It’s easy to look at the fraternity quad as the epicenter of drinking, fighting and all around poor behavior on campus. Perhaps it is because the Greek community is omnipresent. With such a large percentage of the student body involved in Greek life – about 20 percent – it is safe to say that you hear a whole lot about these organizations, and most of the time it is not good.
However, what is not so evident is how much the Greek community has given to this campus and to the greater Rochester community. In the past two weeks alone, Greek organizations have held numerous events to support local charities and causes. For instance, Sigma Nu held 40 Oz. to Freedom, donating all of the profits to Foodlink. Sigma Chi co-sponsored a service at the Interfaith Chapel to honor our first responders. Delta Sigma Theta co-sponsored a roller-skating event to help raise money for the fight against HIV/AIDS. The Fraternity Presidents’ Council, with the help of the Panhellenic sororities, brought kids from inner-city Rochester to go trick-or-treating around the frat quad.
These events do not go without lots of preparation. All throughout the year different Greek students and organizations spend hours planning different philanthropic events that many times go unnoticed by the student body.
The beauty of Greek philanthropies is that they allow everyone to get involved in whatever way they would like, whether it be partying for a common cause or hosting an event for the entire Rochester community.
In reality, UR’s Greek organizations have overcome the typical Greek stereotype, and for this we should be proud. Even if the attendance continues to be low at these events, Greek organizations should be recognized for bringing more to campus than a good Thursday night party.
