April 10, 2017 April 10, 2017 by Claire Selvin. Our student blogs do a great job of that, too! While I commend Kesslen for exemplifying the bravery speaking out about such a traumatizing experience necessitates, especially when the Greek community can threaten retaliation (not necessarily on Tufts’ campus, but on campuses where Greek life dominates), I do not agree with his solution to abolish fraternities altogether. President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council Lauren Stenson did not respond to The Collegian’s request for comment. I published an article in The Tufts Daily making points challenging many of the common beliefs that many students had taken as the ‘correct’ reaction to wanting to abolish Greek life. In an email to The Collegian on July 9, IFC president Peter Corsiglia wrote that he cannot comment on the calls to abolish Greek Life at UR. Follow. “I’m really torn after reading the article—the debate on if I want to rush or not is a lot more complex now. “In seeing the accounts like Abolish Vandy IFC and Panhellenic, we were inspired to take the route of attempting to abolish greek life [as opposed to reform, which] that would not be able to ultimately make the changes necessary to ensure a better environment for all students at UR.”. We’re never going to be perfect.’ But ... we’re never even going to be net neutral.”. Damian Betancourt, president of IFC fraternity Kappa Alpha Order, did not respond to The Collegian’s request for comment. The conversations that have arisen in the past few months are impacting first-year students' perception of the status of these organizations. “I’m really torn after reading the article—the debate on if I want to rush or not is a lot more complex now. Jenna Fleischer March 1, 2018. It will be a test for Greek life and the Abolish Greek Life movement alike. Tufts Medical Center receives 2,925 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, begins to vaccinate employees. A series of emails from the administration regarding the status of Greek . Jenna Fleischer March 1, 2018. The Collegian was not able to give her the opportunity to comment in time for this article's publication. Features editor William Roberts contributed to reporting. 6,232 Followers, 787 Following, 1,928 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Lawrence University (@lawrenceuni) Fraternities and sororities are built on systems of exclusion, oppression, and violence. His decision, he said, was influenced by the new Instagram account. “A lot of people were pretty aware that Greek Life was this kind of bastion of white privilege — white, straight, cis[gender], rich, privilege — on campus," Cummins said, “and that it was fairly representative of a lot of the social problems that we’ve had on campus for a long time. Non-confidential resources include the University of Richmond Policy Department, Title IX deputy coordinators, the Office of Common Ground and the Westhampton College and Richmond College deans’ offices. The pages to the left will give you an idea of some of the opportunities students have, both on and off campus. April 10, 2017 April 10, 2017 by Claire Selvin. Editor's Note: This story is about an Instagram account created on July 6. The account has received submissions through its Google questionnaire form that express criticism and disdain, sometimes in meme form, for the abolition of Greek Life movement, according to a direct message to The Collegian. The past few weeks at Tufts have been about two things: Reading: Facebook statuses, Facebook comments, tweets and Instagram posts from friends, fellow students and Greek organizations. For a better tomorrow, we must #AbolishGreekLife. The current Greek life climate on campus is part of a national movement towards reformation, with colleges including Mississippi State University, Vanderbilt, and Lafayette all reckoning with injustices within their own Greek communities. UR Curious: Why does UR have the Coordinate College System. Abolish Greek life Instagram page by: Checkitout Jul 28, 2020 12:30:40 PM. Was I reprimanded for my opinion? Join Us. It is time to say enough is enough: it’s time to #AbolishGreekLife. The dismantling of fraternity and sorority life is in pursuit of more inclusive campuses built on the foundations of community and service, not on exclusivity and privilege. “I have a new sense of how wrong [Greek Life] is,” Wallach said. "Additionally, we do not post vague generalizations or assumptions, and prioritize specific personal experiences.”. This website is estimated worth of $ 8.95 and have a daily income of around $ 0.15. Kara Cromwell, president of Panhellenic sorority Kappa Delta, did not respond to The Collegian’s request for comment. A widely shared Instagram post in July points out that Jews weren’t alone in this pattern. Nationwide, college students are rallying across the slogan “Abolish Greek Life,” establishing Instagram accounts that show nameless pupil testimonies and informational slides on the numerous human and monetary prices of the system. Ashley Klippenstein, president of Panhellenic sorority Delta Gamma, did not respond to The Collegian’s request for comment. For first-year Daniel Fier, the decision to join a fraternity is a complicated one. Through research and collaboration, we are taking on a violent and oppressive system of Greek Life together. 