Return to Franklin & Marshall

Return of the Greeks to Franklin & Marshall College

By Jack Stripling

When Franklin & Marshall College trustees decided nearly five years ago to once again recognize fraternities and sororities on campus, they did something seldom contemplated in higher education.

Rare is the case when a college takes the political hit that inevitably follows from renouncing a Greek system, only to later officially restore it. But in the years that have passed since fraternities and sororities were officially re-recognized at Franklin & Marshall, student members say they’ve learned to live with a few more rules, and administrators argue that regulated parties and abbreviated pledgeship programs have reduced risks and improved grades.

The decision to re-recognize fraternities and sororities wasn’t without debate, but Franklin & Marshall decided it was the lesser of two evils.

“While it would certainly be the case that many members of the faculty object in principle to single gender organizations, pragmatically they felt it was better to engage our students and try to reform them than to basically engage in a cold war with our students,” said Kent Trachte, dean of the college in Lancaster, Pa.

When Franklin & Marshall stopped recognizing its Greek letter organizations in 1988, administrators assumed the national chapters would pull the groups’ charters and thereby wipe them from the campus. It came as a surprise, therefore, that the charters stayed in place, leaving the college with a Greek system intact and no regulatory authority to control it.

Police enforcement at parties was sporadic, there was no consistently understood standard for appropriate property conditions, and students' grades suffered without limits on parties and pledgeship periods, Trachte said.

While other colleges have avoided having unregulated organizations by explicitly forbidding students from forming the groups on campus, Franklin & Marshall declined to do so and therefore retained the groups without adequate enforcement mechanisms.

When fraternities and sororities recruit new members during rush next month, it will mark the continuation of academic reforms that Trachte says have proven effective. To regularly participate in spring rush, Greek organizations have to continually demonstrate that they can keep new members’ grades at acceptable levels. If any new member class fails to post a collective grade point average of 2.7, the organization can’t recruit freshmen the following spring rush cycle. That may not sound like a high bar for a college with Franklin & Marshall’s selectivity, but it’s an improvement from the de-regulated days, Trachte said.

“Nobody would have made it in the semester preceding (re-recognition),” he said.

While Trachte did not provide average GPA levels for the organizations, he did say that about one of the 10 chapters fails to meet the 2.7 requirement each year.

The college has also mandated that the pledgeship period, which proved the most perilous period for students’ grades, be reduced from 14 weeks to six weeks. While not every fraternity follows that rule to the letter, it’s certainly abided by in spirit, according to Tim Felice, who served as president of the Interfraternity Council last year.

“There are ways we stretch around things, manipulate a little bit,” Felice conceded. “We’re not hitting exactly six weeks, but it’s not anywhere close to where it used to be.”

Additional reforms include limiting the number of parties the organizations can hold, and requiring licensed non-student bartenders to serve alcohol. There was even a period of several months last year, as faculty discussed the party reforms, that parties were banned altogether. While the changes weren't welcome by all, Felice said students have accepted them.

"We sat down and said we're not going to win this [debate over reforms]," he said. "We're better off trying to pick and choose our battles."

Gender Exclusivity Bothers Some

For the colleges that have eliminated fraternities and sororities, commonly cited concerns include the gender exclusivity of Greek organizations, as well as associated problems like hazing and alcohol abuse that contribute to declining academic performance.

Colby College disbanded its Greek system in 1984, and has no intention of restoring it, according to Jim Terhune, vice president of student affairs and dean of students there.

“I think there is some subset of alumni who was disaffected by the decision, and remains disaffected,” he said. “But there is absolutely no conversation whatsoever on campus or on the board about bringing them back. It’s a complete non-starter. It’s over.”

As a matter of stated policy, Colby forbids students from participating in or organizing Greek letter organizations on or off campus. Any student found violating the code faces a minimum one-year suspension or even expulsion. Terhune said he thinks there have been about three instances in the last couple of decades that led to suspensions.

“Simply put, single gender exclusive organizations are out of step with our values as an institution,” he said.

Franklin & Marshall students are now pushing for a co-ed fraternity on campus as well, hoping to give students more options.

Often citing the gender exclusivity of Greek letter groups, other colleges that have abolished them include Williams College, Amherst College, Middlebury College, Bowdoin College and Alfred University.

The pressures on colleges to re-institute fraternities and sororities can be substantial, according to Hank Nuwer, a professor of journalism at Franklin College and author of numerous books on hazing. Colleges have an interest in keeping alumni and donors happy, and removing groups that have such a following has potential financial consequences, he said.

“It takes a lot of endurance -- once you’ve made that decision -- to follow through on it,” he said.

But colleges that abolish Greek groups can face additional problems, including the emergence of underground fraternities and sororities, Nuwer said.

“Having sub rosa or unregulated fraternities, that I can tell you has been dangerous,” said Nuwer, author of Broken Pledges: The Deadly Rite of Hazing.

Civic Service Emphasized

For all of the complaints about Greek organizations, the groups often pride themselves on civic engagement. Franklin & Marshall’s chapter of Delta Sigma Phi, for instance, has turned its “Holly Jolly Christmas” philanthropy into a well known and respected community event. With one fraternity member dressed as Santa Claus, the brothers gather to distribute toys to homeless children, many of whom come from families with a history of abuse.

Other chapters have similar events, responding to a challenge from administrators to increase the service participation that had fallen by the wayside during the de-recognition years.

For all of its improvements, the system isn’t without its problems. Delta Sigma Phi, the same group whose Christmas philanthropy draws praise, was removed from its house because it didn’t meet the more rigorous building code standards set by the college. Another fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau, was also removed from its house in response to multiple city fire and health code violations. But Richard Gray, mayor of Lancaster, says complaints about the groups are similar to what one could expect any time 18- to 22-year-olds live near single family homes.

