The Greek System is not what it was back in the day. While rituals and secrets are preserved and passed down every year to bright-eyed new members, there is a difference between the small societies of the early century to the mega-organizations that are now run by “Nationals.”
What were once secret academic and social societies comprised of 10 members have now turned into national organizations with hundreds of members per university. What has not changed, however, are the scandals and problems that the Greeks notoriously create for Universities.Regardless of the organic invention of fraternities, even the earliest organizations are guilty of starting a century long tradition of hazing, which lead to tragic consequences when things go wrong.
For instance, in 1912 at UNC at Chapel Hill, a boy named Isaac William Rand fell off a barrel while being hazed and cut his jugular vein on a broken bottle. He died shortly after, and the four young men who were responsible were expelled and charged with manslaughter.
In 1970 at Eastern Illinois University, Donna Bedinger was the victim of an Alpha Gamma Delta “pledge sneak,” where members took blindfolded initiates out into the middle of nowhere to desert them. Donna tried to jump back into the bed of the car, hit her head, and died a few days later from her injuries.
There are countless stories of alcohol poisoning and drunk driving incidents that also condemn Greek organizations. Yet accidents and poor decisions are not the only negative actions associated with Greek members.Sexual assault and racial discrimination are actually more prevalent problems amongst the modern Greeks.
Last September, a young woman at University of Texas Arlington was found unconscious in the Sig Ep house and reported being sexually assaulted to the University and local news stations.
This past summer the University of Alabama was criticized for not allowing black women into “historically white” sororities, and fraternities still sing chants that degrade other races.
While solutions and reform coincide with these unfavorable labels, they are like a bad shadow that is cemented on the feet of Greek life. Although the Greeks of today are the ones primarily responsible for changing this image, other parties share this responsibility.
I recently read an interesting article written two years ago by University of Arizona student Dan Desrochers. In his article, “Scandals Do Not Represent Greek Life,” Dan depicts the then-current scandals of Greek Life at the University of Arizona.
He explains how Phi Kappa Psi was kicked off campus for hazing and Pi Kappa Phi was dealing with charges of sexual assault and kidnapping. However, even though he refers to himself as a “God damn independent,” he “[doesn’t] hate fraternities” and even suggests a positive insight into the Greek System, problems aside.
He says that “hazing and sexual assault charges are serious, but it doesn’t mean that these fraternities are fundamentally bad. Mistakes happen.”
Mistakes happen to everyone and even though every member of a sorority or fraternity represents their organization, a few individuals and poor decisions do not define it.
He goes on to explain how “Greek Life is actually pretty important to this campus,” because it sustains school spirit, philanthropic events, and opportunities to get involved for both Greeks and independents. There are negative consequences to Greeks who choose to act against their moral standards of conduct, but we’re not all bad.
I have never been hazed, but I have witnessed instances of people being endangered by their Greek peers. While it might not be because their organization is making them do something, it does come from a certain social expectation of belonging to a Greek organization.
I speak from experience, although mine hasn’t been negative, nor has it been a negative experience for any of my close friends. But the fact remains that there are bad things that happen in Greek organizations that thrust blame on the entire system--and justly so.
Whether it’s hazing, racism, or accidents from ritualistic debauchery, scandals and tragedies exist and happen often in fraternities and sororities across the United States. These institutions were created to “build balanced leaders for the world's communities,” “to broaden the moral and intellectual life,” and for members “to place scholarship before social obligations,” but how realistically do these mission statements reflect the social culture of the Greeks?
The Greek system was created with specific and good intentions in mind, but has it transformed into a modern day monster? I think not.
There are plenty of examples of campus Greek life that still promote high standards of good behavior and service. As Dan explains it, “If fraternities stopped getting in trouble, it would mean that they would stop the activities that define them. This cycle has been inherent in fraternities since their inception.”
Additionally, I think that because the system has grown to such an enormous and nationally run organization, it’s disciplinary action and control over its members has become standardized and highly monitored. Risk management, advisors, and university involvement exists to keep us safe from these scandals and learn from mistakes, regardless of finger always pointing to the Greek. 
So where the tradition exists, it seems that so will the scandals. As long as they are taken seriously and handled responsibly, let pledges be pledges.