At the end of last school year, Dean of Students Mary Desler sent a letter to NU’s seven most socially active fraternities after learning they participated in a “progressive.” During the progressive, groups of sorority girls traveled to Lodge, Delt, Sig Ep, ZBT, DU, SAE and Fiji to meet new pledges. The new members drink a lot, and the parties violate rules in the student handbook, but they happen at schools such as Stanford and MIT, as they have here for at least six years.

In the letter, Desler told the fraternities that they are “not permitted to host any social activities whatsoever” for seven months. In effect, she temporarily terminated NU’s main source of traditional college fun.

If fraternities did not agree with her sanctions, they could appeal to the Undergraduate Hearing and Appeals System, the judicial body she oversees.

The consequence for breaking this probation? Indefinite suspension or “permanent removal from campus.” Multiple fraternities violated the sanctions, falling into her trap, and now face the UHAS guillotine.

It has become clear that the administration, led by Desler, either wants to get rid of the Greek system altogether, or so drastically alter its makeup that it remains in name only.

Tradition, or rather a precedence of non-enforcement, should not be a deterrent for the administration to reasonably address problems. Combating underage and excessive drinking, unsafe behavior and community disturbances are valid goals. However, these are not Greek problems. They are college problems.

While Greeks may have a greater propensity to participate in undesirable activities than the general student body, the Greek system is not at fault.

I attended a school that banished fraternities in 1962, and a half-century later, fratty behavior is alive and well. Medics are still called, property is still damaged, alcohol is still consumed underage, music still disturbs neighbors and rules are still broken.

The culprit is college. College students are away from home for the first time and many want to have fun and test boundaries. These students are still on campus and want to party, Greek system or not.

Moreover, attacking the Greek system under the auspices of creating a safer campus hurts our university.

Plenty of schools share our traits. Many students decide to become Wildcats because they expect to both work hard and have a good time during their four years in Evanston.

Our school’s active social life, largely generated by fraternities and sororities, is a selling point for NU.

Some 38 percent of undergraduates, myself included, are members of a fraternity or sorority. We understand the value of an active Greek system. And many non-Greek students appreciate the fun and camaraderie provided by Greek functions.

Alumni, especially big donors, must stop misguided administrators from destroying a valuable aspect of NU.

The administration needs to think about causes and consequences. It’s not the Greeks. It’s college kids, stupid!

Weinberg junior Maxwell Hayman can be reached at [email protected].