University of Virginia Library

By Rod MacDonald

Fraternities: See For Yourself

"Don't Rush, Don't Pledge" is a
phrase repeatedly used by opponents
of fraternities, both here at
the University and elsewhere in the
nation. Armed with this catchphrase
and woeful tales, students
against fraternities seek to convince
the entering student planning his
college career to heed their words
and remain away from fraternity
life.

The opposition to fraternities
stems from several quarters; from
frustrated former fraternity men
who were unable to force their
ideology on their brothers; and
mostly, from students who have
had relatively little contact with the
system and hope to weaken what
they consider an opposing force.

And so first-year men this year
are being told a variety of myths:
that fraternities are fading out
(when in fact they increase each
year); that they beat their pledges;
and that pledges exist solely for the
use of sadistic brothers. These
myths, hope the opponents, will
convince an interested student to
avoid pledging until after his first
year, when it is generally too late.

Prevalent Myth

But the most prevalent myth is
that fraternity men are all Southern
gentlemen, conservative, bigots,
narrow-minded and oppressive mentors
of their fraternity brothers.
Such an approach sadly neglects the
facts. No two fraternities, and for
that matter no two people, are
exactly alike. Fraternities all have
diverse viewpoints, and their shares
of non-three- piece suit wardrobes,
and the fraternity system has
produced some of the more respected
liberal politicians in the
Student Body - Paul Hurdle, Steve
Hayes and Kevin Mannix for
examples. The IFC itself last year
urged the University to hire a black
admissions recruiter, required their
fraternities to pay their help a
minimum wage, and this year the
Committee on Fraternities is in the
process of establishing review and
enforcement procedures for cases
of fraternity discrimination.

Thus, to argue that fraternities
are monolithically conservative is to
contradict the established facts.
Fraternities are based on people,
and they are getting more and more
liberal just as students are everywhere.

Meet Members

And this is where the potential
rushee should begin to find out, for
himself, about fraternities - he
should meet their members. There
are houses dominated by certain
sports, others by certain activities,
others by students from certain
areas of the country. But all
students are generally welcome if
they seek to offer something to a
fraternity where they get along well
with the brothers. Friendship is,
above all, the essential ingredient of
fraternity life, and potential members
are selected much as one
student selects his friends in his
dorm.

Another supposed criticism of
fraternities is what they offer once
a student becomes a member.
Critics say brothers beat and use
pledges to take out their own
frustrations, a claim that is usually
bunk (who beats his own friends?)
Some fraternities do put their
pledges through "Hell Nights" and
shape-up sessions (both regulated
for possible injury by a watchful
IFC and by state law), but most of
these houses are even now re-evaluating
their pledge programs to bring
constructive change. Many houses
have done away with such initiations
altogether, so the tales are
often false.

Vast Potential

What critics basically miss is the
vast potential fraternities provide in
brotherhood - friendship, a sense
of common goals, pride in a
close-knit organization. The comfortable
surroundings and closeness
of the brothers is far from a facade;
it is usually a representation of
their own sense of belonging,
within a group of close friends.

Goals Emerge

And common goals emerge from
the spirit of betterment. Some
houses stress scholarship, and a few
are often in the top five (the
all-fraternity men's average annually
tops the all-men's average at
the University). Others devote
much time to community service:
some fraternities have parties for
local children, others have been to
Nelson County to help in flood
reconstruction. The IFC urges all
fraternities to contribute both to
their brothers' academic life and to
the community's needs; and most
houses respond well.

One fraternity problem is, as
critics claim, with racial discrimination.
Under the blackball system
few houses will accept Black
members at present, although the
IFC is attempting to deal with that
problem. It is a trend that will have
to change, but I fully expect that
the classes entering most fraternities
within the next few years (and
even now) will prove to be even
more open-minded than the critics
who prophesy doom.

In short, fraternities exist for
people, and they reflect their
members. No chutzpah can cover
up the personalities of its members,
which vary within houses and
widely from one to another. A
rushee or first-year man should see
what each fraternity can offer him
before deciding, for the rewards of
membership are great for him who
chooses well. The most informed
student at the University cannot
tell a rushee whether or not he
should pledge, for that is his choice
depending on what type of house
he prefers.

Narrow-minded people will say
"Don't rush," emphasizing the
supposed "inhumane" aspects of
fraternities. They are self-defeating,
urging a better system while telling
everyone to cop out. Fraternities
have many worthwhile values, and
have some problems, but they offer
an individual more fulfillment at
this University than he is likely to
get otherwise, and should not be
lightly regarded. Every first-year
man should weigh the real facts and
meet the people himself before
deciding whether to join; he should
not be bullied into passivity by the
ballyhoo of opposition..