Greeks work toward new image
Greek life has upped the ante on recruitment efforts and public displays of service during the first few weeks of this semester, particularly during “rush week.”
Despite this effort, 100 students who completed a survey about their knowledge and opinion of Greek life had largely negative opinions about the organizations that are designed to build character, friendship and leadership.
“(The values) have always been there. I just think it’s now being more recognized by the general public,” said Gary Hawkins, a member of Delta Sigma Phi.
He said the Greek system makes efforts to serve and help others on both a local and large scale.
According to the survey, students believe Greeks are notorious pleasure-seeking and riotous, a stereotype Greeks don’t necessarily think accurately describes them.
“We are very community- oriented. We work a lot with raising money for different organizations in the community, like child abuse. Sigma Chi put on a dance-a-thon Sept. 25 for cancer research. The sororities and communities each have different organizations that they support,” he said.
Hawkins said each Greek organization has a motto with associated goals to achieve its standards.
“It’s all about personal development with each member. I value the criteria we stand by,” said USU alumna and Alpha Chi Omega Ashley Fraughton.
Despite the code Greeks strive to live by, a staggering 64 percent of those surveyed said they knew little to nothing about Greek life, or that what they did know involved “alchohol,” “drinking” or “partying.”
Also, 59 percent said those words are what first came into their minds when they think about the fraternities and sororities, and only 23 percent said they had previously considered “becoming Greek” themselves, though 50 percent had been invited.
“There are a lot of social advantages to Greek life. It’s like a family away from home,” Froughton said.
She said, however, that some recruitment and philanthropic efforts have increased this semester. Much of that can be attributed to the death of Sigma Nu pledge Michael Starks in November 2008, due to alcohol poisoning. Forty-one percent of those surveyed said apart from drinking or partying, Starks was their knee-jerk association with Greek life.
“Obviously a lot of people know about the Mike Starks incident,” Froughton said.
“That changed things. It brought us together and made us realize we needed to really define what we are all about,” Fraughton said.
She said she thinks if Greeks decide to drink, they have their brothers to look after them.
“But it’s not endorsed by the house. It’s all a personal decision,” she said.
Froughton referred to a system in many fraternities where each younger member is assigned a mentor, or “older brother” to watch and protect them. There is a similar sisterhood within sororities.
“I think the (increase in service hours) has (relation to Starks) and probably motivated us a lot,” she said, adding that at the time, individual houses set up “exchanges,” or activities amongst each other, and personal visits, to cope with the tragedy.
Other Greeks, including new Alpha Chi member Jessica Lewis, said the recent intensity of Greek recruitment and events has other plans as well. Lewis said that they had a great opportunity to show their support against violence during Rush Week.
“We want to be known on campus for service. We really want to show the campus what Greek life is about. It’s all about service to the community,” said senior and Kappa Delta member Corinna Gross. “We really want to brag about those things. We want to be noticed by the campus, by the community, and by various organizations nationwide.”
Of those surveyed, 73 percent said they had been invited to participate in a social activity through the Greek system, but only 16 percent of the same students said they had been invited to participate in community service. Forty-one percent accept the social invitation, while only five percent took an offer to partake in service activities.
“I think the main reason for the reputation is the media. You’ve got ‘Animal House’ and other media since the 1970s,” said graduate student Cory Larsen, of Sigma Phi Epsilon. “I mean, this is a social environment and so we do have our share of fun, but the idea is to balance it out.”
Larsen said in his own chapter of SigEp, only “three or four” of more than two dozen members take part in social drinking.
“As far as philanthropy goes, it’s just a part of the system. I don’t think it’s to reverse a certain stereotype,” he said.
“I think Greeks naturally are very outgoing people. A lot of people who want to be Greek are those who want to be exposed, and they want to be involved and be where the people are. I don’t think everybody is like that,” said SigEp junior Travis Chambers.
He said that character lends itself to enthusiasm and an openness to different lifestyles.
“Sometimes when there’s not values taught or certain values or laws, taught, then that can lead to partying, because they don’t have as many barriers as most people do,” Chambers said.
Chambers said despite that sort of personality, the members of the chapter still maintain their own standards.
“It’s an individual decision. We still party it up, but in a different way. We’re still very outgoing, but that doesn’t have to involve drinking a lot,” he said.
“Sometimes some of the LDS community will be very introverted and not very involved in the public, but very strong in the faith, or, they are really involved in school and sports, and struggle in the faith. But I feel like the guys here (at SigEp) are very involved, but maintain their standards.”
The student survey was split between men and women. Six percent of those questioned were seniors, 14 percent were juniors, 41 percent were sophomores, and 39 percent were freshmen.
– rhett.wilkinson@aggiemail.usu.edu