2,733 Followers, 112 Following, 258 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Abolish Richmond Greek Life (@abolishrichmondgreeklife) Over the summer, all elements of the Greek life system on campus took heat on Instagram from Abolish Greek Life at Tufts, an informal student movement pressing for a ban on fraternities and sororities on campus. “Though I understand my words will never be enough, I wish to offer at the very least a personal, sincere apology to those this organization has hurt. Feature. An Instagram account calling for the abolition of Interfraternity Council fraternities and Panhellenic Council sororities at the University of Richmond surfaced Monday evening and has posted more than 50 anonymous quotes about Greek Life. “We do not post submissions that are solely pro-Greek life or only focus on the highlights/benefits of greek life as we feel it is important to amplify the stories of those hurt by greek life since greek life has multiple platforms to promote their benefits on,” according to a direct message to The Collegian. People have had such bad experiences with Greek life and this upcoming semester with (hopefully) no parties or big events can maybe be the perfect time to change the dynamic on campus. You can always virtually visit us. “I can only speak on behalf of Tri Delta, but I know that greek life as a whole NEEDS to change.”, Grace Miller, president of Pi Beta Phi, wrote in a statement to The Collegian on July 10 that she supports any conversations that aim to make UR “stronger and healthier and more inclusive.”. Start by signing the petition. Madeleine Aitken December 23, 2020. I hope so, but … I think people have a choice to either go down with the ship or be on the right side of history in my mind. “Our account uses a google form to allow students to anonymously share their experiences with us and, if we receive consent, we post their stories in an effort to amplify their voices and expose the harm the greek system is doing to POC and other marginalized individuals,” according to a direct message to The Collegian. To abolish Greek life, the University must first give students a strong sense of belonging and community without subjecting themselves to stressful rush processes. You can make a tax-deductible donation by clicking the button below, which takes you to our secure PayPal account. Ayers sent this statement to The Collegian in response to its request for comment. Organizers protest Tufts' Confucius Institute, commit to weekly demonstrations. And at Tufts University, the school’s Panhellenic Conference said on Instagram it suspended recruitment to “reflect on the space held by Greek life at Tufts.” AD Greek Life on campus is in flux, and students want to know more. The early bird applicant: Trends in early admissions at Tufts. By Ariel Stern • Tufts Contributor April 2, 2017 at 4:37pm. #Tuftstagram. I do not think it can be reformed.”. The pages to the left will give you an idea of some of the opportunities students have, both on and off campus. Dean of Westhampton College Mia Reinoso Genoni did not respond to The Collegian’s request for comment. Instagram; Snapchat; Email; Why the "Abolish Greek Life" Initiative Falls Short . Northwestern Greek Life Is Imploding Citing histories of racism and classism, multiple sororities at the university are threatening to go dark — and one has already done so. Start by signing the petition. Nationwide calls to abolish Greek life are focused on the Interfraternity Council, with 25 men's fraternities and two co-ed fraternities at Penn, and the Panhellenic Council which is composed of eight women’s sororities at Penn. Was I reprimanded for my opinion? The Collegian was denied access to the coming meeting. The issue of whether or not to abolish Greek life has been a very polarizing topic on campus thus far, and we are excited to create an opportunity for students to listen and learn more about their peers who are on the other side of the issue. Abolish Greek Life. New Instagram account promotes Greek Life abolition at UR. Director of the Center for Student Involvement Alison Keller did not respond to The Collegian’s request for comment. Unearthing The Archive: Segregation, Greek Life, and The Politics of Liberalism. Ellie Watson, president of Panhellenic sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, did not respond to The Collegian’s request for comment. I have seen countless posts with people spewing angry, hateful things about various topics — politics and Greek life in particular. A series of emails from the administration regarding the status of Greek . I have seen countless posts with people spewing angry, hateful things about various topics — politics and Greek life in particular. #Tuftstagram. President of the Panhellenic Council Maggie Castelli did not respond to The Collegian’s request for comment. Screenshot of the account, @abolishrichmondgreeklife, on Instagram. From working with university administrators to leading protests and rallies, we follow the tradition of campus activism to galvanize our universities to support the Greek Life abolition movement. At Northwestern, the Greek system is the absolute authority on social life. We look forward to using the money we raise to further our mission of providing honest and accurate information to students, faculty, staff, alumni and others in the general public. Multiple posts detail acts of sexual violence by unnamed members of Greek Life and a culture that silences survivors, which provides cover for people who commit sexual assault, according to posts published on the account. We are college students, alumni, and activists who reject the continuation of