“There has been an occasional problem, but certainly not endemic,” he said.

“If you’re going to have [Greek organizations],” Gray added, “you’re better off recognizing them rather than ignoring them or neglecting them.”

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/12/22/frats

How's the Frat? - What to Tell Your Crazy Aunt

Happy Holidays, so how’s the frat?
by Matt Mattson
from our Friends at Phired Up Productions

Happy Holidays! Welcome home… Enjoy sitting around for your holiday meals with family members, and fully expect to get this question… “HOW’S THE FRAT?” (or the sorority equivalent). Quick, how do you respond?

Believe it or not, holiday dinners, parties, and get-togethers can be a great time to practice telling your fraternity/sorority story. The way you describe your fraternity/sorority to crazy Uncle Lenny is probably going to be a little different than your typical recruitment conversation, but try to use this opportunity to refine the story, to reinvigorate your excitement, and to explore ways to get other people emotionally connected to your organization.

For example, I’m going to imagine I’m back in my college days, I’m home for Christmas, and my Grandma Gooch (what a wonderful woman she is) has just asked me how “that fraternity thing” was going…

“Thanks for asking, Grandma. It’s a pretty important part of my life up at school. I think often about Grandpa and how he served in WWII, and how good of a man he was… When I’m older I want to look back on my life and know that I’ve become a man who is proud of his life… like Grandpa. I know it might sound strange, but that is something this fraternity is doing for me.

“Being a member challenges me everyday to seek Truth, pursue Wisdom, and be a charitable, honorable, patriotic, gentleman. I feel like this is the first time in my life when someone outside of our family has pushed me to be a great person. I certainly didn’t learn it in high school, and my statistics class isn’t teaching me that, you know what I mean, Grandma? I’ve got other guys around me that want me to be the best version of myself, like I’m sure Grandpa had in the Navy.

“It’s fun, it has given me opportunities to be a leader, and it keeps me busy and out of trouble, sure… but the fraternity is something that is really helping me become a better man. Thanks for asking about it Grandma.”

I challenge you to use the safety and comfortable surroundings of home and family during your holiday break to practice telling your fraternity/sorority story. If you’re reading this blog post, there is a good chance that fraternity/sorority has changed your life in a powerful way. Tell people that story. Practice telling it as often as you can. That story is what changes people’s minds about fraternity/sorority life.

Does Being Greek Matter?

Fraternal Relevancy that Matters (Part One)
via Fraternal Thoughts by John Shertzer
(from our Friends at The Apathy Myth)

The word “relevance” seems to be all the rage right now. I’m reading it and hearing it much more often, and I’ve spoken with many Greek Advisors who incorporate that term frequently into their discussions with undergraduates. Many Alumni programs seem to grapple with the idea of relevance as well. I have a few observations on that term and its use towards Greek-letter organizations.

When examining fraternal relevance we need to add the question, “relevant to what?” A thing cannot just be relevant on its own. It needs to be relevant to something else. Greek-letter organizations can ask if they are relevant to any of the following: host colleges/universities, individual members’ lives, and/or the growth of society as a whole. I think most people are considering colleges/universities when they speak of fraternal relevance. In other words, when asking about the relevance of college fraternities and sororities, they are questioning whether or not they are still pertinent to the host institution. That’s fine – but we shouldn’t use that as our only measure. If we determine that we are no longer relevant to host institutions, then is it over? No. We may still be VERY relevant to the lives of our individual members who will achieve great things because of their involvement. Greek-letter organizations may still be VERY relevant to the growth of our society – particularly American society and its need for leaders and organizers.

If tomorrow, all host institutions decided to cut their ties with Greek-letter organizations, would we go the way of the dodo? I doubt we would. Instead, we would adapt. For instance, we might transform into more community-oriented organizations, much like Kiwanis or Freemasons. We would find a way to carry on.

I’m not making the case that we ignore our relationship with our host institutions. In all possible ways, we need to nurture that relationship. We should be actively concerned with how we impact the academic success of our members. If we house students on a particular campus, we should ensure that we are creating safe and secure living environments. Overall, we should act as good partners to these institutions, because partners are what we are.

I understand the need to play nice with our “hosts.” I value the perspectives and call to action brought forth by the Franklin Square group. But, I fear that in philosophical and tangible ways, we are handing over our right to exist to institutions of higher education – most of which never really wanted us to exist in the first place.

In other words, the frenzy over trying to regain relevance to colleges and universities has to be tempered with the following question: Were we ever meant to be relevant? Were we ever really meant to compliment the mission of the campuses where our founders happened to meet up? I admit that I am not a “Bairds Manual” aficionado that can speak to fraternity history with precision. However, my understanding of the founding of our movement is that individuals were looking for something that wasn’t provided in their college experience. They wanted shared values, camaraderie, spirited debate, and fun. I doubt they took much time wondering how these new organizations fit into the missions of their college or university. My interpretation of our beginnings is that we were borne out of defiance to the host institutions, not in seamless companionship with them. So while we should care about that relationship now, should it really define our right to exist?

Focusing on our relevancy to higher education also puts us on the defensive. We are always stuck responding to someone else’s needs. This results in a one-way relationship, with colleges and universities holding all the cards. Simply by asking the question of whether or not we are relevant to our host institutions, we are positing the possibility that we are not. We are falsely expressing that we might not matter.

