Kenneth Glad
For millions of young people around the world, starting university means stepping into a brand new social circle. On American campuses, however, one traditional student institution has ignited an intense international debate over safety.
Widespread concerns are growing rapidly. Reports of violent initiation rites, heavy drinking, and illegal drug rings continue to rock US campuses, and the alleged gang rape at Cornell University in 2024 has recently sparked fierce public outrage.
Tragic outcomes are far from rare. Tracking data from Hazing Info reveals that North America has averaged two hazing deaths every year since 1838. In one recent case, writes The Guardian, an 18-year-old Northern Arizona University pledge died from alcohol poisoning after drinking two bottles of vodka, while another student in Louisiana died after a chest-punching ritual.
Scandals extend beyond alcohol abuse. In Pennsylvania, authorities arrested 14 people for running a cocaine ring out of two fraternities, while police in Wisconsin found pledges covered in food inside a basement.
Research directly links fraternity culture to higher rates of sexual assault. A 2019 survey found one in four female undergraduates experienced nonconsensual sexual contact, with fraternity houses named as the most common location.
Calls to close
Sororities face sharp criticism as well. Former Alpha Phi member Lucy Taylor recalled to The Guardian how sisters shamed her online for a bikini photo before an email urged members to use “SNAP”, short for “So Not Alpha Phi”, to flag improper images. Intense body pressure has even fueled a trend of students taking GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to get thin enough for their dream sisterhood.
For many critics, reforming these US societies is no longer viable. Cornell English professor Daniel R Schwarz said, “The Greek system, in my judgment, supports alcoholism, sexual harassment, bullying under the guise of hazing, groupthink and, of course, the objectification of women.”
Psychology professor Jennifer Freyd, who once believed reform was achievable, now agrees that total shutdown is necessary. She noted to the British newspaper that leaders must “overcome the generations of tradition that are misogynist and bonding over humiliation. That is enormous work.”
Fraternity representatives present a very different view. Hillary Brewer of the North American Interfraternity Conference called them “an accelerator for success in college and beyond” that creates lifelong connections, maintaining that members who commit sexual assault should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
Money and tradition
American university leaders remain cautious about imposing blanket bans out of fear that alumni will stop donating money. Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff promised “a serious look” at Greek life without considering a ban, reports the Associated Press, even as research projects a 13 percent decline in US high school graduates between 2025 and 2041.
Students themselves remain split on the issue. While some demand an immediate end to Greek culture, members argue fraternities foster the school’s most passionate supporters, who provide vital career networks and future financial backing to their alma mater.
Several institutions have taken action anyway. Colleges like Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Swarthmore shut down Greek life years ago and survived, according to The New York Times, while the University of Arizona recently placed fraternities on an interim activities suspension over hazing and assault allegations. In addition, the Ithaca Common Council voted to stop issuing permits to student groups.
