Stupid people do stupid things. Whenever possible people like to place individuals into their box and the "greek life" label is one that will always get eyeballs and emotions (this will either get locked or go 3 pages). When the 19 year old bowling league kid at FSU assaults someone after a bowling party nobody demands to break up the league. We may have been unique but we certainly coached our pledges to be extremely respectful to women, care about the university, develop as social men and we supported them academically. If anything that accountability system of older 19-23 year olds was a positive influence on those freshman 98% of the time. Of course that isn't news so when the 2% happens, that is the external reputation of all.
Sounds Like the FSU Trustee Meeting getting heated.
- Thread starter Fijimn
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Just a few. But certainly none from Buffalo.
Hey OP when did you go to FSU?
I have a child in another university who just got involved in the Greek life. I love sharing my experiences with them.
BTW odd fact I am an ordained clergy and their are at least 5 other clergy from my fraternity at FSU.
I certainly don't recognize our fraternity in all the stories. Were there incidents I look back at as relatively high risk, sure. Did things happen that maybe I wouldn't be proud of, yeah, but nothing in the realm of what we hear about in these stories. I'm sure things happened with brothers that I never even heard about, but that's kind of the point...that they weren't part of the culture of the fraternity. I can't relate to the fraternity encouraging and covering up these behaviors, as they're accused of.
Of course, every house flips membership completely every few years, so it's useless to talk about "my fraternity", only the narrow slice of time of your experience. I think our house was kicked off campus in the years since. I couldn't or wouldn't vouch for the same place five years prior or after. All I know is that I experienced, besides life long friends, a lot of positive, life-improving influence around respect for women, manners, academics, diversity, philanthropy and honor, in between all the partying and carrying on. It was what it was.
And from the same experience as RUBFSU, I've gone the opposite direction and have not encouraged my kids into greek life at all. I've come to consider my experience kind of a lightning in a bottle exception. I guess it's cynical, but it's not the news stories only, it's also from what the PRO Greek people share and talk about what they are all about. I don't have much faith in my kids having the same experience I did.
Number 3 sure but the rest of them I’d have to disagree. Good future used car salesmen...
It's funny, whenever frats do something stupid you all talk about the philanthropy. The rest of the time all you talk about is booze and women.
Sounds like someone is upset they didn't get invited to either occasion.
As a non-Greek, it is still possible to have fun in college, study hard and work hard. Surely, you know those things are not mutually exclusive.
Of course it is. I'm just commenting on the remarks made on this board. We only hear about all the philanthropy that was done whenever another story about a dead pledge comes out. The rest of the time we're regaled with stories of debauchery.
Privilege and money. Perhaps no more philanthropic than other societal groups, but quick to raise that flag as needed.
Granted that total dollars per capita may be higher, but are the gifts in line with those of lesser means % wise? Let me clear that not all gifts involve writing a check.
How in the world does a fraternity make the alumni base more affluent???
pretentious, yes...more affluent, no.
Fraternities and sororities have their pros and cons, just like everything else in life. That, of course, goes for the non-Greek community as well. It is fascinating to me that people think the “issues” in the Greek world are cabined only in that world. Come on: there are plenty of GDIs making incredibly stupid decisions, too. The difference is that those decisions are manifested all over the greater Leon County area — i.e., not concentrated in one general location — and the folks involved are virtually anonymous.
On balance, the Greeks do way more good than bad. If you disagree, that is fine. But if people can be heard to ban the Greeks, I want to be heard on banning some of the heavily-pierced and disheveled “free spirits” that make up the other community. See how that works??
On balance, the Greeks do way more good than bad. If you disagree, that is fine. But if people can be heard to ban the Greeks, I want to be heard on banning some of the heavily-pierced and disheveled “free spirits” that make up the other community. See how that works??
62Nole
Seminole Insider
We had some affluent guys but we also had guys that put themselves through school. Opposite ends of the scale.
And my dad was the Merita bread man in our hometown. We were not wealthy for sure.
And my dad was the Merita bread man in our hometown. We were not wealthy for sure.
Don' really have a dog in this fight and since I was older when I went to FSU joining a frat was never a consideration. I did think about joining the frat my dad was in at FSU just to kind of have that legacy thing with him; but quickly realized having some 19 y/o kid hazing me would not end well for anyone. I have a nephew at FSU who is a Pike and another nephew who went to IU and was in a frat. My nephew at FSU only posts things about partying and I have never heard him mention anything about philanthropy; my nephew that went to IU did talk about and post things about philanthropy. IMO what a frat does and what those in them do likely depends on the frat and the person. I think the reason frats are getting all this attention is they are a group and it is likely easier to manage or change the rules for a group than it is to try and make changes to rules based on individuals. Sure non-frat college folks do dumb and even illegal things; but when it happens to a regulated organization it not only gets more attention, but people in power feel like they can change things.
I have never really understood the frat thing and it always seemed to me that people were paying to be in a club and have friends. Maybe that is because I know very little about frats. Who know how this thing shakes out, but you have figure something will change this is to high visibility and the liability is to high for colleges. Interesting topic though and it got me to like a post from Belem so you know the world might come to an end soon.
