Fraternity Learning Communities

Viral videos of fraternity and sorority members partying and getting drunk off of beer might be the first images of Greek Life that pop into your mind, but that’s only a stereotype. There are nine historically black Greek letter organizations across the country that present an entirely different image of Greek life. Focusing on their multiple involvement on campus, National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) members are proactive in the community and on USCA’s campus.

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

In S.Rogers, C. Rogers, T Anderson’s 2012, article EXAMINING THE LINK BETWEEN PLEDGING, HAZING, AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AMONG MEMBERS OF A BLACK GREEK FATERNITY. Gives the reader an insight on the stereotypes and misconception that are placed on African American Greek organizations. Even though there are hazing rituals that are conducted to build a better relationship between the pledgees and the organization. The “hazing” or as most know it by the initiation rituals are to weed out those who seem unfit to be a part of a 100 + year organization. Though some of the initiation rituals have resulted in physical, psychological and even death. The initiation rituals build not only character nonetheless members for life.

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.

The total population of students in University of Miami is 10,615 undergraduate students, with a diversity of 55% (https://welcome.miami.edu/about-um/fast-facts/student-enrollment/index.html). 2,500 students are a part of Greek with 29 Greek Letter Organization (http://doso.studentaffairs.miami.edu/units/greek-life/index.html). There are nine sororities at University of Miami, which potential new member can rush sororities starting in spring of first year (http://doso.studentaffairs.miami.edu/units/greek-life/councils-chapters/index.html). Results:

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

Pursuing the dream of obtaining membership into the First Intercollegiate Greek Fraternity for African Americans, Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. is one of very few ultimate goals in my life. An organization that was founded to stimulate the ambitions of its members and prepare them for great usefulness within the community has since become one of the most well respected organizations in America. Over one hundred years later, the pivotal movement in 1906 has spread to over the entire country in different collegiate chapters and cities across America and the impact has been tremendous. To some individuals, I was considered very lucky to be reared in the upbringing I experienced. But in my eyes it was a double edged sword.

Fraternities, the deep roots of many American universities, have instilled the traditions of brotherhood, loyalty, and respect upon many young men entering college for the first time. Built with power, they intended

Greek Life Greek organizations are extremely popular on numerous college campuses across the United States. For many students, as they enter college life, they feel that joining a Greek organization is their only way to fit in and make friends on campus. Greek organizations are based on philanthropy, high morals, campus and community involvement, and the sister/brotherhood that is created among its members. Many people see Greek life as a negative part of college life, but little do they know that the majority of our world’s leaders were members of Greek organizations throughout their college careers. The mainstream of people see members of Greek life as people who are constantly parting, skipping class, and participating in illegal activities,

My view regarding the stigma behind Greek life is one of optimism, as I truly believe that it is in the organizations' hands to combat the negative perception. On IFC we had to deal with this stigma as we held forums to target recruits as they came in for orientation. What I found was misinformation regarding Greek life, as a whole. It is perceived that Greek life is in a bubble and I believe unfortunately that Greek houses alienate themselves from the general population on campuses. In order to defeat the negative stigma, Greek organizations must create more reach out to not only other on campus organizations, but amongst prominent organizations in the surrounding community. This outreach begins to disband the disconnect between affiliated

Greek (social) organizations have acquired a bad reputation for displaying aggressive behaviors, high sexual assault, and members getting jobs based off affiliations. With all of these elements thrown in these social organizations, there is still a high percentage of college students joining. Why are student’s propensity to join these social organization over career organizations high? Greek organizations operate under secrecy and validation from others. They develop their sense of belonging by the approval of others, and based off the fact that not everyone can join solidifies the value of ranking members’ approval even more. Secrecy does not exist in terms of leadership because effective leadership is always transparent. Being able to apply

Although not as dangerous as hazing, the problem of racism among fraternities and sororities are also a growing problem. At the University of Southern California, in

Fraternities are now showing more violence, which is a reason that they should be stopped once and for all. Violence can be seen anywhere, and most of the starters of a riot or a violent act are members from fraternities. The police are also observing or patrolling the streets because the attacks from fraternities can happen anywhere. Fraternities also represent a wrong sense of brotherhood which is bad for the students that are wanting to join them. Most of the students are not aware of the wrong doings of fraternities. The students just pay attention to the fact that they will look "cool" when they join a fraternity. It is bad for the students to join these so-called "brotherhoods" because they don't know what the members of the fraternities will do to them. It is therefore concluded that fraternities should be abolished because of the wrong doings they are showing and the wrong sense of brotherhood they are

There was a situation where a fraternity at Oklahoma University was on a bus screaming racist chants. When the case exploded in national news, people all over the nation started to believe fraternities belong in a dark light. People make mistakes whether if they are a part of a fraternity or sorority. The errors are taken care of and not only does the college/university learn from it, but the fraternity and sorority also does as well. News and stories have destroyed the organizations have created negative stereotypes due to the public not obtaining knowledge about them. Before creating a negative opinion about the fraternities and sororities, one must ponder about the goals of the organizations and what the tasks they do for the community and charities. Fraternities and sororities are a living tradition; striving to make a student's memories last