The stereotypical, longhaired frat star in pastels and the swanky sorority girl are becoming the representative image of all Greek members nationwide, and it's overshadowing the good that comes from fraternities. The resulting anti-Greek life sentiment is ruining fraternity and sorority experiences across the country, especially at Denison University. I am sure I am not the only one who thinks it is an uncomfortable conversation when asked about Greek Like at Denison.
"Oh, you're in Greek life, how is that?"
"It's great, most of Denison's student body participates in Greek life but we're not allowed to live in the houses"
"Wait, what?"
It is appalling that Denison students who choose to join fraternities and sororities are not given the opportunity to live in their houses. To me, that defeats the purpose of Greek life. You join a fraternity or sorority with your best friends by choice, and a part of the whole experience is living together under one roof, but apparently that is somehow a violation of Denison's Code of Conduct. What is the harm of letting college-aged men and women live in their respective houses on campus for a couple years? I do not see any harm whatsoever.
What is baffling to me is that Denison is missing out on the opportunity to profit greatly from allowing us to live in our houses—after all, it seems colleges and universities are all about profit anyways. Think about this: If members of Greek life were allowed to live in their respective houses, it would free up spaces in dorm buildings for more students to enroll. Currently, the tuition at Denison is a ridiculous $58,860 per year, so let's say that, between sororities and fraternities, 60 students could be relocated into the fraternity and sorority houses, and 60 new students could enroll and pay that absurd tuition fee. That would roughly total a whopping $3,500,000 per year. Sure, very few people pay full tuition, but you get the point, it's a lot of money for letting us do something we should be allowed to do in the first place. So why do they not allow us to live in the houses?
I would understand if somehow living—not even partying, just living—in fraternity or sorority houses was dangerous or posed a threat to student safety, but I cannot find a single reason for us not to be allowed to do so. Firstly, I would argue that the behavior within fraternity and sorority houses would be even better than that in the dorms because there is a personal connection to the Greek building, one of care and respect. People would not destroy the halls, furniture or whatever because it is theirs, and there is not a cleaning service to pick up after them. We would all be held accountable for our actions, but the school must not think that we are mature enough or something as 'autonomous thinkers' at Denison University. Additionally, it is a joke that fraternities and sororities are allowed to throw parties in excess of 70 people in the Sunset Apartments, which are capped at roughly 30 people, yet cannot live in a Greek-affiliated house. That is at the very least a fire hazard. But again, what is the harm of allowing us to live with our friends in our Greek houses?
This is an issue that has been circulating throughout Denison for as long as I have been here, and I have yet to hear a single argument that justifies the school's decision to deny us the right to live in our own houses. Denison used to be a fun school, one where Greek life was an integral part of the social scene, but I guess today is a different time, one where image matters. Today, it seems that that "image" is anti-Greek life, and Denison will deny its students the full Greek experience all because of the negative sentiment surrounding Greek life today.
