It’s hard being in a fraternity these days. We as a whole have been unfairly stereotyped with reputations that do not consider the totality of the contributions we make on campus. Whether you call it the “party hIt’s hard being in a fraternity these days. We as a whole have been unfairly stereotyped with reputations that do not consider the totality of the contributions we make on campus. Whether you call it the “party house,” the “jock house,” or the “preppy house,” it is an egregious mistake to box the personalities of dozens of men into a one-line quip.
At Lawrence, fraternities have to respect rules that do not allow us to organize rush-like events first term. That means that for the first ten weeks of school, young men, primarily first year students, have only hearsay and gossip to judge whether fraternity living is right for them. For the rest of the year we have to strike a balance between being visible to those still considering us and crossing the numerous rules attached to Greek-sponsored activities. Fraternities are probably the most closely scrutinized bodies on campus by the students and administration.
Any house on campus naturally needs to fill its rooms, but it is offensive to say that men being recruited could use this as leverage. There is first of all a selection process, which is reason enough to prove that we are not simply desperate for numbers. Secondly, we look for men that we feel complement the atmosphere of the chapter. This could lead to a sense of continuity in the houses’ character and values, but that collective is still made from the individual personalities of its members. A brotherhood of men with shared values is a far cry from a house of dumb jocks.-Peter Maldonado
Letter to the Editor-Peter Maldonado