fraternity and sorority life. Some students feel that these negative aspects of Tufts Greek life can be remedied while others are convinced that nothing can be done to fix the system. He’s had conversations this week with his fraternity brothers and friends about the structural issues of Greek Life, he said, but he was unsure if those he talked with would disaffiliate. Many UR students have taken notice, as the account had 1,216 followers at 10 a.m. on July 11, which is the time of this article's publication. Jack Gillies, president of IFC fraternity Theta Chi, did not respond to The Collegian’s request for comment. Then, send us your story. And if you want to see for yourself? Confession: We love Instagram. Some of the posts on the account came from anonymous sources with no affiliation to an IFC fraternity or Panhellenic sorority, others came from sources affiliated with IFC or Panhellenic. The past few weeks at Tufts have been about two things: Reading: Facebook statuses, Facebook comments, tweets and Instagram posts from friends, fellow students and Greek organizations. “It’s something that people were pretty aware of, at least most people that I know, but that just hasn’t been documented, because of … a lack of will from the administration, a lack of will from the student body, fear from the student body of being excluded from social life, that kind of thing.”. abolishtuftsgreek.life I’m not usually one to speak out on behalf of a larger campus issue, but I believe the Abolish Greek Life initiative deserves a public response. Nationwide calls to abolish Greek life are focused on the Interfraternity Council, with 25 men's fraternities and two co-ed fraternities at Penn, and the Panhellenic Council which is composed of eight women’s sororities at Penn. According to a message that the Office of the President sent to Tufts students on Feb. 6, the Student Life Review Committee persists in its evaluation of Tufts’ culture and aims to provide “specific, actionable recommendations” for the holistic, […] At this moment in Tufts’ institutional history, the future of the Greek life system hangs in the balance. The conversations that have arisen in the past few months are impacting first-year students' perception of the status of these organizations. Confidential on-campus resources for survivors of sexual violence are CARE Advocates, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Office of the Chaplaincy and PSMAs, who are accessible through email and Zoom meetings during this time if desired. I believe Pi Beta Phi can demonstrate to these women and others, we’re committed to doing better. Ms. Thompson helps run the Instagram account @abolishvandyifcandpanhellenic, which urges students to drop their Greek affiliation and publishes anonymous and … Cummins chose not to join a sorority after a horrible recruitment experience, she said, but much of the content in the posts regarding sexual violence, demeaning recruitment processes and racism is not news to her nor her peers. Tufts should abolish fraternities and invest in true community building, communities not founded in violence but rather in love and shared values. At this moment in Tufts’ institutional history, the future of the Greek life system hangs in the balance. Our student blogs do a great job of that, too! “We have received messages of support from many students and alumni of [UR] on how this movement was [long-awaited.]”. Organizers protest Tufts' Confucius Institute, commit to weekly demonstrations. Dean of Richmond College Joe Boehman declined to comment. Additionally, The Collegian cannot verify who wrote the posts published on the account and the accuracy of the posts. "Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of Richmond ... recognizes the problematic history of Greek Life and in particular our own fraternity's contribution to these issues," according to the statement. The action plan we outlined at that time has been and will continue to be a priority for our chapter.”. Chapters [10]: Chapman University (@abolishgreeklifechapman) Denison University (@abolishdukeifcandpanhellenic) Duke University (@du_abolishgreek) Emory University (@abolishemorygreeklife) University of Richmond (@abolishrichmondgreeklife) “Based on what I’ve heard people say, I think people are already starting to think along the lines of, ‘the system can’t really be fixed,’” Wallach said. “We do not post submissions that invalidate the experiences of others previously posted on the account," the direct message continued. I have seen countless posts with people spewing angry, hateful things about various topics — politics and Greek life in particular. Greek Life on campus is in flux, and students want to know more. Max Wallach, a rising junior, also said he did not believe that the Greek Life system could be reformed to a point of a “net neutral” or positive effect on campus. Even if you aren’t in the roughly 40 percent of undergraduates who join a fraternity or sorority, their influence can be hard to escape, since they often dictate when the parties are, where the parties are, and exactly who’s invited. Lambda Chi president Carter Ayers published a statement on July 10 on the Lambda Chi Instagram page on behalf of the fraternity. Wallach disaffiliated from his former fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, on July 9, he said. The current president of Kappa Kappa Gamma is a member of The Collegian’s staff. And if you want to see for yourself? 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