“For Greeks, it’s all about image” was the title of an opinion piece written in the most recently published Chronicle. As the VP of Unity and Social Justice, I’d like to respond with the aim to advocate for the specific population being targeted by this article. Understandably, my Greek Life experience can only aid me in understanding how those feel.

Here, at Pace, it’s an understatement to say that Greek Life is a popular topic within our community, whether you’re a part of it or not. And, non-Greeks, in my opinion, do not shy from sharing their thoughts about what Greek life is about or why people decide to join.

Let’s be honest, in this society, we are encouraged to share our opinions about everything, whether there is an ear listening or not.

There were some points in the opinion piece that were aggressive to say the least, and I’d like to respond in a chronological order.

To begin, the article offers general statistics regarding Greek Life, and “misogynistic mishaps.” However, it could be argued that at Pace, Greek Life or not, our community is one that could be described as an exception.

By this, I mean that we are a very fortunate university whose complaints tend to be about the price of food and OSA. Students freely walk home from town at all hours of the night and seldom have to worry about getting home safely. A comparison to Rutgers, which has a population of 65,000 students and a huge safety problem, seems unfair.

Not only does our general community not mirror schools such as these, neither does our Greek Life. In fact, a majority of larger schools have the flexibility to get away with acts such as hazing, alcohol abuse, and sexual assault.

At Pace, we have 19 sororities and fraternities, four councils, and a “hands on” Greek advisor who is persistent in being involved with our processes and experience. There’s very little room for the accusations or statistics that represent Greek Life outside of Pace. This individuality on our campus should not be forgotten or taken lightly.

I would also like to add a perspective in relation to the statistic “sorority members are also three times more likely than non-Greek women to be victims of the crime.”

Having attended Bystander Training for sexual assault, it is well known that a small percentage of rapes or sexual assault are even reported, at least in comparison to the amount that occurs.

Knowing what having the support of a sorority feels like, and having personal relationships with my own sorority sisters, I think it’s very possible that sorority members are not only less likely to be victim to sexual assault, but are also more willing to report it.

And, what seems to be the biggest conflict would be the accusation that Greek life promotes rape culture.

The opinion article states: “Much has been written comparing the Greek pledging system to rape.”

I question how many of those who write about Greek Life, specifically when comparing it to rape, have actually experienced a process. And, more importantly, how many students here at Pace who are a part of Greek life would write an article with the same accusations?

It is my opinion that those who choose to judge and accuse Greek Life do so because they do not understand it. And, to some degree, that’s the whole point of being in a sorority or a fraternity.

Aside from the leadership, community service, and academic services, being a part of an organization that a specific group of people only gets to experience is rewarding and considerably sacred.

People take for granted things that are most common, and that is what makes Greek Life a unique experience. It is a privilege that is not guaranteed, and that is put in the hands of us, the students.

For those who often get frustrated about not being included, it is not our intention to exclude others. But, it is our intention to bond a group of similar individuals who share the same values, to one experience that can be continued for years and years to come.

And, let’s not forget what the office of Student Development and Campus Activities does to nix these conflicts.

Just this past semester, the Greek Life programming module was revised. A specific revision included taking organization names off flyers. Although disheartening to Greeks, it is to encourage non-Greeks to attend Greek hosted events without the pressure or intimidation of letters.

I hope I have accurately done my part to share the other side of Greek life that was not offered in the last Chronicle article, and more accurately depict the experiences of Greeks at Pace. If you feel any differently, or have any additional comments please reach out to me at [email protected].

As Vice President of Unity and Social Justice, I would like to encourage my fellow students to work against their own human nature and cease to create judgments, instead gaining the courage to approach those that you do not understand.

I’d like to argue that it is a general consensus that people understand the limitation of creating judgments, but even more so do not realize the benefits they could gain by withholding judgment.

I appreciate you all taking the time to read this, and if you feel a specific topic requires attention from the population and need some assistance in advocating for it, please feel free to reach out to me.