My big, frat, Greek life

Tomi Milos
Features Editor

While perusing the scene at this year’s Clubfest, many may have noticed a cluster of McMaster students wearing togas and done a double take. Yes, togas.

These were members of the local Hamilton chapter of Phi Delta Theta, looking to attract new members during their famed rush week. Should a look of confusion be crossing your face at the news that fraternities exist at Mac, pfizer viagra no prescription it wouldn’t be unwarranted.

Technically, fraternities such as Phi Delta Theta, Pi Kappa Alpha and Alpha Epsilon Pi do not exist — at least not as school clubs. Looking back to 1956, we can find the explanation as to why this is so.

That year, the McMaster Student Council Senate passed a motion aimed at barring fraternities on campus by a vote of 7-6. On December 13, 1989 a further policy was passed by the University Senate that prevented fraternities from obtaining recognition as official school organizations and in this manner freed the University from being held responsible for any of their acts. In the same manner that Pontius Pilate washed his hands of Jesus, so too did McMaster of the frats’ fate.

Some may nod their heads in affirmation, thinking McMaster was right in ending their affiliation with organizations known — at least in popular culture — for their ultra-masculine, misogynistic, beer-guzzling ways.

But the naysayers may be letting their opinions become clouded by lewd depictions of fraternities within media.

Seeking to clear the air, The Sil spoke with Jordan Cole, a second-year Political Science and Philosophy student and Acting Recruitment Chair of Phi Delta Theta, one of the six fraternities in the Hamilton area.

The principles that fraternities are normally founded upon can strike some as overtly dramatic, but Phi Delta Theta’s own of “friendship, sound learning, moral rectitude” ties directly into their goal of making each man who joins them the best person he can be, and sounds like something anyone could benefit from.

Cole stressed how a fraternity can give someone who’s pining for the comforts of home a pseudo-family that acts as a “rock” and gives students a sense of solidarity. In surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals, Cole reasons that academics immediately become a more manageable task as everyone now has each other for support. He ended his summation of the principles by saying that moral rectitude simply revolves around living truthfully and virtuously, which they accomplish through charity work.

Glancing at the list of famous Phi Delta Theta alumni on the fraternity’s website is a humbling task, for it includes men such as astronaut Neil Armstrong, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Dropbox CEO Drew Houston, adored movie critic Roger Ebert and football star Wes Welker. Though impressive, one glaring fact stands out: all of the men are white. This fault feeds the notion that all frat members are elitist silver-spooners.

When confronted with this fact, Cole was quick to point out that his chapter’s president, Mradul Sahani, came from a traditional Indian background and adamantly said, “We have absolutely nothing against diversifying our chapter and I have nothing against it as so many new traditions are brought in that can add to our three principals which are ever-changing.”

On a related note, Nu Omega Sigma recently sailed into uncharted waters by becoming McMaster’s first black-focused Greek fraternity.

As someone who was initially opposed to fraternities, Cole himself spoke of how nothing could be more different to what frats signify than the stereotype of a preppy alpha-male swinging from a chandelier. If anything, he said that Phi Delta Theta looks for new members who embody the opposite; someone who can engage in social activities with ease, but who places more importance on academics. Though they don’t require a certain grade average for admittance, strong marks are highly encouraged.

A 1996 study conducted by the National Centre on Postsecondary Teaching in the U.S. focused on the cognitive effects of fraternity affiliation during the first year of university and found that those involved in fraternities had “significantly lower end-of-first-year reading comprehension, mathematics, critical thinking, and composite achievement than their peers who were not affiliated with a Greek organization”.

When confronted by this statistic, Cole — who himself is involved in multiple extra-curriculars as well as a part-time job at Union Market — relented that the fraternity is a big commitment, but if a student’s academics begin to suffer as a result, his social duties are put on the back-burner until he is back on track.

It is important to note that although fraternities have come to promote diversity, the fees required to join and remain a member can play a major part in offsetting that. Asked if the cost can deter certain demographics from joining, Cole replied, “Yes, but it’s like joining a team here; there is a cost to it, but it helps keeps everything running and you gain access to a network of alumni who can help in setting up your career after school. If money is ever an issue, there’s always some way to work it out.”

Still, the idea that frats promote exclusionary culture remains prevalent in contemporary society and Cole is continually seeking to combat that.

“My goal as Recruitment Chair is to truly see who best embodies these qualities we look for while remaining unique and bringing their own spark to the table. Nobody should have to change in order to fit in. Those who buy into the partying stigma are the ones who deter their chance of getting a bid.”

The media has played a major role in perpetuating the prototypical gauche frat-boy image. Films like American Pie Beta House — some of which was coincidentally filmed at McMaster — paint a very vulgar picture of Greek life, especially of the notorious hazing practices involved. But Cole says those frightened of being made to endure similarly painful initiations have nothing to fear.

“We, Phi Delta Theta, have a no-hazing policy involved and do not condone any behaviour that is similar to it whatsoever,” he said. “Some of the stories of hazing in the States that I have heard are disgusting and they have always bothered me. We are just trying to promote a safe atmosphere where people can engage in fun events.”

To accomplish this secure feeling, Cole said that Phi Delta Theta has adopted an alcohol-free approach, which means that alcohol is prohibited at official events where the fraternity emblem is present.

The 1989 policy is a bit of a sore topic with Cole who remains frustrated with the limitations it imposes on not only his, but other Hamilton-based fraternities looking to cater to McMaster students.

“I feel that what we do is a positive thing and it’s a frustrating situation for us because we’re made to sound like something really scary. We’re being told ‘This is the way you are, so you’re not going to be involved with our school. But we’re also not going to give you the chance to redeem yourselves.’”

Cole is saddened by the fact that despite his and other fraternities’ heavy involvement in the community, they remain unrecognized by their own schools. Despite the hardships endured, he maintains an optimistic outlook for the future.

When asked about the future of the relationship between the University and fraternities, MSU President David Campbell said, “I don’t know what I would really speculate. I haven’t heard a lot of concern about the fact that they’re not officially recognized, but my interactions with fraternities have been largely positive.”

After considering how fraternities have changed since 1956, the bottom line remains that they’re not for everyone. But as long as they’re not bothering anyone and continue to promote positive values, there is no reason that McMaster shouldn’t rekindle their relationship with the Greeks.