We do matter. We do make a difference - ask almost any person who has had a fraternal experience. We have a story to share, and lessons to teach. Our values are timeless, and every man or woman who passes through our organizations can be better off by having learned them. If we are to dissolve, it will not be because we stopped being relevant to a university or a college – it will be because we stopped being relevant to those who are yet to join.

Discussion Questions follow from the original article
http://apathymyth.blogspot.com/

AFA Article Researches the Economy and Impact on Greeks

Implications of the Declining Economy of Fraternities and Sororities
Noah Borton, Eastern Michigan University March 2009

It is nearly impossible to turn on a news program without learning new ways that the nation’s declining economy is negatively impacting life as we know it. Though more insulated than other sectors, higher education is by no means spared from the current recession. Institutions across the country are bracing for financial hardship in the form of declining investment returns for endowments, reduced state appropriations, and declining enrollment (Knecht, 2009; Wolverton, 2008). The existence of some smaller, private institutions is in question (Carlson, 2008).

This begs the questions: how will this recession impact fraternities and sororities? Does this threaten their viability and relevance in a higher education environment that is being shaped by new calls for accountability? These questions are nuanced and complex. As professionals grapple with this emerging environment, the following are points to consider regarding the potential economic impacts for international organization staff, campus professionals, and undergraduate fraternity and sorority chapters.

Challenging economic times require everyone to reevaluate luxury spending. This is true for college students as well. For some students, joining a fraternity or sorority is not a requirement for succeeding in college, but a luxury item that is secondary to other expenses related to their education. In addition, with the continued expansion of other student organizations and involvement opportunities on college campuses, fraternities and sororities must aggressively manage costs to remain competitive.

Inter/National Organization Staff
Disproportionately significant costs for most organizations, especially many men’s groups, are risk management and insurance premiums. Some of the nation’s largest insurance carriers have posted losses in 2008 due to the combination of paying out large claims and declines in their stock holdings. The last time we saw something of this nature was in the wake of the September 11th attacks when companies responded by raising insurance premiums to compensate for their losses in the market (Soule, 2008). It is likely this pattern will repeat in 2009, and insurance rates for inter/national organizations will continue to increase. As this cost is passed along to undergraduate members, it becomes decreasingly possible for middle and working class students to afford the luxury of fraternity and sorority membership. To address this, inter/national organizations must continue to aggressively reduce risk within the organization while identifying opportunities to address their insurance needs without passing the cost along to their undergraduates.

Campus Professionals
Most campuses are facing declining economic resources. While some institutions may be seeking new efficiencies and trimming programming, others will be making significant and strategic cuts. At a certain point, institutions will be faced with the difficult decisions to reduce or eliminate programs and departments that are viewed as peripheral to the educational mission of the institution. Therefore, campus professionals must be prepared to demonstrate that fraternity and sorority life augments the educational mission of the college or university. Impassioned invocations of leadership opportunities and community service events will be insufficient in this climate. Professionals must be equipped with empirical data that demonstrates the outcomes of a fraternal experience. These outcomes must then be explicitly linked to the resources allocated by the institution in support of these organizations.

To support a credible argument for the relevance of institutional support for fraternity and sorority life, the data gathering process must commence long before an argument is necessary. Several instruments such as the AFA/EBI Fraternity/Sorority Assessment and the Fraternity/Sorority Experience Survey (FSES) from the Center for the Study of the College Fraternity can provide quantitative data on the fraternal experience. It is also possible to use existing institutional data sets from instruments such as the National Study of Student Engagement (NSSE), National College Health Assessment (NCHA) or University Learning Outcomes Assessment (UniLOA). Also consider examining other forms of data including academic performance, student retention, and alcohol consumption rates. If positive trends can be demonstrated in these areas, then focus groups can be an effective tool to develop qualitative data that provides insight on these trends.

Undergraduate Chapters
The fraternity/sorority experience is often built around the traditional undergraduate, residential experience. As more and more students face economic challenges, they will increasingly have a less traditional experience. This includes working additional hours at an off-campus job and commuting from home. It is also likely that students will seek alternative modes of course delivery such as enrolling in more night, weekend, and online classes (Kolowich, 2009). The traditional recruitment tip of “talk to people who sit next to you in class” takes on new meaning when students are sitting next to a 42-year-old mother of three in their Saturday business management class or while working on an online course from their bedroom.

Initially, encourage chapters to evaluate their policies and practices to determine the extent to which they needlessly exclude a significant portion of the student population from their chapters. One policy that creates barriers is the requirement that members live in a chapter facility; living at home may render this impossible. Individuals may also have difficulty with the timing of meetings and events. For example, if students commute to campus Mondays and Wednesdays, Sunday chapter meetings might not be feasible for them in the face of a 45-minute commute. Mandatory events could also create potential barriers. Are students missing events because they do not care about the organization, or do they need to skip a sisterhood activity because it compromises their ability to drive home at 11 p.m. and still make it to work the next day by 8 a.m.? By maintaining these policies, fraternities and sororities may exclude individuals who could be phenomenal members, but not through the traditional paradigm of chapter membership.

Fraternities and sororities have survived previous periods of significant economic hardship and challenge. However, doing so required a willingness to redefine the traditional model of the fraternal experience. To effectively do this, individuals must be willing to acknowledge that there may be alternative means for accomplishing the mission of fraternities and sororities while still maintaining economic viability and providing access to the contemporary student population.

