To the Editor:
The May 2 opinion article by Kevin Walsh '98 ("Greek Houses Have a Responsibility to Maintain Their Exteriors") draws a number of conclusions which I find troubling. Firstly, it seems that Walsh has not spent an awful lot of time on Webster Avenue. The vast majority of the time, fraternities and sororities do keep their exterior and interior property clean. If organizations insisted on keeping their property in a perpetual state of disrepair, they would be violating minimum standards set out by the College and would face severe sanctions.
Unfortunately, there are several times during any term when some houses may have some trash lying around for a few hours on Sunday morning. Such may have been the case on the Sunday of Freshman Parents' Weekend. While this may be a temporary annoyance, it is no reason to make the broad generalization that Greek members lack commitment or pride in their organizations. As President of Sigma Phi Epsilon, I can attest that my brothers exhibit a consistently high level of pride and commitment to our organization. Whether it be in the community, in the classroom, on the playing field, or in the chapter house; brothers here understand that a considerable amount of time and effort has to be invested in order to be a member of the fraternity. My brothers are proof to me that Greek members show pride in their organization, and are committed to the constant improvement of their house. Walsh uses an isolated incident to make a misguided conclusion.