I have never really understood the frat thing and it always seemed to me that people were paying to be in a club and have friends. Maybe that is because I know very little about frats. Who know how this thing shakes out, but you have figure something will change this is to high visibility and the liability is to high for colleges. Interesting topic though and it got me to like a post from Belem so you know the world might come to an end soon.
Wonder how many anti-greek people belong to country clubs or other “membership” organizations? They buying their friends too?
I know we appreciated the frat that came to our house voluntarily to put up the boards on our windows when Irma came. They frequently do things like that.
I was in a fraternity and if I'm being honest "philanthropy" wasn't high on our priority list. Not even sure it was on the list.
I don't know. I know I wouldn't and haven't belonged to any CC's. Where I live that is a minimum of 20k one time fee and then roughly $300 per month. If I spend that kind of money it is to a charity, but more likely to help out my own family or friends. So yes joining a CC seems like a waste of money as well, at least to me a guy who doesn't play golf, has a pool and would rather cook his own food.
I'm a sorority alumnae and both my brothers are fraternity alumni - my parents were neither rich nor famous, nor were they members of a GLO. But they gladly supported our decisions to join.
I have nothing but good memories of my time as a collegiate member and I can state with certainty that my alumnae involvement led to at least one job, and the connection helped my husband as well, since my friendship in an alumnae group with one of the women led to the discovery that her husband was President of one of the country's major supermarket chains. (Was friends with her before either of us knew anything about our husband's jobs). Since my husband was an executive of a major consumer products company, it was a pleasant surprise since he already knew her husband.
As to philanthropy, it's become hugely important in the last 15 years or so, at least with fraternities, but farther back for sororities.
I think FSU has a culture as a whole of a party school that's gotten a bit over the top - regardless of membership in any organization. The way the girls dress now is unnecessary and frankly ironic, given the #metoo mentality popular at the moment. If most parents could see how their daughters dress for games and parties, they'd flip. Is it really necessary to wear cut offs that show half your butt cheeks? And get blitzed on a regular basis? I see the sorority girls at the games and frankly it's not cool. Group mentality in this instance is not a positive thing.
I have nothing but good memories of my time as a collegiate member and I can state with certainty that my alumnae involvement led to at least one job, and the connection helped my husband as well, since my friendship in an alumnae group with one of the women led to the discovery that her husband was President of one of the country's major supermarket chains. (Was friends with her before either of us knew anything about our husband's jobs). Since my husband was an executive of a major consumer products company, it was a pleasant surprise since he already knew her husband.
As to philanthropy, it's become hugely important in the last 15 years or so, at least with fraternities, but farther back for sororities.
I think FSU has a culture as a whole of a party school that's gotten a bit over the top - regardless of membership in any organization. The way the girls dress now is unnecessary and frankly ironic, given the #metoo mentality popular at the moment. If most parents could see how their daughters dress for games and parties, they'd flip. Is it really necessary to wear cut offs that show half your butt cheeks? And get blitzed on a regular basis? I see the sorority girls at the games and frankly it's not cool. Group mentality in this instance is not a positive thing.
Would they not have been affluent if they weren’t in a fraternity, of if fraternities didn’t exist?
Is it the fraternity making them affluent or the education and career choice?
FYI, I’m all for Greek life, have no issues with it at all.
This is what I am most worried about with my daughter when she gets to FSU. She knows my opinion of how girls dress and I only hope I taught her well. She wants to join a sorority, and already knows which one she wants the most. I spoke to her last night and told her that the first time she gets drunk and stupid, I only hope she is with very good friends who wont leave her to fend for herself. And that she isn't pressured to show her T & A if she doesn't want to.
Curious, of course as to which house she's hoping for!
I was talking with an acquaintance at a tailgate this past season (a Pike alum and FSU non-football athlete) who has a daughter at FSU, and in a sorority. We were in agreement over the current style of dress and I think he and his wife probably had a conversation with their very pretty young lady that she didn't need to flaunt her goods the way so many do.
Certainly it's not a requirement, but honestly, those who join groups of any kind, whether it's a "dining club" at an Ivy League or a fraternity at a State U., or even your company or unit in the military, the desire to be around those who form a network early on, function successfully in that network or group, and share common experiences and successes (even if it's just winning the championship in IFC flag football or best float at Homecoming) tend to carry that ability to work well with others through life.
One of the very lamest things I see in these threads is "I didn't have to 'buy' my friends in college".
Join, don't join. It matters not to me, and it's unfortunate that those of us who chose to join should be guilt tripped into being on the defensive about it. I'm certainly not. Yeah, I was in one of the "hot girls" houses. So what?
She wants to be a SDT. The first time she told me, I really thought she said STD. I got the "Oh, MOM...rolling eyes" look.
Get off my lawn.......
Based on a casual review of Instagram it looks like the GDI need some thought policing as they too need to lose the trash and up the class. Maybe the university should look at going dry for tailgating and possibly ban some of the alumni base for football season.
Everyone's replaceable.
No GDI's here
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This lady rocks. I would be curious how her message was received, and whether anyone’s behavior changed. Hope so.
I would think that any evidence of true change won't be seen until some time in the future. Behavior often changes in the short term. The test is whether it holds long term.
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