References
Carlson, S. (2008, August 1). Bad economy could harm smaller colleges. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i47

Knect, R. (2009, January, 9). Colleges must face reality and recognize opportunity in the economic downturn. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i18

Kolowich, S. (2009, January 16). Recession may drive more adult students to take online classes. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i19

Soule, A. (2008, November 10). Premium red ink. Fairfield County Business Journal. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.fcbizj.biz

Wolverton, B. (2008, March 28). How might a recession impact higher education? The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i29

GW Greek Expansion Much Like Many Campuses Nation-wide

Greek membership on the rise
By: Julie BaileyHatchet Reporter

Greek-letter life at GW is not just expanding; it's exploding.

Participation in Greek-letter organizations on campus has increased nearly 70 percent over the past five years, from 12.5 percent of the undergraduate population in 2003 to 21.2 percent this fall.

Both administrators and students attribute the growth to a positive feedback cycle, in which more and more people join fraternities and sororities because they know students who have had a good experience with Greek-letter life.

"The more people who are involved and have a good experience with Greek life the more it becomes contagious," said Dean Harwood, director of Greek Life.

Harwood said he sees the growth as a response to the changing nature of University students. The student population is now more interested in the benefits of Greek-letter life than students 10 years ago, he said.

"If it's popular, it generates enthusiasm," said Robert Chernak, senior vice president for Student and Academic Support Services.

Senior Amanda Gancayco, vice president of marketing and public relations for the Panhellenic Association, attributed the expansion to a blurring of lines between Greek-letter life and the GW community.

"People on campus are seeing how active Greek members are in not only the Greek community, but the entire GW community as well," she said. "I think the University's Greek Life staff and the students in Greek life have worked together to help facilitate the growth of our community."

The increase in growth can also be partly attributed to the 2003 addition of Townhouse Row on 23rd Street, Harwood said. Soon after its construction, the Inter-Fraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association began adding new chapters.

The Sigma Chi fraternity and Pi Beta Phi sorority came to GW in 2006, followed by Zeta Beta Phi fraternity the following year and Kappa Alpha Order fraternity last January. This fall, chapters of the Chi Omega sorority and the Delta Tau Delta fraternity were added to the list of Greek-letter organizations on campus.

As of this fall, about 21 percent of undergraduate men and 22 percent of undergraduate women are participants in Greek-letter life. After the organizations recruit new members from spring recruitment, these numbers are expected to increase again.

Plans for expansion in the near future include the possible addition of a new multicultural fraternity or sorority.

Chernak said GW would be receptive to further expansion "as long as there's demand."
"We've never imposed our institutional will on the Greek community," he said. "We're really just receivers of recommendations."

One of the main problems facing this expansion is the limitation of space on campus for new organizations.

Townhouse Row and chapter houses provide a majority of housing for members, but as more chapters are added the University will be faced with the difficulty of finding more space for them, Harwood said.

To combat the expanding housing needs of Greek-letter life, the University assigned all of International House for their use. Last year, only three floors were devoted to Greek-letter members, but now fraternity and sorority members live on all nine floors.

Harwood said the popularity of chapters has little to do with the choice to place them in housing.
He said, "The chapters that continually live up to their values and standards are given housing."

U of Washington Creates New Greek Office

Greek community to have new UW-endorsed office
By Sara Bruestle June 4, 2008

A new UW office could officially link the University and the University’s independent Greek community. Members of the UW administration and the Greek community are working to form a new University-endorsed office by blending several existing Greek offices together.

Currently, the Office of Greek Relations works collaboratively with the Greek community to advocate fraternity and sorority programs, and the InterFraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Association have their own advising offices working independently of the UW.
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life would merge all of these offices. Funding for the office will be pooled from both the UW and Greek community resources.

“The entire community is excited because this is really the first time in over 20 years that the Greek community is being affiliated with the UW instead of a student organization,” said Cartter Berg, IFC president. “It shows that the University has a great interest in undergraduate involvement and undergraduate experience at UW.”

Panhellenic President Dolly Nguyen said the new Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will foster stronger programming and communication between the University and the Greek community.
“Communication has always been a struggle between the University and Greek life, because Greek life is extremely self-governed,” she said. “The new office will ... allow us to expand our programming and expand our ability to reach out to new students. And then on the University side, I think that will allow them to reach out to the Greek life.”

Berg said there’s some apprehension in the Greek community about having a University-endorsed office. “People are being wary of UW involvement because it hasn’t happened in a long time,” Berg said. “They’re afraid of greater control over the community. But we’re taking precautions to stay an independent and self-governing body.”

The new office will provide the Greek community with additional professional networking resources and support, said Lincoln Johnson, assistant vice provost for student life and overseer of Greek relations.

“I think, professionally, for the people that are going to be in that role, it will certainly serve them well to be connected to the University, because they’ll be able to connect more strongly and more directly with the staff in the Student Activities Office and the other resources on campus all the way from the Regional Affairs to the Carlson Center,” he said.

A selection committee made up of several organizations within the Greek community is interviewing candidates for a new director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life position and will make a recommendation to Johnson and Eric Godfrey, the vice provost for student life.
Johnson estimates the new office will have a director by this summer.

“In this position, [the director] will be able to create a greater respect and support for the fraternities and sororities at the UW and work to be on par with the sororities and fraternities around the nation,” Berg said. “Our goal is for our fraternities and sororities to be the best nationally in their organizations.”

Nguyen said that, overall, both the UW administration and the Greek community are enthusiastic about the new office.

“It’s a journey that we’re just thrilled to take,” she said. “We just need to get that director in place, and then from there see where we go, and start to identify what kind of direction the University and the Greek community [are] going to take together.”

Sigma Pi's Run for Great Cause

UCLA frat members run to raise money for the Rape Treatment Center
By Eli Smukler, Daily Bruin

Athletes from across the world will be weaving down the streets of Los Angeles on Mar. 2, covering neighborhoods from Hollywood to Crenshaw in the 23rd annual L.A. Marathon.

