Fraternity Myths Revealed …

Greek organizations have touched millions of lives throughout their 200 years of existence in the American arenas of higher education.

These fraternities have given innumerable young Americans a sense of belonging and comradeship. They have helped to teach teamwork, interpersonal skills, self-control, the importance of being well-rounded, and many other values. While undergraduates are the ones most directly affected by their involvement in Greek chapters, the relationships built within the framework of the Greek experience are still fostered and held dear by many people throughout their entire lives.

As society has changed through time, so has the role Greek organizations play in American society. Fraternities originally began as literary societies, but over time they develop into social living organizations. This transition brought with it many social changes for the undergraduates involved. More and more, fraternities are placed in the spotlight and publicity criticized for various social dilemmas. While the public outcry against binge drinking, drug use, and hazing is certainly justified, Greek organizations are often pigeon-holed into taking the blame for any and all social crises at institutions of higher education around the nation.

This area is meant to serve as an informational tool for answering many of the generally accepted myths about Greek life. Specifically, this information will guide you to a better understanding of what the North-American Interfraternity Conference community is doing to combat these myths and create a safer and more rewarding experience for its undergraduate members.

Myth #1
Fraternities are not conducive to social and spiritual development.

Truth
One of the things the NIC can be most proud of is its organized social calendar. There is a plethora of events designed to foster social interaction and interpersonal skills. Young men are encouraged to meet and interact with members of their own and other chapters. Date parties, inter-chapter functions, and inclusive community service projects allow for networking and help to foster strong bonds of friendship.

Another often overlooked facet of the Greek community is the strong foundation for spiritual development. Many members are involved in university-wide religious groups. A few chapters even recruit new members based upon religious affiliation.

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Myth #2
Being part of a Greek organization is more expensive than other living organizations.

Truth
One particularly prevalent myth about Greek life is that being a member of a fraternity is incredibly costly. Many people outside of the Greek community actually refer to this belief by saying that "Greeks buys their friends." The irony in that statement is that it costs money to be a part of any living organization or to retain any place of residence.

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Myth #3
Hazing is simply a reality among fraternities.

Truth
Hazing is the most publicly feared concept associated with Greek life today. These fears are more than justified due to the fact that hazing is easily the most dangerous and destructive practice that an organization can take part in. Although many people automatically associate the term "hazing" with the idea of mistreating or abusing pledges or new members, any member can actually be a victim of hazing. Hazing can be defined as singling out an individual or group of people and forcing them to do something that is psychologically, physically, or emotionally harmful or damaging.

Greek organizations nationwide have striven to eliminate hazing from their cultures through proactive approaches and strict enforcement of anti-hazing policies.

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Myth #4
Joining a Greek organization inhibits academic performance.

Truth
Admittedly, fraternities have definitely moved away from their roots of purely academic organizations such as literary societies. However, the transition to social living groups does not necessarily mean that academics were thrown out the window.

Academic performance is encouraged by both all-Greek programming and individual chapter policies.

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Myth #5
The "Animal House" stigma is still prevalent among fraternities.

Truth
In the 1980's, the movie "Animal House," starring John Belushi, became a smash hit. The movie was a satire designed to depict the wild side of fraternity life. The binge drinking, wide-spread hazing, sexual harassment, wild toga parties, open drug use, and substandard living conditions became the American public's perception of Greek life. As the movie grew in popularity, fraternities saw a huge downturn in recruitment numbers.

This trend is still seen today. Almost every year, the number of Greek chapters shrinks and the number of new initiates dwindles. Unfortunately, much of the poor public perception encouraged by "Animal House" is underserved in today's Greek systems. The media is particularly good at perpetuating myths. Nearly every state in the nation has adopted an anti-hazing law. College campuses, Greek systems, national Greek organizations, and individual chapters have all taken strides to reduce hazing, drug and alcohol abuse and liability through stricter rules and increased educational programming. Granted, there are still isolated incidents of hazing and alcohol-related deaths or injuries, but many institutions are taking proactive stances to prevent these tragedies.

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Myth #6
Greek chapters encourage binge drinking and drug use among their members.

Truth
As discussed earlier, the movie "Animal House" has had a profound impact on the belief system of many Americans regarding Greek life. The stereotypical party atmosphere is not a reality, and certainly not the norm. Due to the fact that Greek chapters comprise the largest student organization nationwide, Greek communities are constantly in the media spotlight. Social problems such as binge drinking and drug use occur in nearly every facet of society, but their presence is magnified in fraternities.

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Myth #7
Fraternities do not foster leadership skills.

Truth
There is never a shortage of leadership opportunities available to undergraduates. The NIC offers another great resource for developing leadership abilities with an abundance of role models and mentors within each chapter.

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Myth #8
A member of the Greek community must buy his friends.

Truth
The widely held belief that a Greek experience is costly, shallow and materialistic is incredibly ignorant and unsubstantiated. A person must pay to live in any living organization, or any residence hall for that matter.

