The unified greek response in the Oct. 7 edition of The Eagle was exactly what all thoughtful, independent-minded students were expecting. The team's star quarterback and head cheerleader defending their much cherished and grossly overexaggerated social statuses. And of course, we received the requisite (and rather familiar) statistics regarding the righteousness of greek life, from their community service, their collective GPA, which stands above the undergraduate average, and the highly honorable greeks who serve in leadership positions on campus and on the national stage.
Let us discuss some of these tremendously important topics. Greek organizations typically do community service in response to requirements imposed by their national organizations, which usually adopt a national philanthropy to which they promise to dedicate a specific number of hours and/or money. In other words, national organizations require their individual chapters to contribute to this effort by encouraging and often requiring them to devote a portion of their time and funds to this national effort.
This is certainly not intended to denigrate their contribution in any way, but simply to draw a distinction between the spirit of volunteerism and that which is required in order to maintain a charter. Many people join community service organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Alpha Phi Omega, Circle K and D.C. Reads because they feel the need to give their time freely, without reward or requirement, to a cause greater than themselves. This juxtaposition simply raises the question of whether or not such service would be completed were it not required and/or strongly encouraged by the national greek organizations.
The oft-cited statistic about greek GPA versus undergraduate GPA is highly misleading. First, I say that organizations that purport to hold leadership and academics in such high regard should be expected to do consistently better than the rest of the student population if they truly focus on such concepts as much as they claim to. Though we must recognize that quantifying such results is difficult at best. Secondly, comparing a generally homogeneous group of students that represents just under 20 percent of the student body to the other 80 percent of the university's diverse student population is bound to give a lopsided view. Moreover, many find serious fault in the criterion of GPA being used as an indication of intelligence, quality, or success of the student. If grade point average were an accurate indication of intelligence and/or future success, George W. Bush would not be our president and Albert Einstein would not be the most highly regarded scientist in human history.
It is also true that many greeks are serving in leadership positions on and off campus. To that, I simply respond again with the concept of misleading statistics. There are just as many successful non-greeks in leadership positions, if not more, than there are greeks is such positions. The numbers in the case really lie in no one's favor.
It has also been said that our university needs a larger sense of community and that greek life creates such a community. I wholeheartedly agree with an element of this notion. We have a very diverse school and more community is always better. And yes, greek life does create a certain community - for just under 20 percent of the student population. All indications show that figure remaining pretty static. The rest of the underperforming GPA earners (the other 80 percent) be damned. It seems to me that responding to a perceived need for community by forming exclusive, university-recognized extensions of high school cliques (only with official letterhead and cool T-shirts this time around) is a bit counterproductive.
My first letter to The Eagle was no doubt sensational. In it, I exposed the greeks and others to a real perception of their campus culture. I made assumptions and generalizations, some of which I know not to be universally accurate. Gentle letters do not stimulate debate in the same way that provocative commentaries do. I was hoping to help plunge the campus into debate regarding this issue, and I like to think that that goal has been attained. But the fact remains that my first letter represents a real, negative perception that has come about for many reasons.
It is high time that the greek community recognized and attempted to deal with those reasons. Let me now apologize for dedicating this letter solely to refuting previously made claims about greek life and its merits. With limited space and time, I, and many others, have attempted and will attempt to address these issues through articles to The Eagle and campus forums. Such in-depth and complex issues cannot be addressed in a single editorial but must be discussed among students in the campus community and in other venues.
On that note, I encourage you all to attend a campus-wide forum on Ethical Leadership in Greek Life to be held in McDowell Formal Lounge on Tuesday at 5:30 pm. If I am not mistaken, new greek pledges are mandated to attend and I, along with my fellow panelists, am eager to engage this severely important subject. And keep reading the editorial page of The Eagle. I have no doubt that there is more to come.
Paul Perry is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and School of International Service.
