Fraternity

A common myth is that hazing is a “reality” in Frats and sororities. We've all seen it in movies and we've all heard stories from our friends. Hazing can be defined as people or individuals who are forced to do something that is psychologically, physically, or emotionally harmful or damaging (Merriam Webster). Greek organizations all over the world have taken steps in developing human rights policies and strict “anti-hazing” policies to get rid of hazing in all forms from all campuses and fraternities. In the 1980s the movie “Animal House”, became a hit. The movie’s “mocking” of the wild side of fraternity life: binge drinking, hazing, sexual harassment, wild parties, drug use, and poor living conditions, became the American public’s view of Greek life. Many television movies and shows depict the ‘crazy side,’ of Greek life and choose to show its negative side. In doing so, many movies and shows do forget to showcase the beneficial side of joining a Sorority or fraternity and show its positive

In today’s society, going to college has become the norm. Freshly graduated students escape high school to become a freshman again. By August students start filing into packed cars to leave for college and try to find their place in this world. Out of the millions of students that attend each year, a percentage of them will rush a fraternity or sorority for the chance of sister or brotherhood. To some it is a sign of superior status, and others it not the right fit. Greek life is known from everything to volunteering for the community to the wild parties that somehow do not get busted by the cops every weekend. In the nation, Kimberly Brandy on Marie Claire states there are 5,975 fraternities governed by the North American Interfraternity Conference and 3,127 sororities governed by the National Panhellenic Conference. At Kansas State alone, about one in five students are a part of the greek community. K-State is also known for its diversity. We take pride in this fact here at Kansas State, but as a whole, the nation is having troubles combining these prides. It is in the combination of

Greek life, made up of sororities and fraternities, is prominent in many universities and colleges throughout the United States. Greek life is on all types of campuses ranging from public to private, and especially Ivy League schools. Those who choose to participate in Greek life have the opportunity to become members of sororities and fraternities specific to gender, religions, races, and even majors. Colleges and universities in the South have strong Greek life with many undergraduate students participating, and at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, twenty percent of undergraduates participate in Greek life. For many, Greek life is an important facet of their college experience. Getting involved in Greek life provides students with many opportunities, such as an expansion of their social circle, involvement in community service, and leadership opportunities. In addition, the students who participate in Greek life are less likely to drop out. While participating in Greek life provides students with benefits, downsides also occur on college campuses. Serious dangers range from hazing to drug and alcohol or abuse, or even sexual assault.

The binge drinking and partying of fraternities and sororities is now under the concern of the chapter locally and nationally. Every year there is a national hazing awareness week that every fraternity and sorority on every campus in America participates in. The only way to fix the problem is the educate people about the problem. To outweigh the heavy expense on a member’s pocket is the ability to apply for scholarships within a fraternity or sorority nationally. A Greek organization offers aid when needed and if cannot solely help look for other outlets for financial aid for a member. Organizations focus on education and give endless resources to members within the house and on campus. Members of Greek organizations have so much potential to become well-rounded individuals and being in these organizations helps them shape these potentials to achieve the most success as

Between family legacies, traditions, and an abundance of college themed movies, books, and television shows, it would be difficult to find a prospective college student who is not familiar with the idea of “Greek life.” For the purpose of this essay, “Greek life” refers to the system employed by many colleges and universities to establish and maintain fraternities and sororities (primarily dominated by caucasian and economically advantages students). It is important to note the existence of fraternities and organizations outside of this stereotypical “Greek” realm, such as coeducational honor and service based fraternities, though even these are not fully exempt from detrimental practices. Fraternities and sororities are often looked down upon with a negative light for a number of reasons, some of which include dangerous hazing habits and unsavory social scenes. While there certainly are undeniable benefits and negatives within these systems, the biggest effect they have is on gender. “Greek life” in college is unhealthy due to its impact on post-college gender expectations by promoting party culture, encouraging misogyny through ingrained tradition, and indoctrinating women into subservience at an impressionable age.

With this research I plan to go back to the roots of why sororities use Greek language in their discourse community and how it helps them form a sisterhood that is shared only amongst the community. Sororities and fraternities are becoming more prevalent in universities all across the nation. Today, there are over 9 million members of the Greek communities and the number is continuously growing each year (“Greek Life Statistics”). “The terms ‘fraternity’ and ‘sorority’ describe groups of men and women who join together to offer fellowship, academic support, leadership training, participation in campus activities, service to the community and University, and preparation for future careers” (“What is Greek Life?”). People that in are the Greek community all have at least one thing in common. Whether they just want to be apart of a sisterhood/brotherhood or deeper things like they all share a common belief or goal. “Sororities have five basic benefits: sisterhood, scholarship, leadership, philanthropy (charitable causes/community service), and socializing” (“About Sororities”). These benefits are included in the values and beliefs of a sorority as a discourse community. Greeks all speak a “language” that they learn in the process of becoming part of their fraternity/sorority(recruitment process). Agendas, e-mails, and text messages are all forms of a genre. A genre is anything that is written down and shared in the discourse community. Face to face interaction is a way to advertise for events and also another way to advertise for events is through

When one first thinks of Greek life or a sorority the only thing that comes to mind is the social aspect. Most people don’t think of sororities as social institutions that envelop their own culture, with mannerisms, languages and customs that are unique to each individual organization. However, these institutions promote a common set of values that enable members to become connected in a way that has a more profound meaning than just social interaction. Greek organizations are good examples of how institutions can affect and be affected by social status and roles within the collegiate community. They are also a prime example of how race, class and gender can affect a social setting in both positive and negative manners.

