3/07/08
There is nothing I’ve enjoyed more in my time at Baker University than being a member of a greek organization.
I believe, without a doubt, that membership in my fraternity has made me a better student, citizen and person. I’m a Sig Ep, but I know that there are members in every fraternity and sorority at Baker who would say the same thing about their own greek experiences.
What troubles me is that over the last few years Baker has consistently pursued policies that seem to either have no regard for greek life, or are, in fact, designed to hinder it.
As a former chapter and Interfraternity Council officer, I find this to be confusing because in every meeting I’ve ever had with university officials, I have been told that the university wishes to do everything it can to foster and support the greek organizations on campus.
In fact, it has even been pointed out to me in some of those meetings that greeks are not only outstanding academic and extracurricular contributors during their time at school, but that they are also the most active (and generous) alumni.
During my freshman and sophomore years, then Deans John Frazier and Mark Zeno made drastic changes and re-interpretations to the school’s party policies that effectively hampered the ability of greek organizations to have social events. I believe this was a dangerous shift.
First, it encouraged more students to venture out to off-campus parties, over which the university has no oversight. Second, it discouraged the use of what are basically the university’s safest venues for social events.
First, greek social events are monitored by the school. Second, both alumni boards and national greek organizations train their members on how to safely and effectively run social events.
Why wouldn’t the school want greek houses to be the first choice for parties?
This year (as reported on last week by this newspaper), Baker University housing policies have been changed in a way that basically makes it harder for new members to move into greek houses.
Once again, I feel this is counter-productive. In terms of putting students in the best learning environments, the all-greek average GPA is and has historically been well above the all-campus average.
Statistically speaking, if you live in a house, you are probably going to get better grades.
I understand that the school has to look toward its own financial interests, but any policy that damages the most venerable and productive student organizations on campus might not be a good long-term decision.
Baker University is also expending enormous effort this year to build a new residential facility for upperclassmen.
Perhaps the administration has forgotten that at many of the college’s greek houses – all of which are dedicated to fostering good learning environments – there are empty rooms.
I would suggest providing more assistance to the greeks in their recruiting efforts would be a simple and effective way to get more students into exemplary (and already existing) facilities.
Probably a lot simpler and more effective than spending millions of dollars to build more cardboard cut-out dorms.
I don’t doubt the sincerity of the administration’s efforts to make the best decisions for the future of all Baker students, including greek members. However, the administration has got to do a better job of considering the need and importance of greek life when it makes decisions concerning the future of the school.
One has only to wait for Stag to see that the Greek organizations on campus have produced thousands of graduates who are loyal to Baker and who first and foremost cherish their memories of living “at the house.”
Baker University has got to work harder to help those houses out.