Fraternity Danger at UMD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the frats makes them more dangerous than dorm life or non frat off campus housing? Lack of RAs and neighbors who call the landlord or the police?

Maybe frats should buy a social hall and not live together.

The peer pressure aspect is amplified: If you don't drink as much as they tell you to, you are OUT. At most parties you drink a lot but you are not forced.

My DS was never forced to drink during or after pledging. In fact he does not really drink much and does not smoke (anything). People on this thread are just going immediately to the worst examples not the 80% of the experience that others have had.

[Anonymous]

Since they decided to suspend every fraternity and sorority except for the traditionally black ones, I'm assuming they have evidence on each of them because other wise, they will get sued by those they don't have evidence on and it will be really hard to argue they weren't discriminated against based on race when none of the traditionally black houses were effected

[Anonymous]

I think the distinction is the governing bodies. I didn't look this up yet, but at many collies that black sororities and fraternities (Divine 9) are not a part of the panhellenic council.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I don’t understand is that everything is so hush hush. What happened?

I think they heard stories of things happening, but don't have proof. They are investigating - I think they have hired outside investigators? and will say something if and when something has been proven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the frats makes them more dangerous than dorm life or non frat off campus housing? Lack of RAs and neighbors who call the landlord or the police?

Maybe frats should buy a social hall and not live together.

The peer pressure aspect is amplified: If you don't drink as much as they tell you to, you are OUT. At most parties you drink a lot but you are not forced.

You won't be getting into many parties as a geed male at a lot of schools.

There are plenty of opportunities to party without stepping foot in a frat. I went to UMD in early 90s, partied plenty, and was not in a fraternity. While I had some greek friends and was encouraged to rush, I never considered it. The greeks went to the 'vous and we went to Santa Fe and it was fine. In a big school, you'll find your people.

Assuming you're an adult, you really should stop using words like "geed"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the distinction is the governing bodies. I didn't look this up yet, but at many collies that black sororities and fraternities (Divine 9) are not a part of the panhellenic council.

Edited: "at many colleges the Divine 9 are not part of the panhellenic council" I don't know how the UMD system is organized, but it could be that there's a different governing body for the black sororities and fraternities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since they decided to suspend every fraternity and sorority except for the traditionally black ones, I'm assuming they have evidence on each of them because other wise, they will get sued by those they don't have evidence on and it will be really hard to argue they weren't discriminated against based on race when none of the traditionally black houses were effected

They did not suspend the chapters; they told them they could no longer host events where alcohol was served, and can not recruit new members. They are allowed to continue to exist, to hold meetings, to do their philanthropy, host study sessions for members, spruce up their chapter house, to have social gatherings (without alcohol) for themselves and their friends as long as they aren't trying to get new members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the frats makes them more dangerous than dorm life or non frat off campus housing? Lack of RAs and neighbors who call the landlord or the police?

Maybe frats should buy a social hall and not live together.

The peer pressure aspect is amplified: If you don't drink as much as they tell you to, you are OUT. At most parties you drink a lot but you are not forced.

You won't be getting into many parties as a geed male at a lot of schools.

There are plenty of opportunities to party without stepping foot in a frat. I went to UMD in early 90s, partied plenty, and was not in a fraternity. While I had some greek friends and was encouraged to rush, I never considered it. The greeks went to the 'vous and we went to Santa Fe and it was fine. In a big school, you'll find your people.

Assuming you're an adult, you really should stop using words like "geed"

Agree with this, with one caveat - at some schools, the social scene is dominated by greek life. Someone who knows they don't like or want that might not be happy at those schools.

Also agree about the nitwit who keeps using the term, "geed." Grow up. And I say this as a former IFC and chapter officer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the frats makes them more dangerous than dorm life or non frat off campus housing? Lack of RAs and neighbors who call the landlord or the police?

Maybe frats should buy a social hall and not live together.

The peer pressure aspect is amplified: If you don't drink as much as they tell you to, you are OUT. At most parties you drink a lot but you are not forced.

My DS was never forced to drink during or after pledging. In fact he does not really drink much and does not smoke (anything). People on this thread are just going immediately to the worst examples not the 80% of the experience that others have had.

