Greeks urged to be better than stereotypes

Tufts sorority and fraternity members were told last night that they were the "best thing about a college campus," but that they had to resist becoming the negative stereotypes of Greek life.

David Stollman, the recruiting president of the National Inter-Fraternity Conference, addressed a meeting organized by the Inter-Greek Council (IGC), Pan-Hellenic Council, and Office of Greek Life. Attendance was mandatory for members of the Greek system.

Stollman's speech, "Fraternal Values: Standards, and what to do about those who break them," encouraged Greeks to support the entire Greek system, and not allow negative actions to define the entire Greek system.

"My challenge to you is to buy into what we're about, and if not -- to get out," Stollman said. "You exist for the same basic purpose: to make men better men and to make women better women."

Stollman asked all members to stand and recall their pledges. "Are you living up to that oath better today than yesterday?" he asked.

He emphasized the special bond brought about by brotherhood and sisterhood, and highlighted the difference between a fraternal bond and friendship. "I bet you guys could sit in a room for hours with no entertainment except for making fun of each other," he mused.

Stollman then asked fraternity brothers to list stereotypes of sorority sisters, and vice-versa. He supplemented these stereotypes by projecting photos he had downloaded from websites of fraternity and sorority chapters across the country that showed Greeks vomiting, drinking, and engaging in risky sexual behavior.

"This, gentlemen, is beneath you," Stollman said. "There used to be a different connotation from 'fraternity man' to 'frat boy.'"

He continually addressed the theme of a minority of students misrepresenting the majority of Greeks. "I think there are a few people we allow to perpetrate these stereotypes," Stollman said.

He spoke about issues of racism, rape, and hazing, calling them a "corruption of our values."

"The safest place on any college campus for any woman should be among fraternity men," he said. "Anyone who thought hazing was a rite of brotherhood or sisterhood never understood that concept in the first place."

Stollman also spoke of a connection among fraternities and sororities that is lacking on many college campuses. "Many chapters think that if [another] chapter went down, that'd be great, that'd be cool."

According to Stollman, Greek houses' rush can often be a "bait and switch," which recruits people based on partying and then requires those recruited to participate in service and philanthropy. "Our stereotype is attracting people who are using us," he said. "And we wonder why so many people only show up for parties."

Freshman and Alpha Tao Omega (ATO) pledge Jennifer Giroux said that the audience seemed to like Stollman. "Most people were expecting some long, boring speaker and were surprised," she said. "He was pretty funny -- obviously he was prepared for the audience he was up against."

At times during his talk, Stollman quieted hecklers with jokes that elicited laughter from the audience. Stollman's speech is the latest of many events sponsored by Director of Greek Life Todd Sullivan intended to shed a positive light on the Greek scene.