Georgetown University Is Letting Incoming Students Know They Don’t Support Greek Life
Rush at Georgetown University began way back in the middle of September. And on the Friday before rush started, the Vice President for Student Affairs and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs fired out an email to the entire student body discussing their aversion to Greek life. The email was even titled “Message About Social Fraternities and Sororities.”
From the Georgetown Voice:
In the campus wide email, Olson and Lord encouraged students to participate in and explore the diverse mix of co-curricular activities offered but steered students away from unrecognized fraternities and sororities.
“As you make these decisions, we want you to be aware that Georgetown does not support a social Greek system; social fraternities and sororities are not eligible for access to University benefits and do not have University oversight,” Olson and Lord wrote.
The president of Delta Phi Epsilon, Molly Wartenberg, is an orientation advisor for the school. She said that she and the other advisors were sent a similar email back in August, “saying not to advocate for Greek life as an OA” during orientation.
In this email sent on Aug. 5, the 2015 NSO Coordinators wrote that Greek organizations may not take part in university sanctioned activities or programs. This includes OAs using their roles as mentors “to influence students to participate in rush or recruitment.” It also indicates that any violation of the listed policies is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
This is absolute bullshit. Since when are schools telling their students how they should spend their free time, and why do they feel the need to steer students away from sororities and fraternities?
Putting this negative information into the head of new students is a terrible idea, and it’s effectively crushing the Greek system. These kids are young and impressionable and tend to believe most of everything they read because they can’t think for themselves. Shame on you, Georgetown..
[via Georgetown Voice]
Image via YouTube
This is some commie big brother shit.
10 years ago at 10:55 am#fratlivesmatter
10 years ago at 10:56 amThis sounds like a case for the courts. A government-supported school infringing upon the right of free assembly? But then again I might just be a misogynistic, oppressive, college-aged, white male so why should I be making any sense.
10 years ago at 10:58 amIsn’t Georgetown private?
10 years ago at 11:28 amRegardless, this is some baby back bullshit.
10 years ago at 11:29 amI believe most private colleges do get some supplemental funding from the government, I’m pretty sure even most private high schools also receive some funding from the government.
10 years ago at 12:32 pmWell if they’re pulling bullshit like Georgetown has they’ll for sure be getting government funds. Nothing gets a liberal’s rocks off like a good attack on Greek life. #fratlivesmatter
10 years ago at 1:51 pmGeorgetown is a private Jesuit (Catholic) institution… none of these schools nationwide recognize Greek life. This would be the same as a state University advocating that you rush an on campus fraternity instead of one off campus. An infringement on freedom of association maybe, but this is nothing unusual
10 years ago at 3:00 pmIt’s not unusual but it makes for a shitty school nonetheless.
10 years ago at 3:53 pmMaybe just reiterating what you said but yes, as a product of a Jesuit education, all Jesuit institutions do not recognize Greek Life on their campuses. This is because they feel it interferes with the message the Society of Jesus and its schools wish to convey. Whether right or wrong, it’s their prerogative to set whatever standard of education they believe is best and the students who attend their schools sign up for that.
10 years ago at 5:22 pmWhat do you mean by not recognized? I go to a Jesuit school and administration recognizes us. They may be super strict but we’re still a school organization.
10 years ago at 11:07 pmWhile your second point is accurate, you are in correct about Jesuit universities not recognizing Greek life. As someone in Greek life at Jesuit school, can confirm.
10 years ago at 6:18 pmI go to a Jesuit university and our school recognizes us. Yes they try to hinder our growth by not allowing freshmen to rush until fall, but we are still recognized by the school.
10 years ago at 11:03 pmJust noticed your username. Do you go to a Jesuit university in Chicago? Because I do and I believe there is only one here.
10 years ago at 11:05 pmThat’s my mistake then. I went to a Jesuit prep school and have a few friends who go to Jesuit colleges like Fordham, Xavier, and Georgetown, and made an unfair generalization based on those three
10 years ago at 7:42 amClemson does the same thing.
10 years ago at 10:35 pmno university over site means parties can get weird.
10 years ago at 10:59 amAt this rate my future son won’t be able to join a fraternity
10 years ago at 11:12 amThere is a very good chance you are correct with all the PC attacks and pressures to ban fraternities. However PC warriors and college administrators can whine and hate on fraternities but Greek life is more popular than ever… Fraternities across the country are packed ever rush event.
10 years ago at 1:58 pmSounds like it’s time to go back to the secret societies having to hide from oppressive authorities to further free speech that fraternities once were.
10 years ago at 11:31 amSomeone didn’t get a bid. *cough* dean *cough*
10 years ago at 11:34 amVP of SA* cough* laps taken
10 years ago at 11:34 amMight want to get that cough checked out champ, it’s sounding kind of serious
10 years ago at 1:49 pmFrostburg state university in western Maryland sends out similar emails saying students will fail out if they join local Greek organizations.
10 years ago at 11:48 amIf Greeks on campus’s were more ‘progressive’ they’d be encouraging students to rush.
10 years ago at 11:49 amGreeks aren’t about political views (though they tend to lean a certain way), they’re about brotherhood/sisterhood.
10 years ago at 12:31 pmWell thats what I’m saying. This school board doesn’t care that they stand for brotherhood/sisterhood. Only that they ‘lean’ in a different direction. Fuckin stupid.
10 years ago at 1:36 pmThis is my dream law school and now they’re discriminating against one of the best things in my life. Fuck you Georgetown
10 years ago at 12:26 pm