COMMENTARY: Should UHCL go Greek?
Student alumni looking back at their college years may not remember every class and assignment they have ever completed, but often attribute their success and most memorable experiences to the friends they made while in school. At the University of Houston-Clear Lake, there are over 100 student organizations that offer opportunities to meet new people, find mentors, and grow with a supportive team. What is not offered, however, is a variety of fraternities and sororities to join on campus.
For new and incoming Hawks, this may come as a surprise since Greek life is often portrayed in the media as an iconic part of the university experience; or perhaps it is not surprising at all. With national news outlets reporting deaths of college students each year because of hazing and alcohol abuse, it is no doubt frightening to think that Greek life at UHCL may produce similar outcomes in a secretive and toxic Panhellenic culture.
So what is the point of joining a fraternity or sorority, and what is Greek life all about? Well, each fraternity and sorority will have varied answers to that question since they function differently from each other. However, Greek organizations do share the foundational goal of creating lasting bonds among fellow students.
Generally, there are three kinds of Greek life organizations: social, academic and multicultural. Social fraternities and sororities are geared largely toward meeting new people, creating friendships, and building professional networks. Academic houses offer opportunities to find companionship as well but are generally characterized as having a more studious and reserved environment compared to social houses. And lastly, multicultural Greek life, like the one and only multicultural sorority here at the UHCL campus, Delta Xi Nu, is about creating bonds and celebrating diversity.
The history of Greek life dates back to the 1700s when a student named John Heath at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, created the first Greek letter society known as Phi Beta Kappa. The name stems from the society’s Greek motto “Philosophia Bios Kybernethes” which translates to “Philosophy is the guide to life.”
In a time where speaking about controversial issues and of concepts outside the social norm were strictly forbidden on campus, Phi Beta Kappa sought to promote knowledge and develop intellectual discourse outside of the classroom. Heath believed these discussions were necessary for students to be able to think critically and to prepare for their professional futures.
Today, after more than 200 years of development, the Greek community has expanded across the country, bringing people together from all walks of life not only to share and advance knowledge but to take action and lead movements of change.
Civic engagement and community involvement are foundational parts of Greek life. Greek organizations make up the largest network of volunteers in the U.S., raising an average of $7 million for charities and completing over 10 million hours of community service each year. Statistics also show that college students who participate in a fraternity or sorority are more likely to complete their degrees and, overall, maintain a higher GPA than non-Greek students.
However, there are also many valid reasons for people to believe that these brotherhoods and sisterhoods do not serve the community’s, or even the students’, best interests. In fact, these organizations have become infamous in light of the toxic culture surrounding Greek traditions and challenges related to hazing including alcohol abuse, humiliation, rape and even death.
Many organizations have now banned these harmful practices and work with programs like HazingPrevention.Org to stop them from taking place nationally in the Greek community as a whole. Spreading awareness about what hazing is, how to recognize the signs of a hazing victim, and knowing the available resources on and off-campus that can help are crucial to building a sustainable Greek community at UHCL and at any university.
Apart from hazing, the issues of rape, humiliation and oppression in fraternities and sororities are fundamentally tied, not to the existence of Greek organizations, but rather to a “frat house” or gang mentality that has unfortunately found residence in these Greek life houses. With no Greek houses and no stereotypical “party school” scenes here on campus, UHCL has an opportunity to start fresh and create a safe environment for Hawks to thrive within a Greek community.
Every college student has the capability to be a successful leader, and the right connections can open an abundance of opportunities. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to make the most out of their education and utilize the resources that are available on campus. That is why Hawks should look forward to the possibility of UHCL establishing more Greek organizations.
Being part of a club or Greek organization may not be for everyone, and students should always be aware of who they choose to surround themselves with, but it is an opportunity to grow and to learn, and to build memories with colleagues that will be remembered way beyond graduation.
Unlike other schools that are trying to change or cancel a toxic culture that has built up through generations, UHCL is in a unique position of starting a Greek life tradition on campus from scratch. With the right precautions and systems in place, UHCL students can benefit greatly from the Greek life experience.