In the middle of an estimated 25,000 runners and over one million spectators will be a handful of dedicated Bruins, many of whom have had little experience in long-distance running.

This year's philanthropy event for the University of California at Los Angeles Sigma Pi fraternity will be to train and run in the 26.2 mile race. They are gathering monetary pledges from around the community to donate to the Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center.

Last year, competing in the same event, the fraternity managed to raise over $7,000 with 13 brothers finishing the grueling crosstown race.This year Sigma Pi is hoping to build on their previous success by opening up participation to people outside the fraternity as well.

"Both Greek and non-Greek, guys and girls, we're trying to get a real broad group of people doing it with us this year," sophomore Michael Spiker said.

Spiker, the house philanthropy chair, has organized a weekly training run where runners get together and run a predetermined distance, progressively longer as the weeks go by.

But by no means is this enough to get in shape for such an intense race. Runners are encouraged to do plenty of their own training during the week. Spiker said he runs three times a week.

"(There are) different trails around campus," Spiker said. "We run the perimeter around the school and down by the beach at Santa Monica. It's a little harder around UCLA because there (are) busier streets, but we do find places to run."

Of the 15 to 20 UCLA students planning to run in the marathon, few have ever had to prepare for a race anywhere near this long.

Junior Matt Sandler has been training with the group since early December. Like most of the runners, Sandler has plenty of athletic experience, playing both high school basketball and lacrosse, but has never done anything like this before.

"A lot of us haven't run (even) 12 miles in our lives," Sandler said. "I'm running a new personal high every week. Each time, I realize I just accomplished another goal for myself."

With the completion of such a strict regimen, the group will look to show up on race day with confidence.

However, Sandler knows their inexperience will be difficult to downplay."As much as you can prepare for running a marathon, I don't think anything is going to actually match the intensity of the day," Sandler said.

The Sigma Pi organized running team is only halfway to accomplishing their training goal. After starting out with a six mile run the first week, they hope to finish an 18-mile set a week before the race.

So far training has gone well and the runners are confident."We all have so many other things we could be doing," Sandler said. "It's the other guys around you that motivate you to keep going and getting better and better each week."

(C) 2008 Daily Bruin

San Diego State SigEps tops in GPA

The SigEp chapter at San Diego State had the top GPA on Campus this year.

Academically, the chapters with the highest grade point averages were Sigma Phi Epsilon, Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Pi Sigma and Kappa Alpha Psi.

Psychology junior D.J. Sheehan of Sigma Phi Epsilon said it was a great accomplishment for their house and showed what it house stands for.

"We adhere to the codes of conduct of our house and every year we raise the standard for ourselves and everyone else on campus," Sheehan said.

Individuals in the Greek community were honored for their cumulative GPA. Jonathan Tucker of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Lauren Stevenson of Gamma Phi Beta, Deneice Chideme of Sigma Lambda Gamma and LaKeisha Nacoste of Zeta Phi Beta held the highest grades this semester.

GREEK BEAT: Greeks awarded at Unity Night - City

Big Man on Campus pageant at UMKC raises $3,000 for charity

OK, I confess I must be approaching 'geezerhood.' I do not see the attraction here, just the absurdity. But if it raises a bunch of money for a good cause, I guess it must have some redeeming value.

Looking straight out of “Miami Vice” (except for that black shirt), Shawn Hartman walks away with the BMOC title Friday night at UMKC. He was sponsored by Sigma Phi Epsilon. His talent: a “demonstration of anatomy” — striking bodybuilding poses to the song “I Touch Myself.” His hobbies: golf and checking the stock market.

Next time you’re in a beauty pageant, just follow the lead of the 11 contestants in UMKC’s BMOC pageant.

To be the BMOC — that’s Big Man on Campus — you have to strut your stuff in beach wear (like breakaway shorts) and formalwear. And, like Miss America, you have to display a talent.

But creativity counts. So your talent might be playing the video game “Guitar Hero” against someone in the audience. Doing a Christian rap while wearing a tutu. Striking bodybuilder poses to the Divinyls’ “I Touch Myself.” Or grinding on a girl (think lap dance) while singing over Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.”

These dudes were creative in the interview segment, too. Zach Tebow (rep-ing Lambda Chi Alpha), asked to name his favorite holiday, chose his birthday: “People give me stuff, and I don’t have to give anything back. Fantastic.”

And Jesus Butler (sponsored by, appropriately, Campus Crusade for Christ) declared Jessica Alba to be his Hollywood crush, “because she’s a great actress, and I respect her talents immensely.” Uh-huh.

The pageant Friday night was Delta Zeta sorority’s 15th annual BMOC show, which raised about $3,000 for the speech and hearing clinic at Children’s Mercy Hospital and the Painted Turtle, a camp for sick kids. Points from the pageant and from pre-show fundraising determined the winner.

Bodybuilding poses? Extolling the "talents" (both of them) of Jessica Alba? Guitar Hero? - - - This is entertainment? Oy.

www.kansascity.com | 11/05/2007 | Big Man on Campus pageant at UMKC raises $3,000 for charity

Homecoming news from here and there

This time of year there is so much activity around homecoming that we have trouble keeping up. Here is a selection of Homecoming and other fall activity news items...

The time was right for the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and and the women of Phi Mu Fraternity, who won first place in the house dec competition with their creation, “The Time is Right for an Orange State of Mind.”

The O’Collegian » Hours of pomping culminate at Walkaround

Other winners in the Sweepstakes contest were the Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha and Sigma Phi Epsilon pairing in the poster decoration contest, SAE in the men's Trike quals and Alpha Chi Omega in the women's Trike quals.

