Jonathan Margulies: Secrecy and the Greek system

Last week, one of Penn's most well-known sororities became embroiled in an alleged "alcohol-related incident" so serious that many are now wondering whether the chapter will survive.

Earlier this semester, the campus rumor mill was buzzing with news of the same sorority and a set of possible recruitment infractions. And even as you read this column, the Office of Student Conduct is investigating yet another reported rush violation, this time at the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity.

What binds these notorious actions together? What has happened to the Greek system at Penn that allows such violations to continue, while their perpetrators receive little more than slaps on the wrist? And further, what do these incidents say about Greek life at the University and the students and institutions that foster it?

Sadly, we'll probably never know the answers. In fact, the questions themselves won't ever be asked.

Asked in a meaningful way, that is. By someone with greater policy-making power than a Daily Pennsylvanian columnist; by someone who has never before claimed a Greek-letter society as his or her own; by someone with a tangible interest in this university and its future.

This is, I should clarify, not a treatise against the Greek system at Penn. Thousands of students have passed through fraternities and sororities here over the years, and anecdotal and statistical evidence suggest that the vast majority of them shared experiences that were both fulfilling and "incident"-free. Some of the University's most loyal and celebrated alumni, in fact, were once Greek.

Unfortunately, the Animal House effect of fraternity (and lately, sorority) life does occasionaly rear its ugly head here in West Philadelphia. This year, it involves a handful of alcohol infractions at pledge events. In the past, the scope of the lawlessness has run from a harmless case of namecalling, to the sacking of a New Jersey bowling alley, to incidents of harassment and even kidnapping.

These are, obviously, the low points of Greek life. But to many community members -- unaffiliated students, faculty and staff -- they represent the norm of a lifestyle and a segment of this campus still shrouded in secrecy.

It's tough to argue with the stereotyping, though. When Greeks do work for improvement -- through community service and academic enrichment -- their successes are flaunted with the language and enthusiasm of a hastily-written press release. But when a fraternity or sorority is suspected of wrongdoing, by comparison?

Well, just consider last week's incident involving the Sigma Delta Tau sorority. When SDT's president and other Greek leaders were contacted by DP reporters for information and comment, none chose to respond. Members were instructed not to discuss the situation, and rumor quickly spread about what happened -- and what might have happened -- on Tuesday night.

Even Undergraduate Assembly Chairwoman Dana Hork -- herself an SDT sister -- refused to comment directly on the situation, saying only that "In the immediate aftermath of a specific incident, you always have to protect the privacy and identity of the people involved."

While that kind of silence may protect the sorority and its reputation in the short term, it only adds to the atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust that has permeated Penn's Greek system -- and continually threatens to destroy it.

For their part, the leaders of the Panhellenic and InterFraternity councils -- along with Hork -- have acknowledged the awkwardness of silence, but are divided on its purpose.

"I think there's an environment of silence because there's a pending investigation [into the alleged incident]," IFC Chairman and College junior Conor Daly said. "A person in my capacity is told [by the OSC] to do anything you can not to taint the investigation.... Sometimes people hear things that are wrong and can be damaging to an investigation or a cause."

Daly is absolutely right when he asserts the need for a clean investigation. But absolute silence -- like that which the Greek leadership has perpetuated along with University administration -- serves no real purpose when the buildup of innuendo continues to threaten the involved organization.

At least one Greek leader agrees.

"I don't think there should be a strict wall of silence between the Greek and non-Greek communities," Panhel Chairwoman and Wharton junior Alison Ng added. "I can't speak for what other people do, but I agree that when there is [known] information, there's no real reason to hide it."

Interestingly, all three leaders agreed when asked if this community could benefit from a large-scale discussion of Greek-related issues. Other institutions -- like Dartmouth and Bowdoin colleges, where Greek systems were recently altered or eliminated altogether -- have faced tremendous campus turmoil when decisions on such issues were reached without much consultation.

Now is the time to begin such a discussion here at Penn -- a discussion centered on openness, on answering the questions that need to be asked about the Greek system and its future. It begins with the current Greek leadership, but involves the rest of the student body, as well as a University administration that has an equally embarrassing record of silence on issues that demand address the most.

It's a discussion whose time has come. The future of the Greek system -- and the rest of the university that supports it -- depend on it.

Jonathan Margulies is a senior Management concentrator from North Bellmore, N.Y., and outgoing editorial page editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian .

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