USC fraternities must bow to regulations
The scene is all too familiar. A dimly lit room with freshmen and pounding music loud enough to hear throughout Greek Row. Enough alcohol to incapacitate an ox is presented to the first-years. A night of drunken debauchery and a morning of instant regret are sure to follow.
For decades, rituals like this have been common and expected by students wanting to pledge for USC fraternities. To prove they are worthy of being in a fraternity and having friends, pledges sometimes go through a kind of humiliating orientation, which involves hazing from senior members of the fraternity. In the past year, the University has begun a massive sting in search of misconduct among Greek organizations. According to the USC Office of Fraternity and Sorority Leadership Development, five fraternities have been investigated for hazing and drug abuse. Three of those five have lost University recognition.
Investigations undertaken by the University have paired with a new policy that restricts all first-year students from the rushing process until they have completed 12 credits with a GPA of 2.5 at least. Greek organizations such as Sigma Chi and Beta Theta Pi have filed suit against the policy, saying the policy violates the right of free association enshrined in the First Amendment. Additionally, the suit alleges the University is discriminatory toward Greek life. With the case currently in review in the L.A. Superior Court, the fraternities must do one simple thing: accept those administrative investigations.
It’s important to note that fraternities exhibit negative connotations. Where universities are bastions of academia and political correctness, fraternities seem to be the antithesis of that. There’s a reason why fraternities are stereotyped as being filled with drunk men and being dens for the hypersexualization of women — because most fraternities do actually contain such things.
For example, USC had 216 incidents in 2018 where DPS was called to The Row with connections to partying or drug-related incidents. Even more, eight USC fraternities, since 2018, have either been placed on suspension or have completely lost recognition due to hazing. But despite how dangerous some fraternities can be, the University’s deferred rush process policy is wrong.
USC students are among the brightest in the entire nation. As a result, if some of them wish to join a fraternity and go through “hazing,” it is their freedom of association that allows them to do just that. At the same time, University fraternities must stand down because if they have nothing to hide, then nothing will happen to their status. By stirring the pot, fraternities will only prompt University officials to continue being wary of Greek life.
Of course fraternities can taint the reputation of a university, but not all fraternities at USC conduct hazing rituals, as is the case of the law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta. Camaraderie and friendships are built through joining and participating in these organizations. The friendships last a lifetime, forming a generational connection — one that the University profits off of through its Alumni Association. Furthermore, attending an elite university often exposes one to opportunities within their field. Whether that be engineering, law, medicine or anything else, fraternities provide extensive parent and alumni networks.
College is where individualism is cultivated within a student. Nevertheless, fraternities continue to be the microcities of controversy. One would admit that frat parties are nights filled with fun and memories, yet it is almost a guarantee that every year, fraternities and University officials engage in a tug-of-war over principles and safety. The University policy imposed on the Greek system is attached to academic merits, but it nonetheless restricts the essential freedom of people to associate with whom they wish to be associated, and therefore grow to be the person they wish to be.
While the University policy and investigations may be antagonizing to some fraternities, the Greek organizations must not take the bait. More attention and bad publicity are the last things fraternities need at the moment after a year filled with suspensions and loss of recognition. As a result, it would be in the best interest of the fraternities to accommodate the University in its investigations. To ensure the survival of their frats, Greek life must learn to turn down the music for a while.