In light of recent events involving a death at Florida State University surrounding an alcohol-related death of Andrew Coffey, a pledge at Pi Kappa Phi along with other negative allegations surfacing around the Greek life here.

On November 6 it was unanimously decided and announced by President Thrasher that Greek life here at Florida State University would be indefinitely suspended. The suspension affected fifty five sororities and fraternities in total with one main focus in mind, change. A change that needed to be implemented for a new normality and culture for Greek life here on Florida State University's campus.

The suspension came with a wave of mixed emotions.

Some praised President Thrasher for taking the initiative to implement a change this way while others felt it was too harsh. As someone not a part of the Greek life community, I strongly believe this decision was the right decision to reflect and create a new positive light for the Greek life community.

Many times too often there have been incidents with pledging and hazing and the proper measurements weren't taken to justify the victims or repercussions to prevent an incident like it from happening again. Hazing is defined as any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them regardless of a person's willingness to participate.

This can occur at any point in time during their involvement with the organization and sometimes even afterwards. Based on data collected by the University of Maine, about 73% of fraternity and sorority members experienced hazing.

Hazing could scale on a spectrum of public humiliation, exposure to the elements, copious alcohol consumption, and watching or engaging in sex acts.The thing is, hazing can impact an individual mentally and physically, sometimes resulting in death.

This year alone there were identical national headlines surrounding deaths with pledges; At Louisiana State University, there was a hazing incident with Maxwell Gruver, a pledge for Phi Delta Theta, resulting in his death and another at Penn State University, involving Tim Piazza, a pledge for Beta Theta Pi, which also resulted his death.

The common factor surrounding all these deaths? Alcohol.

The question is, when does it stop? Lives were lost.

This was someone's son, brother, and friend. I understand that this is supposed to be the best times of our lives and we're at such a vulnerable state for growth and trying to find our way through it but our life should never be at stake for it.

The way I see it, this was not too harsh at all. This suspension should really make the Greek life community reflect and really see where changes need to be made. I'm not here to bash the Greek life community entirely. I personally have friends in Greek life and it has done nothing but wonders for them and shed positivity in their life by opening doors and giving them opportunities they would have never had without it.

From my understanding it's not just a sisterhood or brotherhood, it's more than that with the philanthropies they dedicate so much time and effort for, the organized events held to unify the school, and the intentions of being able to find a group of men or women that carry themselves to a certain set of values that their organization's founders established years ago.

When I asked my friends in Greek life how they felt about the suspension and how they would feel if it happened to their chapter, both in a sorority and fraternity that aren't at Florida State University, agreed and said the same thing: Florida State's decision to suspend Greek life was the right call. While it does suck that a lot of organizations didn't partake in it, it was a step in the right direction to get a point across that a change needs to be implemented to prevent something like this from ever happening again.

They also included that if this were to happen to their chapter given the circumstances they'd understand completely and believe that the main goal isn't to get rid of Greek life completely forever, but rather to build a foundation and a more responsible culture so they can exist on a campus without having to worry about tragic events life this from happening in the future.

My condolences go out to the lives lost during a time during where this should have never happened. My heart aches for the families and friends who have to cope with the missing part of their lives they'll never get back and I hope they find a source of closure. Something needs to change in this culture and it starts now.