Sometimes even the best efforts of a fraternity at rehabilitation aren't enough—especially when fellow greeks play spoilers to your good works. The local Theta Chi at the University of Oregon certainly had a laundry list of infractions in its past: they were cited for alcohol infractions in 2005 and 2006, and another fraternity reported seeing them with kegs, leading to another reprimand in March 2007. But Theta Chi seemed on course to fulfill the conditions of its probation this past fall and soldier on. Since the keg incident, they have reported excellent progress, and in the autumn recruited 32 men and achieved a 3.23 GPA, the highest of all fraternities.
Nonetheless, at the end of fall term they were informed they would be derecognized by the university for failing the nebulous "good conduct" requirement of their probation, despite achieving every other (tangible) stricture. Notable incidents involved a shirts and skins football game early in the semester reported by another frat as an incident of hazing. The university agreed. Later in the term, the fraternity's off-campus retreat racked up a cool $10G in damages, though they evidently paid it promptly. The university does not point to any "one instance or set of recent instances" as triggering the decision, but rather their decade-long pattern of conduct. Yet evaluating Theta Chi's present compliance with enunciated probationary goals on anything other than the present is oblique at best. And Theta Chi cites the university uniquely calling the lodge at their retreat, but not other greeks', as part of a pattern of "inconsistency in the Greek office's enforcement."
Moreover, they seem to have been kyboshed in part by the gossipmongering of rival fraternities. Your correspondent certainly doesn't argue that fellow greeks, or indeed any university citizen, should eschew reporting clear violations of policy out of some misguided sense of loyalty. But Theta Chi's record seems peppered with instances of unnamed fraternity brothers reporting on at best trivial infractions. (Shirtless football equals hazing? Please. America needs more football, not less.) Given Theta Chi's outstanding performance in academics and recruitment, maybe this was all just an age-old case of stab-the-leader. If so, for shame.
Readers may also find interesting the Daily Emerald's editorial on the ouster, which places considerably more emphasis on the off-campus damages.
Posts
1 comment:
In reality, the closing of the chapter was instigated by alumnus members, including some who served on the alumni corporation. The hazing was just that--stacking the pledges v. the members. The excuses offered by chapter leaders were sadly suggestive of a hazing mentality. The final brick in the wheelbarrow was the damage caused during the "retreat". Regardless of the amount, the fact is that some members did the damage and others stood by.
Post a Comment