I wouldn’t be surprised is President Turner would like to see every fraternity on campus lose their charter. Although this is my first year at SMU, stories have been past down how relaxed the University was with social events and fraternities from even just a year ago. As far as I know, every Greek fraternity on campus has either a standing with the University or a sanction pending, with the exception of Phi Delta Theta and Beta Theta Bi, who just received their charter to re-colonize SMU this spring.
I recently joined a fraternity on campus and my eyes were opened to the political world of Greek life within SMU; however, I feel that even an outsider would see the University’s actions as a little more than coincidental. With Kappa Alpha Order being kicked off of campus this semester, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon now on Deferred Suspension it seems like SMU is push fraternities as far as they can without kicking them off, and then waiting to let them make the final mistake.
My fraternity is currently on Social Probation, which means we are not allowed host any social event on or off campus where there is alcohol served. Now, even though this affects less than half of the chapter, it has much larger consequences for the entire fraternity. Just a few weeks ago, the University stops us from hosting our spring philanthropy concert because the band was playing at a bar. Not only did the fraternity take a hit for this, but so did the organization that was anticipating our donation. This incident is not isolated: we almost had to cancel our Founder’s Day (alumni weekend) which had a dinner planned at a hotel and although we agreed not to serve wine to adults of age, but because they could go up to their rooms and drink from their mini bar.
I come from a family that is every involved in Greek life, so I know the positives the benefits that these organizations bring to men and women in their college years and for their entire lives; yet, it seems that SMU would rather take that away. I believe that fraternities are doing nothing new, and are just getting in trouble because of an administration that is cracking down. Just last year, my fraternity won an award for the Best Chapter in the Nation, so I have a hard time believing that we are doing something wrong at SMU.
I believe very strongly in what fraternities and sororities bring to a campus, to a community, and to its members’ lives, and I would have to see SMU lose its Greek community.
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I completely agree with your statement that you think President Turner would probably like to see every fraternity to lose its chapter. I think it is ridiculous that basically every single fraternity is in trouble on campus. It’s appalling that the administration is doing everything they can to keep everyone in trouble and to keep them from having social and philanthropy parties. Philanthropy events are a huge part of Greek life and really help the organizations that they donate to. President Turner is sending such a bad image to not only all of Greek life, but also to our community as a whole. Everyone is getting such a bad image of Greek life, especially fraternities, and it overshadows all the good that they do for their philanthropies. I understand that the school needs to crack down on the alcohol and drug problem on campus, but I think their approach is just pushing the problem elsewhere rather than actually fixing the problem. I agree that I would also be upset if SMU lost it’s Greek life.
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