<p>AnnieBeats - I think you are painting with way too broad a brush here. I worked as a travelling leadership consultant for my fraternity after graduation and was responsible for approximately 40 chapters at universities throught the northeast, great plains and midwest. That was almost 20 years ago, and I never encountered a university whose greek system was segregated in the manner you discuss. </p>
<p>This does not mean that the greek system mirrored the student body. Members of the greek system were more likely to come from middle and upper class families, whereas students from lower class families were less represented in the greek sysyem. But I never say any evidence that this was due to discrimination against lower class students. It was simply a matter of money. Fraternity dues were upward of $500/semester back then, and that was a deterrent for many of the poorer students.</p>
<p>I didn’t work with chapers in the old south, but I don’t doubt most fraternity chapers at universities in the old south, especially the traditionally southern fraternities like Kappa Alpha, are predominantly white and upper class. However, I seriously doubt that segregation on these campuses is limited to the greek system. You wouldn’t expect to see a lot of diversity in the greek system if the campus itself has a problem getting members of different races to interact.</p>
<p>You say that universities have a moral obligation to make people of different races interact with each other. I strongly disagree with that. I believe universiteis, especially state universities, exist to provide an academic, rather than a moral, education. But assuming, arguendo, that universities have some moral obligation to promote diversity and multi-culturalism, they can do so by intergrating the dormatories (i.e. assigning incoming students roommates that are from a different race or socioeconomic group). Universities can prohibit fraternities and sorrorities from denying membership based on race or religion, and most of them do, but universities have no business telling fraternities and sorrorities which specific students they should bid. </p>
<p>And remember - there are “traditionally white” fraternities and “traditionally black fraternities” - many students would like to rush their parents fraternity/sorority and that leads them to the tradition. I would love to see the sororities and fraternities more segregated but I truly believe in most cases - it is not intentional. </p>
<p>I almost see more of a problem with “Black Student Union” and “Young Black Engineers” etc that certainly seem to be discriminating against non-Blacks. Back in 1990 when I was in college - we elected a AA man to be President of our student body (in a predominately white university). Two weeks later the “Black Student Union” had their vote - and voted in a AA man. Now, if the entire student body could vote in a AA student as their president - why is the “Black Student Union” necessary?</p>
<p>@ahsmuoh
I’m hoping that this is a typo.</p>
<p>Anyway, I don’t think sororities and fraternities should have a quota, but I do believe it is worth investigating when a certain chapters have had only Caucasian members for more than a decade. There is something severely wrong with that.</p>
<p>Also, I don’t see a problem with Black student unions. They are usually meant to discuss problems and struggles unique to the African American experience. I think the sole fact that they exist show that there needs to be more diversity around us. </p>
<p>@AlexanderIII
Lastly, going to college is not just about academics. Students go away to college to grow both intellectually and socially. College helps students transition into adulthood and learn to make decisions on their own. I think it is unreasonable to think that colleges only try to help students academically. Each college has a vision as to what they want their students to be in the future as I’m pretty sure that vision is bigger than just making smart people. </p>
<p>“AnnieBeats - I think you are painting with way too broad a brush here. I worked as a travelling leadership consultant for my fraternity after graduation and was responsible for approximately 40 chapters at universities throught the northeast, great plains and midwest. That was almost 20 years ago, and I never encountered a university whose greek system was segregated in the manner you discuss.”</p>
<p>Anniebeats, you can’t conflate normal Greek systems with the Greek systems of the south. I’ve said this before on CC, but thirty years ago in my (upper midwest) Greek system, my (traditionally white) house had a Hispanic president one year and a black president another year and no one thought twice. My H’s house (traditionally white) had a black president and no one thought twice. This was 30 years ago. I can go on the website and see girls of all different ethnic backgrounds. No one gives a ****. Compare and contrast with the recent debacle at Alabama where omg-a-black-girl-might-want-to-join-oh-the-horrorz. Please stop conflating those systems, ok? </p>
<p>@pizzagirl Don’t patronize me.</p>
<p>@AnnieBeats I meant to say “less”. </p>
<p>AnnieBeats - I believe you misread my post. I did not suggest that college was “just about academics.” I simply stated that, in my opinion, colleges should not engage in moral training. Of course, there will be certain moral or ethical standards with which students are expected to comply. Behavior such as harassment that society as a whole deems unacceptable, can and should be prohibited at university campuses. But beyond this very basic foundation, universities should not be trying to shape students’ religious or moral beliefs.</p>
<p>You mention investigating greek organizations that “have had only Caucasian members for more than a decade.” The simple fact is these all white fraternities and sorrorities you mention don’t exist outside the old South, and segregation in the old South is a product of culture, not the greek system. I don’t know anything about you, but based on your posts, I doubt you have any experience with the greek system. If you did, I doubt you would conflate the greek system in general with the greek systems at a few universities in the old South. </p>
<p>@AnnieBeats Another thing to note is that on one of UCF’s facebook page the other day a sorority posted about rush week advertising their sorority and at least 4/10 of the girls were minorities. I just think you see UF and UCF as more segregated than they really are.</p>
<p>Anniebeats, I won’t patronize you if you will stop conflating the segregated old-south situations with Greek life as a whole. They simply aren’t the same thing. </p>