PIKE, Gamma Phi Beta named Homecoming winners - Campus

Sigma Phi Epsilon demonstrates the productivity and effectiveness, as well as a complete reversal of stereotypes with their Balanced Man Program. The fraternity does not believe in pledging, but rather a different strategy.

Greek Life at QU - Features

In the men's race, PIKE was first with a time of 41 minutes and 37 seconds, Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) was second, Alpha Tau Omega was third with three laps behind the leader, Sigma Phi Epsilon/Kappa Alpha Order was fourth with four laps behind the leader, Sigma Chi was fifth, Phi Kappa Phi was sixth both with five laps behind the leader and Phi Delta Theta was seventh with six laps behind the leader.

Weekend brings Homecoming celebrations - Campus

"Fright Fest is a great way to start off the weekend, to celebrate the end of midterms and to kick off Halloween celebrations," said Felicia Barrett, the Dawgs After Dark coordinator and a senior from Valdosta.

Sigma Phi Epsilon also will build a sneak preview of its haunted house in Tate for the festivities.

Get spooked, party safely with after dark festivities - Variety

Its tenets have been cited as justification for the comical (but ultimately nauseating) state of undergraduate judicial policy, the policies surrounding whom Student Affairs can hire, the programs and services provided by Student Affairs and much more. In a more gratuitous example of its application, Residence Life and Housing Services told Sigma Phi Epsilon to rename their "Dorm Wars" competition "Hall Brawl," because the word "Dorm" wasn't considered sufficiently welcoming.

The duh... and the what!?! - Columns

SMU - Alcohol violations stacking up at historic rates

Welcome to a new fall semester. A time of Football, turning leaves, and drunk students. Seems like everybody is doing it. Almost.

Six SMU students were rushed to the hospital for drug and alcohol-related overdoses one week into the fall term. That number, which was provided by a university student affairs official, is the highest in SMU history and accounts for more than half of the eleven hospitalizations to date.

Paralleling the rise in hospitalizations, the number of student citations in relation to previous years have drastically increased. Since classes began on Aug. 23, drug and alcohol-related citations have been issued by SMU police nearly four times as many as the 68 that were written in the same time period last year.

Citations at Greek houses, which have occurred in the past, are part of this rise. Twenty incidents have resulted in 88 individual citations according to SMU police records. At this point in 2006, only 33 individual citations had been issued at Greek houses.

The highest single incident so far this year involved 14 students being cited for underage drinking on Aug. 30 at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house.

Sigma Chi has the highest total number of individual citations with 26 from four different incidents. SAE and Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) each have 21 individual citations. Pi Kappa Alpha has nine individual citations from six different incidents, Kappa Sigma has six individual citations from one incident and Kappa Alpha has five individual citations from two incidents.

Phi Delta Theta, Lambda Chi Alpha and Sigma Phi Epsilon have no citations or incidents that originated from their houses.

Good for us. Either they are really toeing the line, or they are too clever to get caught.

Alcohol violations stacking up at historic rates - News

Court Rejects AEPi Argument for Recognition

2nd Circuit Rejects All-Male Fraternity's Bid for Official Recognition
Mark Hamblett
New York Law Journal

The College of Staten Island can enforce its nondiscrimination policy by barring from campus facilities a fraternity that does not admit women but holds events at mixed-gender venues such as strip clubs.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court for applying the wrong standard and said the fraternity's "interests in intimate association are relatively weak" while the City University of New York college's policy "serves several important state interests."

The panel in Chi Iota Colony of Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity v. City University of New York, 06-4111-cv., vacated an injunction blocking the college from enforcing the policy in June. Thursday, 2nd Circuit Judges Pierre Leval and Guido Calabresi, and Judge John Gibson of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting by designation, explained their reasoning in a 23-page opinion.

Chi Iota is a 19-member Jewish fraternity that sued the City University of New York, the college and several officials for not granting it official recognition.

Recognition gives student organizations, among other advantages, access to college facilities, use of campus bulletin boards and the chance to apply for special funding through the college's student government.

Chi Iota, whose membership consists mostly of nonpracticing Jews but also has several current members who are not Jewish, is devoted to "the inculcation of the traditional values of men's college social fraternities ... community service, and the expression of Jewish culture."

Its president in court papers defended the "selective, single-sex, all-male nature of the Fraternity" as essential to "achieving and maintaining the congeniality, cohesion and stability that enable it to function as a surrogate family and to meet [the] social, emotional and cultural needs of its members."

The fraternity also has activities that include nonmembers, including women, and a "rush" week every February in which it has planned events that include laser tag, a visit to a strip club and a karaoke party.

Eastern District of New York Judge Dora Irizarry granted the fraternity's motion for a preliminary injunction, finding it was substantially likely that Chi Iota qualified as a "intimate association" and forcing it to admit women would burden its associational rights.

Assuming such a burden, Irizarry concluded, the college's intrusion should be subject to the exacting "strict scrutiny" First Amendment standard of review.
That was the wrong standard, Leval said for the circuit.

LIMITED INTERFERENCE
As expressed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Roberts v. U.S. Jaycees, 468 U.S. 609 (1984), courts considering whether a government rule infringes on the freedom of association engage in a balancing test, considering "the strength of the associational interest," the "degree to which the rule interferes with those interests," the "public interests or policies served by the rule" and "the tailoring of the rule to effectuate those interests or policies."