It is a common misconception that all fraternities are rich. This notion, however widespread, is simply an incorrect generalization. The fact of the matter is that Greeks pay to live together just as any other roommates pay to live in the same place.

The fact that social opportunities are readily available in the Greek community does not equate to automatic friendships. It is probably also fair to say that most individuals, Greek or non-Greek, tend to socialize to a certain extent with the people with whom they live. One thing that the NIC community can be most proud of is the opportunity to develop diverse friendships.

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Myth #9
Greeks are elitist, racist, and sexist.

Truth
It is easy for a person to make rash assumptions or judgments about those things that he is not familiar with. Unfortunately, the terms "elitist," "racist," and "sexist" are very grave accusations. To stereotype all Greeks as having prejudices is simply unfair and incorrect.
Steps are being taken on a regular basis to reach out to the campus and community. Programming is inclusive of Greeks and non-Greeks alike. The recruitment process for men on most campuses is of "mutual selection." This means that chapters are interviewing prospective members while at the same time prospective members are able to interview.

Many people assume that because fraternities are primarily composed of white students, they are racist or prejudiced against students of color. One must understand that multicultural Greek chapters compete with traditionally white Greek chapters to recruit multicultural students. The NIC welcomes people of all backgrounds and actively educates all members about the importance and value of diversity.

Many people argue that because fraternities only recruit men and sororities only recruit women the two institutions are sexist. What these people fail to realize is that federal law has mandated that fraternities and sororities are exempt from Title IX guidelines. Greek chapters are social living organizations and are therefore not required to be coeducational. At the NIC, fraternities and sororities interact on a regular basis. In addition, educational programs and resources regarding sexual harassment, abuse and acquaintance rape are available.

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Myth #10
Being a member of a fraternity takes up an unreasonable amount of time.

Truth
It is a common misconception that joining a Greek community is such a large time commitment that academic performance suffers and participation in other extracurricular activities is impossible to maintain. It's true that an active social calendar and other Greek programming does take up a certain amount of time, but it is absolutely incorrect to assume that this time commitment is unbearable or unreasonable. At the NIC, academics remain top priority. This means that academic commitments preclude any other time commitments.

Rest assured that members of the Greek community are not required to participate in any event, program or meeting that might conflict with academic requirements.

Good time management skills would allow students to actively participate in a Greek chapter and still maintain their grades and involvement in other activities. Varsity athletes, members of marching band and debate, and students studying architecture or engineering are just a few examples of students with large time commitments who regularly join fraternities.

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Myth #11
Fraternities do not benefit surrounding communities.

Truth
A rather unfortunate and ironic byproduct of constantly being in the public spotlight is that Greek communities are blamed for social problems and isolated tragedies, but rarely given the credit they deserve for positive contributions to their communities.

Each national fraternity has an established philanthropy, or community service program, that raises money for a charity of choice. These philanthropies are carried out by member chapters at various universities all over the nation. The community service programs are good for public relations. They also help with recruitment efforts, but above all else, they allow chapters to give back to the community. These nationally designed service projects make up only a small percentage of the actually service projects actually carried out by Greek communities. These community service event projects are fun and often double as social events because chapters regularly donate their time and energy to events sponsored by other chapters.

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Myth #12
Joining a chapter eliminates the ability to develop friendships with other students on campus.

Truth
The belief that membership in a Greek chapter prevents friendship with non-Greeks is absolutely ridiculous. Interaction with students in and out of the Greek community happens all the time. Friends are made in the classroom, in all types of extra-curricular activities, and the list goes on and on. Many members of the Greek community have lived in either residence halls or in an off-campus living arrangement. Most students maintain strong friendships from high schools or hometowns.

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Myth #13
Parents cannot be involved in their student's Greek experience.

Truth
Parents who argue that they have not been able to be a part of their child's experience in a fraternity should reexamine the level of effort they made to get involved. If effort is not lacking, then they should look at the level of communication they had with their student regarding opportunities for involvement. Most chapters keep family members up to date on chapter news through newsletters or other means.

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Myth #14
Greek chapters may be irresponsible because they do not answer to a higher authority.

Truth
There is a common misconception that because Greek chapters are living organizations maintained by the undergraduates who reside in them, there is complete lack of authority and control. Truth be told, there is a very elaborate hierarchy of power in place to ensure the success and safety of undergraduate members.
Within each fraternity there are approximately 25-30 leadership positions. These offices range from a chapter president and scholarship chairman all the way to kitchen manager and intramural chairman. Each officer has a set of duties he is responsible for completing. Most chapters also utilize a committee system to assist the officers in their duties.

The executive council of officers within each chapter must then answer to several outside bodies. First, the Interfraternity Executive Councils act as governing bodies for the fraternities. These executive councils are comprised of 7-8 experienced officers who are elected to their positions by the presidents of their fraternities. The executive councils develop and enforce policies within the respected universities guidelines. The second body to which chapter officers must answer is the chapter's house corporation. This body is made up of chapter alumni who are financially responsible and liable for the chapter house. These alumni make sure the house is functioning properly and that the undergraduate members in the chapter are safe and acting responsibly. Finally, the officers within each chapter must answer to their national organization. Each chapter is sponsored and given its charter, or permission to operate, by a large national fraternity. These national organizations ultimately determine the status of their member chapters. Therefore, chapters must meet certain guidelines and complete the appropriate paperwork required by their national organizations.

