By: Alex Bak
Through the various “frat” Instagram accounts that often boast drunk endeavours and the typical mishaps of college students and the advertisements of beer paraphernalia, it became apparent that fraternity life has been coined into a lifestyle brand for college student.
What people often forget in the midst of all the advertisements and representations on social media is that these secret Greek letter societies were formed for the betterment of bonds between the respective brothers and sisters in the community.
The jaded view that fraternities often get at McMaster as a boisterous pack of mindless partygoers does not do their other pillars justice. I hope this piece can shed some light on the growing impact that fraternities have in the McMaster and Hamilton community and destigmatize the image of Greek life.
In my journey as an active member of the Mu Delta chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, I have witnessed numerous achievements by the efforts of the brothers that have changed my view on the supposed lifestyle of fraternities.
Through the various challenges that disguises the true intent of PiKA, the yearly chart-topping fundraising in support of the McMaster Relay for Life and the pints of blood donated for the McMaster Stem Cell Drive, I have been proud to be a part of the phenomenal support that a student organization can give to other student initiatives.
Even in the next few weeks there will be brothers shaving their heads for the Shave for a Cure initiative. This does not go to say that only one Greek life society is attributed to this cause. The growing Greek life at McMaster is responsible for a good portion of the unseen volunteer environment.
In my journey as an active member of the Mu Delta chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, I have witnessed numerous achievements by the efforts of the brothers that have changed my view on the supposed lifestyle of fraternities.
Imbued by a sense of collective ownership of the university and as stakeholders of the community’s growth, even more students will participate in these determinations of their peers as the brothers have done.
In a seemingly unnaturally inclusive environment, the status of faculty or years become irrelevant leading to a bridging of a gap between lower and upper years that wouldn’t occur in any other typical, post-secondary situation.
This leads to a unique environment, in which both seniors and freshmen are able to benefit and empower each other and push each other to strive for more than they could individually. The group not only works to empower those within the fraternity, but also seeks out the best interest of others in the community by dedicating their time to extracurricular charity work.
My time as a brother has helped me learn that university is so much more than a degree. When your kids ask you about your time at McMaster and wonder about the university experience on day, will you be stumped in trying to remember what you did here, or will you be able to flaunt your involvement with the McMaster community with pride?
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Inemesit Etokudo
The Silhouette
To begin, I want to make sure that the argument of this article is not misconstrued. This article is not seeking to debate the issue of sexism that may have arisen from the original article, "My big, frat, Greek Life," or even trying to bash a positive article that I agree with over many points. Rather, I am going to try to tackle the incomplete portrayal of Greek Life here on campus as a direct result of the exclusion of sororities from this conversation.
Not once did this article say the word “sorority”, or even allude to the fact that they are a real entity on campus fighting for many of the same issues as fraternities. In order to discuss Greek Life, both sides need to be discussed in unison to paint the entire story.
To even begin discussing such a controversial issue, both sides of the topic needed to have been explored fully. Negative opinions of Greek Life, and more specifically sororities, stem from lack of knowledge about the deeply embedded tradition and community they inherently posses.
The fact that no sororities were so much as mentioned in this article only goes on to perpetuate this fact, providing the general public - who are very unaware of Greek Life here at McMaster and in the Hamilton Area - an incomplete synopsis of the larger issue.
This frustration is emanated across members of diverse sororities, as expressed by Brittany Collura, a fourth year Religious Studies and philosophy student and member of Delta Pi who comments that, “We’re a part of Greek Life just as much as the fraternities. We offer the same opportunities and bonding that the boys have and we too suffer from the lack of school recognition. It’d be nice if we were at least seen by the public as active members of the Greek community.”
Yosra Musa, a fourth-year English Literature student and Membership and Recruitment Executive of Nu Omega Zeta, perfectly summed up this fact when she expressed that, “Sororities create safe social spaces, and by excluding them you are excluding the work they do.”
The bottom line is this: it is all about fair representation. The original article definitely highlights some very important points about Greek Life here on campus and will undoubtedly go strides in spreading the positivity and richness that Greek Life order cialis canada does in fact bring to a campus; however, these conclusions were reached without consulting an integral part of this system.
I want to conclude by saying that as a heavily invested member of McMaster Greek Life, I am not in opposition to this article. The fact that an article about Greek Life has been published is a huge positive and will truly open up the arena for a more in depth discussion to be had, and for that I am beyond ecstatic; however, sororities exist too.
It is understood “that when McMaster’s policy was implemented, fraternities were the only form of Greek Life on campus but times have changed and there are quite a few sororities on campus today” – Hilary Chase, a recent graduate of McMaster, and one of the earliest supporters of Greek Life on Campus through her work with Tau Sigma Phi.
So here is my ode to my Greek Life sisters here on campus. I appreciate the hard work and dedication you put into breaking the Hollywood-manufactured stereotypes and being an influential part of our community. Your hard work does not go unnoticed and I hope this is just the first part of a discussion that needs to be had.
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.
