2008 Woodie Awards
Students explain reasons for opting out of pledging
Cara Gallivan
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: News
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For many members of the Greek system at Union, fall term of sophomore year, the most popular time for recruitment, seems a blur.
Looking back, Greeks marvel at how they managed their time, an unofficial requirement of the new member education process. This fall, approximately 90 men and 140 women are experiencing the challenges and excitement inherent in the "pledging" process.
But those who have opted out of Greek life this fall cite other commitments, schoolwork, and the monetary concerns as the main contributors to their decision.
As sophomore Jen Merinder summed it up, "I was really on the fence when I was coming to school, and what really made the decision for me was the time thing. I play volleyball, I really wanted to do well in school this year, and with work study, too, it was just too much time. Money [to pay for dues] was also an issue."
Fraternities felt the impact of these conflicts and concerns. Throughout the first couple of weeks, many students, including fraternity men themselves, were alarmed by what appeared to be low numbers of male students interested in becoming brothers.
About 120 men participated in the new member education process for fraternities last year, a significantly larger pool than the current 90.
Still, Inter-Fraternal Council (IFC) President Dave Conelias stated that he is "not at all concerned for the future of the Greek system."
He cited several reasons for his confidence, including the fact that last year's numbers were slightly higher than usual, that about four or five houses each year conduct winter and/or spring recruitment, and that several students may have chosen to defer pledging due to commitments to athletics during this season.
As Men's Soccer Coach Jeff Guinn explained, "The soccer team is in the midst of its best start in the history of the 60-year old program and will most likely be ranked in the top ten in the country this week. We are a group committed to the game and doing well here as student-athletes. Our team also is pleased that our team's GPA is equal to the average students here on campus."
Looking back, Greeks marvel at how they managed their time, an unofficial requirement of the new member education process. This fall, approximately 90 men and 140 women are experiencing the challenges and excitement inherent in the "pledging" process.
But those who have opted out of Greek life this fall cite other commitments, schoolwork, and the monetary concerns as the main contributors to their decision.
As sophomore Jen Merinder summed it up, "I was really on the fence when I was coming to school, and what really made the decision for me was the time thing. I play volleyball, I really wanted to do well in school this year, and with work study, too, it was just too much time. Money [to pay for dues] was also an issue."
Fraternities felt the impact of these conflicts and concerns. Throughout the first couple of weeks, many students, including fraternity men themselves, were alarmed by what appeared to be low numbers of male students interested in becoming brothers.
About 120 men participated in the new member education process for fraternities last year, a significantly larger pool than the current 90.
Still, Inter-Fraternal Council (IFC) President Dave Conelias stated that he is "not at all concerned for the future of the Greek system."
He cited several reasons for his confidence, including the fact that last year's numbers were slightly higher than usual, that about four or five houses each year conduct winter and/or spring recruitment, and that several students may have chosen to defer pledging due to commitments to athletics during this season.
As Men's Soccer Coach Jeff Guinn explained, "The soccer team is in the midst of its best start in the history of the 60-year old program and will most likely be ranked in the top ten in the country this week. We are a group committed to the game and doing well here as student-athletes. Our team also is pleased that our team's GPA is equal to the average students here on campus."
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