Lastihenos 1

Christian Lastihenos

Mrs. Valensa

Creative Writing, Period 10

26 February 2018

As young and bright individuals make their way to college, they begin to

experience many new and interesting encounters. From campus life to Greek life, one

must eventually make a decision to begin the rushing process--in hopes of eventually

join a fraternity. Those who take this pathway see it as an opportunity to meet and

develop new relationships with one another, while others see it as an opportunity to

place one in a dangerous environment containing an enormous amount of alcohol and

drugs. With the immense spread of controversy about fraternities, there are many

advantages and disadvantages in joining a fraternity.

College is a time for young individuals to grow and adjust to their new lifestyle.

In doing so, many college students experience many new events. Unfortunately, the

culprit for the increase in alcohol consumption among college students has been seen

in fraternities. Several studies have shown that the amount of alcohol consumed among

college students in fraternities have skyrocketed in the past decades. According to

“Fraternity Membership and Drinking Behavior” by Jeff DeSimone, “The activity most

associated with fraternities is alcohol consumption”. Also, recent pre-surveys have

shown that “ alcohol intoxication was reported by 64% of fraternity members but only

42% of nonmembers”(DeSimone). It is clear that being a fraternity has a major impact

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on alcohol influenced among these developing young adults. Due to the social

accepting environment of alcohol among fraternity members, binge drinking has also

become a major epidemic among the majority of fraternity members. According to

"Alcohol Use among Fraternity and Sorority Members:Looking at Change over Time."

by Sandra L. Caron, recent numbers have shown that “seventy five percent of fraternity

members were binge drinkers”, and this number is only increasing. Caron also stated

that not only is the amount of alcohol being consumed increase, but the frequency of

drinking has also skyrocketed. It has been stated that “eighty five percent of residents of

Greek houses reported drinking alcohol at least one to two times per week, while thirty

seven percent said they drank at least three to four times per week” (Caron et al.). This

recent increase in binge drinking has led to many concerns for the students’ health and

safety in fraternities. In fact, researchers have discovered that the “environment of

fraternity and sorority houses” is the prompting factors that cause alcohol abuse, and

eventually binge drinking among several fraternity members (Caron et al.).The

combination of reckless drinking and uneducated decisions made by fraternity members

has raised great concern for fraternity members.

In addition, high rates of alcohol intoxication among fraternity members is not the

only outcome of mass amounts of alcohol consumption. For example, not only are

college students consuming alcohol, but the social image of college is seeming to be

more accustomed to “abundant intoxicated students” engaging in “behaviors such as

sex and vandalism”(DeSimone). DeSimone has also stated that as much as “thirteen

percent and fourteen percent” of the school year’s altercations involving “unprotected
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sex and property damage” have been caused by alcohol abuse. In addition to reckless

actions, “forty percent of fraternity members, compared with twenty six percent of non

members” have been reported driving while intoxicated in the past 30 days of the

survey(DeSimone). This ongoing cycle of immature and dangerous actions among

fraternity members being intoxicated has only gone to prove that alcohol related

accidents are inevitable among fraternity members and that the choice of joining a

fraternity is only becoming harder and harder for incoming freshman.

Furthermore, the issue of safety for college fraternity members doesn't end here.

The entry ritual known as “Hazing” has created a whole new meaning of danger for

incoming fraternity pledges. According to Death by hazing: should there be a federal law

against fraternity and sorority hazing?, by Devon M. Alvarez, hazing is the practice of

initiating for members to join the fraternity and are often associated with “harassment”

and “humiliation”. This process is a long and dangerous path participants have to go

through in order to be deemed a brother. In addition, it has been shown that hazing has

lead to “serious injury and even death” among fraternity members all across the

country(Alvarez). These recent deaths raise major concerns across campuses

regarding the safety of fraternities, for the death toll is only increasing. As stated in “Are

colleges really doing enough to stop fraternity hazing deaths?” by Liz Willen, a college

student named Timothy Piazza pledging to Beta Theta Pi has been deemed dead due

to hazing. The nineteen year old sophmore was reported to have consumed “eighteen

drinks in eighty two minutes, before falling down a set of stairs and fracturing his

skull"(Are Colleges”). It is evident that the combination of hazing and alcohol abuse has
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lead to the tragic death of an innocent nineteen year old. In a similar way, eighteen year

old Maxwell Gruver has passed away at Louisiana State University due to hazing

related activities(“Are Colleges”). Willen stated that “Gruver died at a nearby hospital

with a blood alcohol level of .495”-- this amount of alcohol consumption is six times

more than the “legal intoxication level in most states”. With a .495 blood alcohol content

level, Gruver is an everlasting example of how fraternities can force and inflict alcohol

during hazing. After examination, it is clear that joining a fraternity can cause many

obstacles for incoming college students.

On the other hand, joining a fraternity has been known to cause positive

outcomes for those who participate. The intended purpose of a fraternity was to

establish a brotherhood and promote the social welfare of young individuals. According

to “Social Fraternities and Sororities” by Michael A. Grandillo, fraternities embrace the

“shared initiatives of scholarship, leadership development, service to others, and

fellowship among members”. Additionally, fraternities have been known for teaching

“rich out-of-class” learning, or street smarts, and promote “personal development

opportunities” for incoming undergraduates(Grandillo). Although fraternities may not

fully enhance one’s academic skills, fraternities have a major impact on the social

well-being of their members and have even been known to promote the moral

development of these individuals. Stated by Robert E. Mathiasen in "Moral

Development in Fraternity Members: A Case Study", several pieces of scientific data

provided support that fraternities have a “positive influence on members' moral

development”. Mathiasen also stated that fraternities are “encouraging community

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service”, “recruiting quality members” and even “emphasizing moral development”.