"Rather than balancing (the college's) interests in its nondiscrimination policy against the Fraternity's interests in opposing the policy, the district court adopted a categorical approach: Either the policy affected a constitutionally protected liberty or it did not," Leval said. He added later, "In other words, the district court made no distinction between association claims that are strongly protected by the First Amendment and those that are weakly protected; as long as some First Amendment interest was implicated in the policy, the policy would be subjected to the rigors of strict scrutiny."

Instead, Leval said, "Associational claims populate all ground from the heart of the First Amendment to its periphery, resisting facile attempts to divide them neatly into two piles."

Chi Iota is small but hopes to grow to 50 pledges per semester, so its "size limitation is a product of circumstances, not a desire to maintain intimacy," he said, and "the degree of selectivity" the fraternity employs in choosing new members "compares unfavorably with that employed in creating the strongest of associational interests, as in the cases of marriage or adoption."

The purpose of the group is "generally inclusive" and tries to promote "broad, public-minded goals that do not depend for their promotion on close-knit bonds," he said, and while the fraternity also seeks to "foster personal, intimate relationships," the "same can be said of nearly any student group in which members become close friends."

And while some of the groups activities take place only among members, "it also involves nonmembers in several crucial aspects of its existence," he said.

It was important to the court that the college's nondiscrimination policy only interfered with the associational rights of Chi Iota in a "limited" way.

For example, "The fraternity has not shown that the unavailability of school facilities makes it impossible, or even difficult, to find suitable places for meetings."

The college's interests in enforcing the policy was substantial, the court concluded, and the means it chose to pursue its goals were "well tailored to effectuate those interests."

The court then vacated the preliminary injunction and remanded the case for further proceedings.

Gregory Hauser of Wuersch & Gering represented the fraternity. While disappointed in the result, Hauser said Thursday that the "good news" was that the court affirmed the fraternity is an intimate association. It did not, however, grant the fraternity the level of constitutional protection his clients sought, he said.

Hauser added that he expected the fraternity "will still pursue its claim for protection of its right to expressive association" on remand "as well as consider other options such as applying for certiorari from the U.S. Supreme Court."

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo issued a statement saying, "We are pleased that the court has recognized the school's right to deny funds and official recognition to a student organization which discriminates against women. This opinion rightly enables the College of Staten Island to pursue their commitment to creating a community devoid of prejudice."

Solicitor General Barbara Underwood, Assistant Solicitor General Gregory Silbert and Deputy Solicitor General Michelle Aronowitz represented the state.

2nd Circuit Rejects All-Male Fraternity's Bid for Official Recognition

Montana's Greek System Undergoes Changes

UM's Greek system sees renewal
By BETSY COHEN
Missoulian
MISSOULA - The 21st century has not been kind to the University of Montana's 103-year-old Greek system.In the past seven years, two fraternity houses have not only closed their doors because of membership woes, they've been bulldozed into oblivion.

Until recently, many of the remaining Greek houses have been nearly empty and increasingly in need of remodeling or at least significant repairs. Greek life at UM appeared to be on the brink extinction.

While no one can point to any one reason for the decline, those close to UM's Greek houses acknowledge the brotherhoods and sisterhoods lost their way from their chapters' founding purposes: to build leaders, to achieve academic excellence, to create community, to give back to their college and chapter, to serve the greater good.

In the absence of tangible proof of those ideals and with increasing problems of underage drinking, fights and run-ins with local police, stereotypes emerged.

Now UM's four sororities and five fraternities are working to shed the party-ghost of decades past and embrace more noble ideals, said Emily Yaksitch, the university's Greek life adviser.As Greek adviser for the past 2 1/2 years, she's outlasted two of her predecessors by at least one year, and has watched her mentoring and the hard work of students slowly begin to pay off.

"We are definitely in a revamping stage, and revamping our image of the past decade or more by getting to the roots of why our chapters were founded," Yaksitch said. "These organizations have long, distinguished traditions, and I think the current members recognize the honor of continuing that legacy.

"On Tuesday, the ages-old tradition of bringing new members into the fraternity system will begin. What used to be called Rush Week is now being called Recruitment Week.

The name change signifies a philosophical shift within UM's Greek community. At Sigma Phi Epsilon that transition is under way, said Derek Duncan, a member and vice president of communications for the fraternity.

The change was more than a nice idea; it was a matter of survival.

"About two years ago, we ran into challenges - the people in the house weren't very mature and were not a good fit with the organization," he said. "The house was in disarray, the leadership not great, and our national leadership said something had to happen, things had to change. It was a real wake-up call for the house.

"Given clear marching orders, about half of the fraternity's membership left, leaving about a dozen people to rebuild.

In 2006, the house recruited 16 members and was beginning to bounce back when two other warnings came from national leaders: Bring up your chapter's grade point average and get 25 people to live in the fraternity's 12,000-square-foot house to help pay the bills, or the doors will be shut for good.

Sigma Phi Epsilon's rebirth began in earnest, and fundamental changes in how they did business began to take place, Duncan said.

The house no longer takes pledges. When someone wants to join, they are a member immediately without a testing period. Traditions and core values of the chapter are passed on in stages, and in a new program called The Balanced Man. Each member commits to a physical fitness and wellness program, and participates in extracurricular education beyond the classroom, such as learning about art.

Each house member is required to post his personal and academic goals on his door for all to see and read.Becoming a member of the Greek system is not about joining a private club that defines who you are or what you are, said Colin Boyle, president of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

"It's a catalyst. It's a platform to help people become more engaged with campus and the community."As proof, Boyle said most of UM's fraternity and sorority members are far more than the Greek letters they are affiliated with, they are also UM Advocates, Grizzly athletes, peer advisers, members of UM's student government, and students who take an active leadership role in their field of study.

