In 2001, Reese Witherspoon charmed and smiled her way into our hearts by playing Elle Woods in the comedy film “Legally Blonde.”
Woods, a beautiful, ditzy fashion merchandizing major, is also a sorority girl. As well-intentioned and entertaining as the movie is, one must be worried about its forward stereotypes of Greek Life.
Despite popular culture drowning the Greek Life image in alcohol, reality seems to tell a different
narrative. After all, Condoleezza Rice, Harper Lee, Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou, Jon Stewart, Ronald Reagan and a host of innumerable, successful famous and non-famous people are all Greek alums.
Nonetheless, Greek Life still finds itself the victim of scathing, often-unfair criticisms and stigmas. A high profile example is Princeton University, which will prohibit freshmen from affiliating with Greek organizations in fall of 2012.
In her letter to students, Princeton President Shirley Tilghman seemingly marginalized the Greek experience by noting some Greeks have had “difficult and disappointing experiences with fraternities and sororities.”
There are two worthwhile comments for Tilghman: Her “difficult and disappointing” comment adds no further explanation for her Greek Life decision, and Greek Life is proven to be the precise opposite of what she points out for the vast majority of Greeks.
As the University of Missouri-Kansas City reports on its website, Greeks’ average collegiate graduation rate is 71 percent compared to the non-Greeks’ 50 percent. Greeks log more than 10 million hours of community service annually, and their collective grade-point average is higher than their non-Greek counterparts.
Despite these striking numbers, Greek Life remains relatively small on EMU’s campus. According to Jamie Linn, Interfraternity Council President and Executive Board member for Tau Kappa Epsilon, there are nine sororities and eight fraternities on campus.
Additionally, there are roughly 700 Greeks active at EMU. Given EMU’s maxim of “Education First,” inside and outside the classroom, surely it would show full-hearted support for the Greek system.
Even looking past the impressive accomplishments of the fraternities and sororities, Haley Seeley, president of College Panhellenic Council and vice president of Scholarship for her sorority, stresses the importance of the individual experience.
She points out lifelong friendships, preparation for the “professional” world and an involved, engaged campus experience are the products of Greek Life.
Her appeal to the individual experience and benefits of Greek Life isn’t a singular testament, either.
An August 2011 Huffington Post article chronicled “members tend to have higher grade-point averages, higher graduation rates, higher starting salaries than their less-connected counterparts, more enduring college friendships and a higher rate of giving to their alma maters.” I certainly hope EMU takes note of the last item mentioned.
Of course, Greeks are far from making college a modern Mount Olympus. Legitimate criticisms range from encouraging alcohol usage to rampant sexism. The aforementioned Huffington Post article notes such criticisms are not unique to Greek Life but rather closed communities.
Linn responds to such critiques by saying, “Greek Life, if done correctly, can provide conversation and reflection…” for a host of issues.
Seeley points out EMU’s Greek system receives acclaim for its Greek Standards and Assessment Program, which “encourages chapters’ development towards a higher standard.” Perhaps Mount Olympus is looking less steep.
EMU and college campuses across the nation need to reframe the way we view Greek Life. Providing ways to improve the centuries-old system is far more productive than simply dismissing it as a breeding ground for alcohol and suffering academics, particularly given the already existing benefits.
After all, saying “Go Greek” is saying “Engage. Connect. Belong.” and “Education First” all at once.
In “Legally Blonde,” Woods wins a court case by having instincts for shoe styles and hair management, resulting in an incidental victory. Of course, a rewrite of the movie to better represent Greeks would be preferable, but it and Greek stereotypes are both fiction. Then again, perhaps the movie only demonizes blonde hair and not sororities, but that’s another issue entirely.
