A student comes up to me and says, “I’m sorry, I’m Greek, which means I need you to fill out a form saying how many absences I’ve had.”
“Oh my God,” I think. “This is horrible. I had no idea that Greek students were discriminated against on our campus!”
“Are you sure about this?” I ask the student, preparing to unleash my fury on the haters of Greece at our university.
“Yes,” he says and hands me a paper that bears the name of his fraternity.
Clarissa's Blog 
Fraternities and sororities are so completely anthetical to what a University is about that I would likely refuse.
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For some reason that I still haven’t been able to comprehend fully, at our university there are huge attempts to promote fraternities and sororities. It feels like they are supposed to bring us prestige, or something.
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Trying to create university’s brand name through them, aka perceived differentiation between homogeneous products (if students view quality of education as similar among different universities). A good example of perceived differentiation is Pepsi and Cola shares of the market. 20 years from now, after hearing “when I was having fun at fraternity X”, the student may choose your university. 🙂
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This seems to be a USA fixation. There are frats/sororities in Canada, but there is little promotion of them. However, I recall my US colleagues referencing their frat associations, and that they stayed active and connected to those within the Frat community, long after leaving university. It is a networking tool, which to the university, ultimately means a reliable source of fundraising.
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Now I’ve seen 1 good result of Greek system – more social pressure to do well at one’s studies exactly when young people start living alone for the 1st time in their lives and are liable to become overwhelmed with the newfound freedom.
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Patrick,
What I don’t get about Greek culture is the division it sows in the campus community. Greeks are actively encouraged to forego their non-affiliated friends. All the rules and social requirements, while encouraging a bond with members, also encourages a chasm with the non-affiliated members as well.
Clarissa, I’d like to know what your thoughts are on social fraternites and sororities. Have you noticed any effects these groups have on the classroom?
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We already had a huge debate about fraternities and sororities on this blog: https://clarissasblog.com/2011/02/06/a-shooting-at-youngstown-state-university/
People seem to be very attached to the whole concept.
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That’s right. I’d forgotten about that post.
They are indeed. I suppose they need to feel special.
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I have little experience with this, having attended Canadian Universities where the Greeks were present, but not important. I can’t comment intelligently on the campus community in general – while attending university, I was working and raising a family, so I spent very little time on anything besides my studies.
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I wonder what Greek exchange students think about that terminology?
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I think I’m missing something here. What is the connection between Greek students and fraternities/sororities?
I know my uni banned all sororities/fraternities, but they still existed ‘underground’, as a sort of an open secret. Or something. I don’t quite get the idea myself. Perhaps it’s something like houses one has at school?
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They use Greek lettering in their sorority/fraternity names, such as “delta” or “epsilon”, so they classify themselves as part of the “Greek Letter System”, or just “Greek” for short.
Maybe authentically Greek people should try distancing themselves from it by calling themselves “Hellenic citizens”.
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Ah! Thank you 🙂
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Also they wear togas which is grossly anachronistic. If they want to be real Greeks they need to battle cyclopes and women who have live dogs where their junk should be.
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I’ve had students sit in my classroom in togas made out of sheets during the hazing week, or whatever it’s called.
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If some silly reference to the Odyssey pops up that’s just me again sorry thanks.
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