Last year, UM's Greeks donated more than $15,000 to nonprofit organizations, most of which are based in Missoula.Yaksitch said UM's Greek life is on track for success. Membership has stabilized, many houses have invested in their properties and made renovations, all have committed to alcohol-free recruitment week activities, and each house has dedicated itself to promoting its core values in a new flexible system.

"I really do think today's students are much more natural leaders and understand their actions impact others," Yaksitch said. "Their motto this year is to recruit somebody better than yourself."I like that, it tells me they are accepting responsibility and that's the difference from my perspective from nearly three years ago to now."

UM's Greek system sees renewal

More about Purdue - SigEp focus

...and it isn't in a good way. This editorial relates past excesses and the slow progress.

Greeks' new reputation will take time

Purdue University's Greek organizations are taking some important steps toward improving their reputations.

And none too soon. In 2006, a Sigma Phi Epsilon pledge ended up in the emergency room, his blood alcohol level a dangerous 0.49 percent -- more than six times the legal driving limit. The pledge recovered, but university officials rightly suspended Sigma Phi.
[...]
Between 2001 and 2006, Purdue officials disciplined 34 student organizations, many for hazing violations, defined as any act that requires an act that "creates a substantial risk of physical harm ... or seriously demeans or degrades any person or interferes with any person's scholastic activities."

In 2006, university officials suspended Delta Chi fraternity, an action that stemmed from an investigation into alleged hazing.

Of the 10 university sanctions of Greek organizations in 2005, half were due at least in part to hazing. But alcohol and drug violations are often related as well.

In 2002, Purdue officials disciplined Sigma Nu fraternity's Beta Zeta chapter after an incident involving theft and underage drinking. In 2005, Purdue doled out a five-year suspension to Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity after three of its members were arrested on drug charges. The university withdrew its recognition of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity due to alcohol and drug violations. Two of three sorority sanctions levied from 2001 through 2006 were alcohol-related.

Purdue's Greek organizations are attempting to change long-held, often negative, perceptions about Greek life. Change is difficult. But the need for these changes cannot be ignored.

Journal and Courier Online - Editorial

Here is link to a related post.

Pomona ready for cleanup

SigEps at Cal Poly - Pomona have organized other Greeks to pitch in for a citywide cleanup day this saturday.

Among the participants will be a contingent of Cal Poly Pomona students who are participating in the cleanup as part of a Greek Week project.

Greek Week offers campus fraternities and sororities a chance to take part in philanthropic activities while also taking part in friendly competition.

Seena Mojahedi, 21, a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at Cal Poly Pomona, initially got involved to fulfill a community service project for his fraternity, but as he became more involved it all took greater meaning.

At first "I was trying to just get by," he said. "Then I saw this is something that does need attention."

Mojahedi said he took the idea to the rest of the fraternities and sororities on campus, and many of them are expected to take part in the cleanup.

Mojahedi will be working Saturday with various groups to do some work along Indian Hill Boulevard.

It's not just the students either. The Cleanup will involve over 2000 citizens in a city beautification project.

DailyBulletin.com - Pomona ready for cleanup

CSU Greeks Keep Houses Dry

Colorado State U. greeks avoid alcohol discussion
By J. David McSwane
Wary of the continued controversy and bad publicity that looms over Colorado State University greek life, fraternities and sororities dodged a discussion Monday that targeted allowing booze in some greek houses.

The Inter-fraternity Council, the governing body for greeks, killed a "wet campus Q-and-A" Monday. And they say the booze debate is dead, at least for now.

"I think this was at the very end of it," said Jarred Quintana, IFC president. "The administration is trying to instill some values ... they're trying to encourage responsible use."

Alcohol has been a much-debated topic at CSU since the alcohol-poisoning death of sophomore Samantha Spady in the now-defunct Sigma Pi fraternity house.

Avoiding the debate, Quintana said, was the result of feedback from the greek community and a closed-door meeting of greek presidents, not a vote by the IFC representatives.

"The Greek community just came together and said, 'This isn't where we want to be,'" Quintana said. "We definitely had a great conversation about it -- being a dry campus is beneficial to us."

But the discussion spawned from some fraternity representatives who said last month that discussing greek house alcohol policies is important.
"We just wanted to get a discussion going," said Eric Rettinger, IFC representative and member of Delta Tau Delta. "I'm not the only one."

But over the course of a week, Rettinger -- the lead proponent of the discussion -- said allowing booze back in houses wasn't a good idea for now."We decided it was a bad idea and wouldn't work for our system," he said. "I don't want to be portrayed as someone who is de-valuing the Greek system. There's no story. It wasn't even brought up in the IFC [Monday]."

Sonja Jensen, coordinator of the CSU Greek Life office, said the conversation will continue, but the policy will not change."Whenever there's a formalized discussion, they come to the same conclusion: it's not worth bringing alcohol back into our houses," Jensen said. "They recognize that it's still important for them to maintain dry housing."

The proposed booze discussion was sidestepped the very same day Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the fraternity that was shut down last year for alcohol violations, tried without success to be recognized by CSU.

"Considering the past, I would say 'no' (to alcohol in greek houses)," said Todd Bloch, a junior construction management major. "We made national news, which set a precedent that it's not a good idea."

But there's plenty of disagreement among students."If everyone in that house is of age, there shouldn't be anything that forbids them from doing it," said Michael DeAngelo, a junior physics major.

Still, the issue of alcohol in fraternities and sororities haunts CSU. The solution for now: prohibition in greek houses."I feel like as of right now, I don't know what to expect in the future," said Dan Parberry, the IFC representative for Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.