The Greeks Fight Back

Things are certainly heating up when it comes to the University’s administration’s dealings with undergraduates. The Greek community, upset by a plan concocted with little or no input from them which would institute a number of changes including delaying fall rush, making houses substance-free, and requiring live-in advisors, has organized a petition drive to protest the plan. (See the proposed changes in the Detroit News, and as I broke the story on this website, and VP for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper trying to spin it as a “brainstorm” carrying little weight)

In an email circulated among members of the Interfraternity Council by IFC Executive Vice President Jared Stasik, he urges members of the Greek community on campus to sign the petition in person, if possible, and direct people out of town to sign on online version:

“We want to get as many hand-written signatures as possible, simply because it’s a more tangible way to show the University. … EMAIL THE LINK TO YOUR NATIONALS, PARENTS, FRIENDS, AND ANYBODY ELSE OUTSIDE OF ANN ARBOR. It takes one minute to do, and could impact the Greek community here in a huge way. Put it in your away messages and profiles for everybody to see. Just get signatures!

Same as before: Remember the main points if you are explaining this to somebody: We are a student group trying to protect against DISCRIMINATION, and we are trying to protect our RIGHT TO FREELY ASSOCIATE when, where, and with whom. Don’t explain the petition without stressing those two major points.”

The forcefully worded petition, posted online here, states their opposition to the University’s plans to push back rush, require live-in advisors, and making the houses substance free, saying “However, a recent submission to the University Regents puts forth a plan that, if enacted, would infringe upon the basic freedom of association of students in the Greek community, as well as those seeking membership in it. As elected officials of the Interfraternity Council, it is our duty to protect the rights of our constituents from this potential alienation. […] If any actions are to emanate from the University’s recommendations, the respective Greek councils should execute them on a collaborative, voluntary basis.”

I find the constitutional rhetoric interesting: freedom of association, democratic decision-making. Let’s remember that President Bush has been hacking away at those very same constitutional rights by detaining citizens indefinitely, nominating judges with no respect for women’s reproductive rights, and eroding our privacy rights through legislation like the U.S. Patriot Act. (For more info, try the ACLU’s website, the nation’s “Most conservative consitutional organization”)