I absolutely believe you that 80% of pledging experiences are positive, or at least not dangerous. But the other 20% is a pretty huge problem, and 20% isn't exactly a small number.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the frats makes them more dangerous than dorm life or non frat off campus housing? Lack of RAs and neighbors who call the landlord or the police?

Maybe frats should buy a social hall and not live together.

The peer pressure aspect is amplified: If you don't drink as much as they tell you to, you are OUT. At most parties you drink a lot but you are not forced.

My DS was never forced to drink during or after pledging. In fact he does not really drink much and does not smoke (anything). People on this thread are just going immediately to the worst examples not the 80% of the experience that others have had.

I absolutely believe you that 80% of pledging experiences are positive, or at least not dangerous. But the other 20% is a pretty huge problem, and 20% isn't exactly a small number.

hopefuly you realize that the 80% I mentioned is not scientific at all, i was just using that as an example that there are plenty of people going through pledging right now, who are not hazed in a dangerous way. Now techncially being told to do ANYTHING is currently considered "hazing" but I think we can agree that some of the things categorized under that term are perfectly harmless such as being told to carry things around, dress in a suit on a certain day of the week, clean the house, drive brothers home from parties, be a bouncer at parties. Pretty sure we're not concerned about those things. Most fraternities (and sororities) absolutely KNOW that they should not be hazing with alcohol, so the worst of them try other food and drink items, heck even water, which honestly can be just as bad on large quantities, for other reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about the frats makes them more dangerous than dorm life or non frat off campus housing? Lack of RAs and neighbors who call the landlord or the police?

Maybe frats should buy a social hall and not live together.

The peer pressure aspect is amplified: If you don't drink as much as they tell you to, you are OUT. At most parties you drink a lot but you are not forced.

My DS was never forced to drink during or after pledging. In fact he does not really drink much and does not smoke (anything). People on this thread are just going immediately to the worst examples not the 80% of the experience that others have had.

I absolutely believe you that 80% of pledging experiences are positive, or at least not dangerous. But the other 20% is a pretty huge problem, and 20% isn't exactly a small number.

The only 80/20 stat that matters is that on a typical campus, the 20% of the guys who are in frats pull 80% of the females. That's a fact, and it's why geeds hate so much on frat bros even decades after they graduate.

[Anonymous]

Some schools just say they won't allow clubs that everyone cannot get into.

No need to set up this them and us mentality (let alone come up with rituals to humiliate and demean your future friends!).

Why does that even need to be said?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since they decided to suspend every fraternity and sorority except for the traditionally black ones, I'm assuming they have evidence on each of them because other wise, they will get sued by those they don't have evidence on and it will be really hard to argue they weren't discriminated against based on race when none of the traditionally black houses were effected

They did not suspend the chapters; they told them they could no longer host events where alcohol was served, and can not recruit new members. They are allowed to continue to exist, to hold meetings, to do their philanthropy, host study sessions for members, spruce up their chapter house, to have social gatherings (without alcohol) for themselves and their friends as long as they aren't trying to get new members.

That sounds like race based discrimination to me. I hope some chapter sues. I'm sure the e-mail between administrators trying to decide whether or not to include traditionally black houses in the punishment will be interesting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some schools just say they won't allow clubs that everyone cannot get into.

No need to set up this them and us mentality (let alone come up with rituals to humiliate and demean your future friends!).

Why does that even need to be said?

Name a single school that applies that to sports and I'll agree with you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since they decided to suspend every fraternity and sorority except for the traditionally black ones, I'm assuming they have evidence on each of them because other wise, they will get sued by those they don't have evidence on and it will be really hard to argue they weren't discriminated against based on race when none of the traditionally black houses were effected

They did not suspend the chapters; they told them they could no longer host events where alcohol was served, and can not recruit new members. They are allowed to continue to exist, to hold meetings, to do their philanthropy, host study sessions for members, spruce up their chapter house, to have social gatherings (without alcohol) for themselves and their friends as long as they aren't trying to get new members.

That sounds like race based discrimination to me. I hope some chapter sues. I'm sure the e-mail between administrators trying to decide whether or not to include traditionally black houses in the punishment will be interesting

Race-based discrimination. Why?