Behind the dark brick and sticky-floored buildings that are spread throughout Downtown Binghamton lives a world of unrecognized, flourishing Greek organizations. Even with the diverse selection of recognized on-campus organizations, much of our student population is driven to join organizations that are unregulated. They risk unfortunate consequences if the members are revealed to campus officials, or worse yet, state law enforcement officials. The question is, why are these students settling for unregulated organizations?
Binghamton University, just like any school, does not foster a perfect Greek life. Hazing still exists for on-campus and off-campus organizations, members are rushed under the table and the new-member process can sometimes go on much longer than expected. Even though on-campus organizations are required to follow procedure, it is no surprise that a lot of wrong continues to be practiced behind closed doors. Therefore, it only makes sense that our University attempts to control the amount of off-campus Greek life organizations there are in order to limit the negative aspects of Greek life. However, when we look at various regulations, it appears as though BU is only enabling off-campus organizations to flourish.
The University maintains a transition program called the Binghamton Advantage Program (BAP), which accepts students for their first year through Broome Community College (BCC), allowing them to later transition into BU. We claim that BAP students are just as equal as any other student, allowing them to join clubs throughout the campus and participate in all the same festivities. Yet, we exclude them from joining Greek life — a community that many seek when they are looking for a group of friends, especially in their first year.
Due to the fact that BAP students live with one another in break housing and attend classes at BCC, the transition to campus is clearly more difficult than is first suggested. Therefore, Greek life exists as an incredibly appealing option for those who have not found their place. Meanwhile, students who are part of the program are unable to join, primarily, due to the fact that they are expected to maintain a certain GPA to transfer into BU.
As recruitment chair for my sorority, nothing is more disappointing than telling a student they cannot participate in formal rush due to the fact that they are a BAP student. For a student who is deeply set on joining Greek life, their next option is off-campus organizations.
It isn’t just BAP that leads students to join off-campus organizations. Part of it is the social aspect, when students genuinely like the members of the organizations better. Another part is that first-semester freshmen are able to rush, without having to wait around for a semester. With that, off-campus organizations are able to recruit in whatever method they wish — as long as they don’t get caught — because nobody is providing them with regulations. The freedom off-campus organizations obtain in order to recruit and expand their organizations stems from the regulations our University has established.
I truly believe regulations within Greek life are important. It is important that freshman students have a semester to adjust to college as well as think about whether or not they want to rush; but even so, our campus does little in the time to discourage students from joining unregulated organizations.
To some, Greek life is silly, but to others, it is very important. People truly enjoy the community they obtain through Greek life and are willing to sit through a lot in order to obtain that community. Therefore, I believe the Greek life office must reconsider what the purpose of their regulations are.
Maybe new regulations should be focused on the improper new member education that many of our on-campus organizations practice, which limits new members from achieving a higher GPA. If freshmen are incapable of rushing in the fall due to transitions, maybe it should be heavily encouraged that on-campus organizations strongly advertise in the fall in order to encourage students to wait one semester to rush.
I understand it is difficult to regulate what goes on off campus, especially since it is difficult enough to regulate what goes on on campus. However, if our Greek life is going to improve and become more inclusive to a wider student body, we need to recognize that the regulations in place are the real source of our off-campus organizations.
Sarah Saad is a senior double-majoring in human development and women, gender and sexuality studies.