Joining a sorority is not just four for years but for life. Going through a week-long process of meeting thousands of girls can be intense, overwhelming but intriguing and exciting as well. Recruitment to many is known as a terrifying process where girls come from all over with matching shirts, bright smiles and dreams that at the end of the week they will receive the white envelope that incases the 4x6 card with the sororities crest inviting them into their sisterhood. By preparing ahead of time, which includes building a resume, searching for recommendation letters and extensive research on each chapter, sorority recruitment doesn’t have to be an intimating process.

All around the world sororities are a subculture or “a segment of society’s population” on most college campuses (Macionis 64). These sororities have their own language, norms, beliefs, and values. Most college campuses have many charters or different sororities to choose from when a student wants to pledge a sorority. On the Saint Francis University campus, there are seven sororities that a female student can belong to. Each sorority has a different philanthropy which is a foundation that the sorority stands behind. For example Delta Phi Epsilon stands behind the Educational Foundation, this foundation helps women get the education that they deserve. Sororities are known for creating a bond between girls that last a life time.

Fraternities and sororities have created a very “strenuous and selective screening processes utilizing rush events and other tools to determine who they want to become a new member.” Many people are not chosen for the organization they want. He also says that spending a lot of time with a certain group of people could make it harder for someone to branch out and meet people outside of that organization. People get so used to just being with their organization that they often forget there are other people to become friends with. In Kokemuller’s article he also says that being in “tightly knit houses” can limit the ability to branch out. If someone is in an organization that is not very diverse it can affect the ability to interact with different types of people making it less likely. Most college students do not like to break away from their group because they are just simply afraid of rejection. This may be seen as a negative because college is about branching out, but it can also be a positive because you will always have those people to back you up.

The Greek communities that have risen across the country have created huge impacts on every university that they have established themselves on. Historically, fraternities were designed for students to discreetly meet to discuss issues and host debates that their members believed would be deemed inappropriate by their collegiate faculties. Since their founding, fraternities and sororities have completely revamped their focuses. They are used as social, professional, and honorary organizations that promote many different combinations of community service, leadership, and academic success. The ideas of brotherhood and sisterhood have also transcended the college experience,

Walking around a university’s campus any day of the week, one sees an array of Greek letters worn proudly by young men and women in the Greek system. Fraternities and sororities play a big part in a university. The Greek system can also be an easy target to direct criticism. There are those who oppose the Greek system and those who embrace it. Evan Wright opposes the Greek system in his article “Sister Act” that was featured in Rolling Stone Magazine. He uses examples from students at Ohio State University in Columbus to show his disapproval of the way sororities are now days. He portrays sorority girls as catty conformists who are obsessed with partying with fraternity

In the 1960s, there was a considerable decrease in the number of students joining fraternities and sororities on campus. The movie implemented a rejuvenation of the Greek college, party life on campus. Sperber writes “Nationwide membership in fraternities doubled from about one hundred thousand in 1970 to two hundred thousand in 1980, and doubled again to almost four hundred thousand in 1990” (16) Due to the rise of party and prank behavior attributed to membership, colleges put regulations in place to stop student drinking. These regulations do not work. The regulations also contradict the advertised Greek life used while recruiting students to pledge. My impression of this is that it still occurs today. I agree with Sperber, there are many students entering college just to be part of this

College; some look for the experience to open their minds in extending their educations; as others look at it as the first step towards adulthood and running away from home as fast as possible. Sororities and fraternities have been around for decades with America’s blind eye turned towards the injustices that encompass the stigma. Student hazing deaths are climbing and something has to change to prevent these actions. What will it take to change fraternity culture?

Greek life organizations on higher education campuses have been the subject of much debate since their inception in the 19th century (Parker & Pascarella, 2015). In Student affairs, professionals often develop well-defined plans to help Greek letter societies facilitate opportunities for student development, involvement, and community outreach (Zhang, 2010). Proponents of Greek life will often cite the positive areas of development like scholarship, leadership, service, and friendship as to the reasons for keeping them on campuses (Long 2012). Critics of fraternities and sororities present and examine the issues of drug and alcohol abuse, sexism, and racism as key points in having them