Despite the negative reputations Greek life may have, fraternities and sororities do a lot to give back to their communities and campuses, especially at Oswego State.
As a fraternity member and former intern for the Fraternity and Sorority Community office, I have seen firsthand the standards that Greek organizations are held to in the Standards of Excellence assessment that is required for each Greek organization at Oswego State. Requirements for Oswego State Greek life members include completing a minimum of five hours of community service per semester on average for each member. Each organization must also have a philanthropy cause and standards for being involved within the campus and city. According to the Oswego State Fraternity and Sorority Community, during the 2016-2017 academic year, Oswego State Greek life members raised $19,753 while averaging 14.76 hours of community service per Greek life member.
Pairing with other student organizations at times, Greek organizations have the ability to raise significant amounts of money for causes and people in need. The Laker men’s hockey team and local fraternity Delta Kappa Kappa have been recognized by Mayor Billy Barlow for their efforts with the For the Kids program, which has raised more than $27,000 over the past two years to create awareness for and support the victims of child abuse. Greek organizations are active in their communities, which benefits those in need while also instilling positive values in the members who take part in helping the community.
Delta Sigma Phi, Delta Phi Epsilon, Alpha Epsilon Phi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon all partnered to raise money for Habitat for Humanity: Disaster Response for hurricane relief efforts in September. In times of need, turning to whatever bonds people together is important for lifting each other up.
Working at orientation programs throughout this summer exposed me to many students’ and parents’ views of what Greek life is. Not everyone carried negative beliefs, but some parents believed that what they saw in popular movies such as “Animal House” are the normal behaviors of fraternities and sororities. Partying may have been the main goal of Greek life at one point, but standards have been raised at colleges throughout the country, and partying is no longer the top priority for most.
Hazing allegations arose Tuesday for a fraternity from a fellow SUNY school, SUNY Plattsburgh. Because of this, it becomes easier to dismiss all of the ways Greek life benefits communities when negative headlines cloud the positive. Instead of condemning a whole institution, organizations and rituals which endanger the well-being of their members should be eliminated or corrected. Hazing does not have a protected place within the framework of Greek life, and it remains an issue for all Greeks.
Rituals are important to Greek organizations because they hold together the bond of every member. Tradition and history are areas that new members are educated in so they can understand and hold the values their chosen organization was founded upon. It is possible for traditions to be carried on while ridding the community of the physically and mentally harmful practices that are in the headlines today.
Camaraderie, support and education are values shared within the Greek community. Bonding between brothers or sisters is great for building the character of students, but the opportunity for that bond is a privilege, not a right. Being Greek may not always portray the greatest image to some. Continuing to instill positive values in members is the only way to ensure the core values of Greek life are carried on to future generations.
Photo provided by Daniel Thornton via flickr
