Hazing, Sexual Assault, and Alcohol Abuse Needs to Stop from the Top: With Fraternity Leadership

When this blog was created, its content was limited to positive aspects of fraternity and sorority life, however, hazing, sexual assault, and alcohol abuse have become such detriments to Greek life that they threaten its very existence.

Within the last week and a half, the University of Texas at Arlington suspended all social activities for fraternities and sororities, Indiana University suspended its Delta Chi Fraternity chapter, the University of Missouri implemented strict reforms against Greek letter organizations, and two Ohio State University fraternities (Alpha Tau Omega and Sigma Phi Epsilon) were placed on probation for violating codes of conduct. All of this comes on the heels of the sentencing of four former Pennsylvania State University fraternity brothers (Beta Theta Pi) connected with the death of a pledge during a booze-soaked hazing ritual two years ago.

Something has to change, drastically. All of these high profile events hurt the future of fraternities and sororities and should no longer be accepted by the larger Greek life community. Our leadership needs to come together to seriously address these problems and hold individuals and particular chapters accountable for acts that hinder our continued existence and negatively impacts our collective reputation.

Policies and procedures need to be in place and acted upon to ensure that such reprehensible activities become a thing of the past. More and more colleges and universities are banning fraternities and sororities. If nothing changes from within organizational leadership, our centuries-old tradition of camaraderie and altruism may cease to exist.