Responding to the Hill News article “Greek Recruitment Week Kicks Off at St. Lawrence”

To the Editor:

I read with interest your article about Greek recruitment week, which speaks to the joys that buzz around campus during this exciting time. I must admit, however, I was more interested in what was not being said and the perspectives that were not being heard. Anyone who has been paying attention to national news within the last ten years knows the rumors surrounding hazing and discrimination within Greek life are often true. The name Tim Piazza may ring a bell for some, as his death after a hazing incident at a Penn State fraternity made national headlines because of the extent of his hazing, negligence of bystanders and surveillance camera evidence of the unfolding events surrounding his death. Hazing is a national problem. The degree to which it occurs during the rush process on this campus and the actions our administration takes to prevent it deserve further investigation.

I’ve heard rumors about hazing on this campus. I have also heard of certain Greek organizations being on “close watch” or receiving reprimands for hazing or for actions closely related to hazing. Most of these accounts are just rumors that I don’t want to print and that deserve further inquiry, but I think it would be worthwhile to get some honest answers regarding hazing on this campus. I also think it’s important to hear from people other than current members of Greek organizations whose best interest may be to just reveal the positive, rewarding sides of Rush Week.  

I fully acknowledge Greek life on St. Lawrence’s campus is a lot different than those on other campuses and that the recruitment process is done a lot differently as well, resulting in more positive feedback from the people involved. I also understand our fraternities and sororities do excellent work for the community and I believe they deserve a place on this campus. That being said, I think further exploration should occur in regard to hazing and discrimination, how the culture of those aspects of Greek life has changed on this campus over time, and what our administration is doing to prevent the worst from happening. 

Sincerely,

Madison Amico 

St. Lawrence University Student