Greek life at Emory is a challenging topic to discuss — everyone brings a different perspective and experience to the table. However, when porches collapse and emergency vehicles are called to off-campus parties, the Emory community must begin paying attention to the bigger issues at play. Such events demonstrate how seemingly safety-oriented decisions by the University actually contribute to a dangerous pattern of pushing Greek life off our campus, undermining the Emory administration’s obligation to oversee its constituent organizations and ensure student safety in all ways possible.
When fraternities are suspended on Emory’s campus, social events do not just stop. Rather, many of these groups have chosen to host off-campus parties, products of recent efforts from the University to limit Greek life activity through suspensions and probations in response to various infractions. Suspensions push Greek life off campus. Instead of being permitted to host a party on campus, these organizations find off-campus locations, which only perpetuates a vicious cycle of risky behavior and potentially harmful situations. The University is obligated to prevent fraternities and sororities from engaging in harmful and illegal conduct, but repeated suspensions of Greek activity do not promote safety, especially since fraternities can continue to host events in off-campus houses. With these suspensions, Emory is shoving liability into the shadows, and, in fact, heightening the level of risk around fraternity events. Rather than blanket suspensions that isolate Greek life, the University must look toward solutions that encourage events to remain on campus, where students can engage in Greek life with more security and support.
When Greek life organizations move their events off campus, the unreliability of accessing vital University resources increases, including the Emory Police Department, Emory Emergency Medical Services and SafeRide. These resources quickly arrive and respond to emergencies on Emory’s campus, and are unable to respond to off-campus events, thus reasserting the importance of hosting on-campus rather than farther away.
Beyond access to emergency services lies the issue of the distance. If the campus party is not a stroll down Eagle Row, students must turn to rideshare services or other cars to attend off-campus events, creating two dangers: increased congestion during a potential emergency and the higher probability that students may drink and drive. With 30 rideshare cars waiting to pick up students, emergency vehicles could have a difficult time reaching the off-campus site during a major accident. Moreover, the cost of rideshare apps or difficulty obtaining transportation increases the likelihood that students will drive under the influence.
In cases where students may be injured or require immediate medical assistance, staying on campus where these resources are accessible and ensured is the safest choice for the student body. If Emory actually hopes to promote safety, the University must conduct intentional and fair oversight of Greek life — not use distance as deflection.
In addition to student safety, pushing fraternities into Emory’s surrounding neighborhoods harms the University’s relationship with its neighbors. Off-campus parties create disruptions and liabilities that the fraternities and University should be responsible for, not families and homeowners, to create a safe place for students to experience college life without impacting surrounding communities and risking student safety. There are plenty of responsible Emory students who rely on renting homes close to campus and should not have to fear being denied housing due to Emory’s haphazard administrative actions.
Additionally, a vibrant Greek life community is vital to the social spirit of a school, particularly one like Emory that lacks a strong sports culture. While the current trend of off-campus gatherings keeps the skeleton of Greek life, it strips these organizations of their primary function: creating a safe space for socialization within walking distance of its students. Furthermore, Greek life is a pillar of Emory’s social history, with over 43,000 alumni as members of fraternities, sororities, identity-based and pre-professional Greek organizations. These organizations exist to create a place of belonging and are an essential aspect of campus life. The university is beginning its shift away from Greek life with social fraternities, but if we allow them to continue, we risk losing privileges and access to other Greek spaces as well.
Emory must rethink how it engages with fraternities and sororities, moving beyond its risky cat-and-mouse game to create clear and productive relationships between the University and its social scene. When students report incidents of hazing in Greek life, the University should take action to resolve them, seek to understand the motive of the misconduct and ensure all involved undergo additional training regarding health, safety and liability — without blanket bans or swift, yet ultimately futile, suspensions. Emory must invest in Greek life as a valuable community on campus, protecting students while acknowledging the necessity of a thriving social scene so close to home.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of The Emory Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Editorial Board Editor Carly Aikens, Shreyal Aithal, Editorial Board Assistant Editor Mira Krichavsky, Wayne Liang, Eliana Liporace, Pierce McDade, Niki Rajani, Robyn Scott, Ilka Tona, Meiya Weeks and Crystal Zhang.
