Recent, isolated missteps cause students to forget commitment to charity work
In the last few months, the Greek community has been on the minds of students, faculty and staff quite a bit. I am sure most of the talk going around about the Greek community has centered around the violations that occurred during rush, the recurrent accusations of hazing and the eviction of fraternities from the Greek Village. Despite where each of us may wish to lay blame — whether directed at individual groups or at USC administration — the fact is painfully clear that the perception of fraternities and sororities at this university has suffered a great deal over the course of this semester. Often when I overhear people talking about Greeks, it tends to be negative, labeling them students who have no positive impact on the university or community.
This perception — at face value — is absolutely false. It only takes a quick glance to realize the enormous quantity of philanthropy work these organizations coordinate and contribute to.
For instance, Chi Psi and Alpha Chi Omega held a benefit concert Saturday called Jam for Julie that raised a total of $5,300. All of the proceeds went to the treatment of Alpha Chi Omega member Julie Tamborino, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year.
In the fall of last year alone, the Greek community raised a total of $296,089 for charity and donated a total of 58,491 hours of community service. With those figures, it really is hard to say these students do not have any positive impact.
As a student body, we need to stop thinking of people in groups. This kind of attitude only leads to misinformation, unfounded bias and ultimately misunderstanding among students. I know it’s easy to get caught up in the broad generalizations and stereotypes that exist in the college world, but we need to remember we are all human beings. We all are driven to do something positive in some way, whether that be on our time or with a group of individuals who share the same interests and backgrounds. I just propose we start judging people on their character and actions, not what we think about them based on the group they belong to or the clothes that they wear. Every student, every group — no matter its stereotype — has a part to play in making the Carolina community a better place.
I understand that people of similar interests and beliefs find each other in any social situation, and these people naturally form different organizations. There’s nothing wrong with that. I just wish that we as a university would end the vicious cycle of college stereotypes that surround us — Greek and non-Greek. It really would be a much better university and student body if we focused on the diverse and positive things each individual student brings to the university, rather than focusing on divisiveness and negativity.