Because Greek chapters are registered with universities as student organizations, they must also abide by university policies. These regulations are imposed by university administrators. The final and most stringent set of policies that Greek chapters must abide by are state and federal laws. In conclusion, there are many bodies in place to help and maintain a safe and appropriate environment for undergraduate members of the Greek community.

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Myth #15
New members of Greek chapters do not have personal space or time.

Truth
It is true that joining a fraternity does require a certain amount of time and dedication. However, the time and effort required is by no means enough to interfere with other time commitments or academic success. The Greek commitment begins during pledgeship or preinitiation period. Prior to being initiated, prospective chapter members are required to attend meeting or ceremonies in order to learn about their chapter's history and values. Some chapters also choose to administer written tests regarding chapter history and other information. This education serves a dual purpose. First, it enables the prospective members to have enough information regarding their chapter to make an informed decision about whether or not to continue their participation in the Greek community. Second, the pre-initiation period allows chapters to make informed decisions about whether or not to initiate the prospective new members.

Another fear of many prospective members and parents is that personal living space is nonexistent for the pledges/associates/new members. It must first be noted that each individual chapter has a unique living arrangement. In some chapters, members keep all of their personal belongings in a room that is shared by two to four members. This room serves as a living room, study room, and general living space. At night, all members sleep in a sleeping room. This particular setup has many benefits. First, there is always a dark, quiet room for members to rest, day or night. Second, members share living spaces, so they are able to get to know other members and foster friendships. Other fraternities offer a setup where members share rooms with one to four other members. These rooms are multipurpose in that they serve as a living room, study room, and bedroom. This setup allows members to remain in close contact with their belongings, and it also helps for members to build strong friendships with their roommates.

In conclusion, prospective members do not lose an inordinate amount of time or space in joining a Greek chapter. However, it should be understood that joining any group-living organization demands a certain amount of sacrifice of space and privacy. In turn, these sacrifices offer incredible benefits. Strong friendships, an outlet for help and stress, and numerous mentors and role models are all available in Greek living organizations.

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Myth #16
New members are not allowed to participate in chapter decision-making.

Truth
It is generally believed that new or prospective members of Greek living organizations are allowed no input whatsoever. It is also a common belief that prior to initiation, non-initiated members are treated as inferiors and are subservient to active chapter members. These perceptions are based upon misguided generalities and assumptions.

The first thing that must be understood is that different fraternities use different programs to prepare their new members for initiation. Some chapters utilize a pledge system. This system is designed around the idea that new members, or pledges, will learn and grown the most in a close-knit group with other pledges, or a pledge class. Pledges are not allowed to vote in chapter, and the pledge class must meet certain expectations such as planning or fulfilling responsibilities like house chores. While pledges do not vote, they do have a great deal of input in chapter events and decisions. In this particular system, pledge class unity is believed to be the foundation of brotherhood and growth. Friendships and bonds are strongest among members of the same age and pledge class.

A second type f new member education is called an associate program. New members are called "associates" because they are associating with the chapter prior to initiation. Associates have the same privileges as the active members within the chapter. Voting privileges and responsibilities are the same for all members, no matter the age or class. This system focuses on chapter-wide unity. Friendships and bonds are not necessarily stronger among members of the same age or class.

In conclusion, each type of new member education program has its strengths and benefits. Regardless of format, new member programming is vital to developing worthwhile and active chapter members. Without question, new members are the foundation of any Greek chapter. They can make or break chapter success depending on the effort, hear, and soul they put into their chapter.

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Myth #17
The Greek experience will not mold well-rounded individuals.

Truth
The belief that it is impossible to develop into well-rounded individuals through involvement in a Greek living organization is without a doubt the most uneducated and incorrect assumption in existence. Greek communities offer limitless opportunities for growth and development. First, the resources to aid in academic achievement are readily available. Chapter members have access to older, more experienced students, mentors, and scholarship programming within their chapters. The NIC values academic excellence. Chapters understand that academic responsibilities take priority over all other programming or requirements.

Second, leadership opportunities are innumerable. There are leadership positions available within each chapter, within the Greek community, and within the NIC. Greeks are exposed to mentors and role models in every facet of Greek life.

Third, a very active and planned social calendar helps members of the Greek community to fine tune interpersonal skills. Constant interaction with members of their own and other chapters help members to network and build long-lasting friendships.

Finally, individuals are able to learn important lessons about themselves from experiences in the Greek community. They can discover their own strengths and weaknesses and learn how to utilize their talents for the future. Time management skills, the importance of cultural diversity, and interpersonal skills are all covered by programming sponsored by the NIC.

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