These positive influences raise many attractive reasons for incoming undergraduates to

participate in Greek life.

In addition to promoting the social welfare and moral development of fraternity

members, fraternities also have been known for providing many other benefits for their

members. For example, fraternities have been a major patron in doing community

service and even raising money for charity(“Are Colleges”). In addition to “adding value

to the college”, fraternities have been proven to “boost retention and graduation rates”

among universities(“Are Colleges”). Not only are fraternities enhancing graduation rate,

but fraternities are even helping their alumni members after they graduate, for

fraternities have been seen to “provide vast alumni job networks”(“Are Colleges”).

These advantages provide fraternity members with a vast span of connections and

charity work that will carry them past college and eventually to their future career.

Moreover, fraternities offer many “organized and varied schedule of activities”, such as

“intramural sports,community service projects, dances, formals, and parties”(Grandillo).

These activities promote all fraternity members to experience physical exercise and

even enhance one’s social experiences. Likewise, several organizations like the

National Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and the National Panhellenic Conference have

been reported stating that fraternities “enhance the development of mature

interpersonal relationships, facilitate the development of leadership skills,and teach

teamwork”(Grandillo). Although the amount of positive outcomes of joining a fraternity

are heavily outweighed by negative consequences, the potential of a fraternity to

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provide many valuable lessons and promote moral development should not be

overlooked.

The decision to join a fraternity is one that an individual should heavily

contemplate before making the commitment. Like anything in life, joining a fraternity has

both its positives and negatives. The recent increase in conflicts involved with

fraternities have lead many to believe that there are only outcomes that are bad. On the

other hand, fraternities have been seen to provide their members with many social and

even academic advantages that, otherwise, would not be present for fraternity

members. The amount disadvantages of being a fraternity member are heavily

outweighing the advantages, however, the several valuable advantages that fraternities

provide should still be taken into consideration when one makes their decision. The

most important key to making the right decision of joining a fraternity is to make sure

that one is in an environment that they enjoy and feel comfortable in. As of today,

fraternities stand extremely popular among the growing college student population, but

the question of fraternities existing in the future is put to trial and, evidently, lies in the

hands of the current fraternity members carry on the legacy--known as Greek Life.
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Works Cited

Alvarez, Devon M. "Death by Hazing: Should There Be a Federal Law against Fraternity and

Sorority Hazing?" ​Journal of Multidisciplinary Research​, vol. 7, no. 2, Summer 2015, p. 43+.

Academic OneFile​,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A445737342/AONE?u=jelopacplus&sid=AONE&xid=2358cb8b.

Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.

"Are Colleges Really Doing Enough to Stop Fraternity Hazing Deaths?" ​Washingtonpost.com​,

16 Nov. 2017. ​Student Resources in Context​,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A514723614/SUIC?u=jeric34891&xid=cb0d899d. Accessed 26

Jan. 2018.

Caron, Sandra L., et al. "Alcohol Use among Fraternity and Sorority Members: Looking at

Change over Time." ​Journal of Alcohol & Drug Education​, vol. 47, no. 3, Mar. 2004, p. 51+.

Health Reference Center Academic​,

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. Accessed 26 Jan. 2018.

DeSimone, Jeff. "Fraternity Membership and Drinking Behavior." ​Economic Inquiry​, vol. 47, no.

2, Apr. 2009, p. 337+. ​General OneFile​,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A199599604/ITOF?u=nysl_li_jhsch&sid=ITOF&xid=f30c7e95.

Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.

GRANDILLO, MICHAEL A. "Social Fraternities and Sororities." ​Encyclopedia of Education​,

edited by James W. Guthrie, 2nd ed., vol. 6, New York, Macmillan Reference USA, 2002, pp.

2250-53. ​Gale Virtual Reference Library​,

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link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3403200567/GVRL?u=jelopacplus&sid=GVRL&xid=3b686ae

e. Accessed 30 Jan. 2018.

Mangan, Katherine. "Making Fraternities Safer." ​The Chronicle of Higher Education​, vol. 64,

no. 2, 8 Sept. 2017, p. A6+. ​Educators Reference Complete​,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A505468472/PROF?u=nysl_li_bocesnas&sid=PROF&xid=94990a

5c. Accessed 8 Feb. 2018.

---. "Making Fraternities Safer." ​The Chronicle of Higher Education​, vol. 64, no. 2, 8 Sept. 2017,

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5c. Accessed 31 Jan. 2018.

Mathiasen, Robert E. "Moral Development in Fraternity Members: A Case Study." ​College

Student Journal​, vol. 39, no. 2, June 2005, p. 242+. ​General OneFile​,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A133606094/ITOF?u=nysl_li_jhsch&sid=ITOF&xid=14538457.

Accessed 10 Feb. 2018.

Milana, Sabrina Theresa, et al. "Alumni Day." Creative Writing, 3 Jan. 2018, Jericho High

School. Lecture.