Being part of the fraternity system, I see its benefits and problems. Instead of trying to crush a system that has its flaws, people should try to find solutions and ideas to improve the system by working within the system. All houses would be willing to compromise on many issues.
Work with us. We have already begun to work internally to correct some of the problems of the system. Greeks Against Rape, Internal Monitoring, Alcohol Awareness Training, TIPS training and mandatory new member education are examples of how the system is working to improve itself.
The Greek system has great potential to benefit the campus especially if we all work together and communicate. The Greeks already engage in many projects that benefit the community. People are looking over the fact that most of the houses are involved in some sort of community service. There have been complaints saying prove it. Here you go:
(Note: Most of these projects were done Summer 1993. Some were done in the spring. This is in no way a complete listing.)
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Alpha Chi Alpha - Organized games, painting and refreshments for 30 children. Volunteered at the Red Cross Blood Drive.
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Alpha Delta - Held Poker Night for Students Fighting Hunger. Hosted a canned food drive with Decibelles.
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Alpha Phi Alpha - Brothers were hosts for possible '97 minority students.
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Alpha Theta - Members coordinated with the Big Apple Circus and donated clothing and other items to the Listen Center. Donated canned food to the Tucker Foundation.
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Beta Theta Pi - Collected donations for the Peter McKernan Scholarship Fund. Brothers volunteered at the Audrey Prouty Century Bike Ride. Purchased canned food for Students Against Hunger. Participated in 3 mile road race for WISE.
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Bones Gate - Helped with the Bugbee Senior Center's Meals-on-Wheels program. Volunteered to help set up, run and clean up at the Hanover Street Fest. Helped teach handicapped children to ski. Bought magazine subscriptions to benefit the Special Olympics.
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Chi Gamma Epsilon - Brothers volunteered at the Audrey Prouty Century Bike Ride. Sponsored a charity run to benefit the Family Place. Donated canned goods to Students Fighting Hunger. Donated money to Greeks Against Rape. Participated in the Pete McKernan Biathlon.
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Chi Heorot - Played volleyball with inmates at Windsor County Correctional Facility.
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Delta Delta Delta - Sisters volunteered at the Audrey Prouty Century Bike Ride. Collected food to be delivered to needy families. Donated proceeds from a Twister game to the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. Sisters volunteered as teaching assistants in W. Fairlee. Sold carnations to benefit WISE.
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Delta Gamma - Collected donations and sponsored car wash for the NH Association for the Blind. Baby-sat special needs children. Baby-sat for Upper Valley Support Group.
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Delta Sigma Theta - Volunteered at David's House.
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Epsilon Kappa Theta - Organized games, painting and refreshments for 30 children. Ran three mile road race to benefit WISE.
Gamma Delta Chi - Volunteer at David's House every weekend. Donated food to the Tucker Foundation. Held basketball tournament to benefit the Jimmy Valvano Cancer Fund. Ran in 5K road race to benefit Alice Peck Day Hospital.
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Kappa Alpha Psi - Held career expo for students which was facilitated by house alumni.
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Kappa Chi Kappa - Bowled to raise money for Special Olympics with Wheeler/Richardson.
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Kappa Kappa Gamma - Volunteered at the McKurley Health Care Center. Volunteered at the Audrey Prouty Century Bike Ride for Cancer. Served refreshments to elderly gentlemen.
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Phi Delta Alpha - Members helped paint the Headrest Foundation's Building.
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Phi Tau - Volunteered at the Audrey Prouty Century Bike Ride for Cancer.
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Psi Upsilon - Brothers volunteered at the Penny Carnival to benefit Muscular Dystrophy. Volunteered at the Hanover High track and field meet. Members helped paint the Headrest Foundation's building. Sponsored Dartmouth Unplugged and collected donations for Headrest.
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Sigma Delta - Volunteered at the Red Cross Blood Drive. Baby-sat newborns at Hannah House. Parent-Student run/walk to benefit the Family Place. Volunteered at Dartmouth Hitchcock Pediatrics ward. Worked at a fund-raising event for the Montesory School. Held food drive at the Co-op to benefit the Listen Center. Participated in Walk for Hunger in Boston. Tucker Foundation book buddies played games in house and yard.
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Sigma Nu - Brothers volunteered at the Bugby Senior Center. Donated clothing and other items to the Listen Center. Brothers played with children at the hospital pediatric ward. Brothers volunteered at the Audrey Prouty Century Bike Ride for Cancer.
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Sigma Phi Epsilon - Brothers volunteered at the Audrey Prouty Century Bike Ride for Cancer. Helped out as teacher aides and big brothers in West Fairlee.
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Tabard - Donated clothes to the Listen Center.
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Theta Delta Chi - Ran three mile road race to benefit WISE.
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Xi Kappa Chi (Now KDE) - Sisters volunteered as receptionists at the Upper Valley Hostel. Donated items to the Listen Center.
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Zeta Psi - Participated in a marathon run fund-raiser. Watched and discussed the movie "The Mission." Collected canned goods for Students Fighting Hunger. Sponsored a child through Save the Children. Held a recycling/clothing drive.
Clearly I care a great deal about the Greek system and its role in the community, so when I heard about some of the posters that were put up around campus degrading houses of the Greek System, I became quite angry. Most of the posters were correct and were intentioned to inform rather than attack. The posters I am angry about are the ones that were written in the format; "Rapists need housing too, Rush [a house]," and other mean spirited sayings.
I am disappointed with the people who decided to go about writing these posters and putting them up around campus. Posters like these were not intended to foster debate but to simply attack. What these people did is to label a group of men and women without knowing the individuals making up the organization. This is stereotyping. There are members of the Greek system who have their problems, but there are also people outside the Greek system who have problems.
Some of the posters were amusing but others were very inappropriate. It degenerated into criminal behavior when it turned into libel. I am sure if the perpetrators were found and were charged in a criminal court they would be found guilty.
I applaud the people whose posters were intended to foster debate and not to attack and label. Libel is not a way to foster debate. Factual information is. I'm quite surprised that the so-called politically correct people can actually become hypocritical and stereotype people.
Does it matter if someone is liberal or conservative? It shouldn't. We're all in the same boat, trying to get a good education. I'm very open to debate and am willing to listen to any viewpoint. We are all Dartmouth students, we are all intelligent and bright, and we all deserve to be here. We must communicate with each other or fractionating will occur.
