Fraternity and sorority members have gained the reputation of party people who go to college to get drunk and have sex. This reputation has been fueled by TV shows and movies like “Greek” and “Animal House.” However, the Greek system at NSU contradicts some of the myths that are perpetuated on the big screen.
While Greek organizations on the big screen go to wild parties, Greek organizations on campus participate in charity work.
Ilana Moskowitz, sophomore legal studies major and member of Sigma Delta Tau, said, “Working with philanthropies empowers the community and the sisterhood as a whole.”
Another difference between Greek life at NSU and other universities is the fact that NSU and its Greek organizations have no tolerance for hazing. Instead recruiters focus on building positive relationships.
“How can hazing make you a sister? You can’t degrade your sister and then go back and say ‘Oh, we’re fine. We’re sisters,’” said Leeann Campany, sophomore legal studies major and member of Sigma Delta Tau.
That sense of sisterhood or brotherhood is essential to the Greeks at NSU.
“I lost my parents in high school and family has always been important to me. So, I wanted to be part of the Greek system to have a family,” said Campany.
Dolan agreed. He said the moment he joined his fraternity, he felt like he belonged.
“There’s an instant sense of brotherhood,” he said.
To be part of the system, students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA, but some organizations have higher requirements.
Kayla Caldwell, sophomore marine biology major and member of Sigma Delta Tau, said, “School comes first, even before the sorority. It’s why you go to college.”
At NSU, there are fraternities and sororities that promote ethnic identity. Lambda Theta Phi, Inc. is a Latin fraternity and Lambda Theta Alpha, Inc. is a Latin sorority.
Devaughn King, first-year college student affairs graduate stu-dent and member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., a historically black fraternity, said, “Personally I feel that the mix is good because it exposes me to different aspects of Greek life that I would not have felt at a historically black college or university.”
NSU is different from other universities with Greek organizations because fraternities and sororities don’t have houses at NSU. Alicia Bates, graduate assistant for Greek life said that there are no NSU sorority and fraternity houses because, according to Broward laws, they would be considered hostels. How-ever, some Greek members think it would be beneficial to have houses.
Dolan said, “I think a frat house would allow for a more traditional Greek experience. It would also make it easier to meet with the brothers. Now, we have to plan to get together because we don’t have a headquarters and we have to communicate more because we are all over the place.”
But even without fraternity houses, members of the Greek system feel like part of a bigger family.
Moskowitz said, “We’re all brothers and sisters. We have different letters, but we’re all Greek and our letters unite us.”
