To the Editor:
I am writing in response to the decision by the Board of Trustees and President Wright to put an end to the single-sex fraternity and sorority system. I'll get straight to the point: bad idea. The declaration that "this is not a referendum on these things, we are committed to doing this" is a blatant misuse of position. President Wright and the Trustees have no more right to decide what organizations students can belong to as the students do deciding what the Trustees eat for dinner each night.
The argument that the Greek system excludes so-called "fringe" students is not valid. The vast majority of undergraduates do not belong to Greek organizations, but these students are still welcome in Greek houses for social events. No student is forced to use single-sex houses as a social option. It is a choice that each student has the right to make for him or herself. "Fringe" students have the same opportunities to socialize that everybody else has, in whatever way they choose. Some choose to attend a party every chance they get.
Some choose to study in the library every Saturday night. Some are even capable of making a decision based on their particular situation on a given day. I'd like to think most Dartmouth students are fully capable of making the decision that's right for them, and I'm sure most Dartmouth students would like to have that opportunity. How can anyone claim to be improving a social situation by eliminating a system freely chosen by 35 percent of the students?
I would not trade my time as a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon at Dartmouth for anything in the world. During that period I met a great group of people, including women, many of which I keep in touch with on a regular basis. I can honestly say that some of my closest friends are a direct result of my joining a fraternity. Did my membership in Sig Ep prevent me from socializing in other ways? Not at all. If I wanted to do something non-house related, I did so. Did my membership in a fraternity prevent me from participating in "coeducational" opportunities? No. Did it prevent me from interacting with other students? No, it did just the opposite.
Dartmouth has its problems, just like every other place. It isn't the greatest social atmosphere any of us have ever seen, but that is not a result of the Greek system in its current form. The Greek system has been a vital part of the Dartmouth community for well over a century, and it has resulted in a better college experience for thousands of individuals. At least this upper-level decision will make my lower-level decision of how much to give Dear Old Dartmouth each year very, very easy.
