University of Virginia Library

Viable System

So far, not one house has folded
for lack of interest or dissension.
Not one house has succumbed to
the numerous pressures which
ruined stronger fraternity systems
at other schools. Virginia has
become an exception to what was
once the rule. Her thirty-odd
houses still constitute a viable
fraternity system.

However, liberal voices have
charged fraternities with racism and
exclusion. At Virginia, these voices
are just beginning to sound like a
crowd because for so long they
were lonely, sporadic cries. The
fraternity system may or may not
respond. To survive in the long run,
it must say something.

Obviously, racism is a problem
in any house. Among any 35 or 40
men there are bound to be several
bigots. Most houses on the Grounds
operate on a low ball system. Some
adhere to a one-ball system. Others
use a percentage system where a
certain per cent of the brotherhood
must cast negative votes to ball a
rushee. Still others use a progressive
system where a decreasing number
of negative votes is required as
Rush goes on.