Due to unreasonable and extreme behavior, another college life has been destroyed. A life has been taken away from a family and community much too soon.
It is disheartening to hear of 19-year-old Timothy Piazza’s death at Penn State and serves as a reminder of the issues that collegiate life faces. It is reasonable to assess that the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Penn State was careless in their actions and as a result, a promising young man is dead.
It is during moments like this that students need to reflect on their college lives and stand firm in a commitment to sustainable and healthy living. We hear stories like Piazza’s too often, and it is important that we do not become apathetic to tragedies like this. His death should sadden the hardest of hearts and bring actions to protect and safeguard our own communities from tragedies of such a preventable nature.
These very events call for the fabric of collegiate life to be repaired and reworked, to inculcate a more holistic approach to issues of carelessness and organizational failure. In contrast, the mainstream solution to mitigate issues of college life and death is much more black and white. At least once a month a Greek organization screws up, and newspapers both national and local call for the destruction of Greek Life. This view and solution is clearly defined in Monday’s opinion piece titled, “Greek life doesn’t care about student lives,” suggesting to “ban them [fraternities and sororities] all” as a solution.
The call to abolish Greek life on campus is understandable considering many of its failures, but doing so diminishes the ability of individuals to better their communities and the diverse and dynamic group of Greeks at CSULB. I do not wish to paint a false narrative of perfection or dismiss the many valid issues that Greek life faces. However, it would be helpful to evaluate the 49ers opinion piece’s solution in contrast to some of the creative solutions that Long Beach Greek life applies to prevent unreasonable, extreme and unhealthy organizational behavior.
Let’s say we get rid of Greek life at the Beach regardless of any of the 1,500 students who call themselves Greek at CSULB. One might say, “Well that’s only 4 percent of the student body,” — but would disbanding a small group of students make a difference? It absolutely would; there would be 1,500 less students organized behind and raising funds for causes like our student emergency fund (which provides food resources to food insecure students and emergency housing in some cases), tree planting in our community, cleaning highways (on the 22 next to campus) and beaches, or contributing thousands of dollars to veterans and children in need of medical financing every semester.
One might think that getting rid of these organizations will decrease alcohol related deaths, sexual assault and hazing. It might, but we cannot assume that empty claim based off of the proactive approach at Long Beach State.
I implore students to see past national averages and form an opinion of Greek life based on their very own community at the Beach. Greek students are mandated to receive more social education from outlets like Student Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, Title IX and Student Life and Development than the average Long Beach student.
Greek Life leaders are educated in bystander intervention; violence mediation; the effects of hazing, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; and preventative steps and measures for safety and health. Semesterly retreats are held to educate leaders of their immense responsibility and legal obligations to Title IX and Jacob’s Law (the hazing law of California).
Can we assume based on these facts that less educated students in these social issues would decrease alcohol related accidents? I think we would see the exact opposite effect and even increased possibilities of tragedies occurring on campus. The education of students is vital to preventing unreasonable and extreme behavior.
With a campus full of individuals from different backgrounds, we cannot assume that everyone understands the weightiness or possibilities of such tragedies. Greek life at the Beach finances engaging education on these very topics because we understand that we do not know everything, and it is important to develop responsible young people with knowledge of the social issues that affect life adversely.
This might sound cliche, but the relationships that are cultivated through Greek life are among the deepest relationships I have. I have brothers from multiple religions, ethnic backgrounds, family types, political ideologies, social classes and genuinely different upbringings. I may never have experienced diversity and individuality without my brothers. The safety and counsel I seek from my brothers, alumni and undergraduates, goes beyond friendship.
To be confronted with close friends who have lost a parent, overcame addiction, chose sober living because of their father or had to work full-time to cover their college education and still find the value in paying for community are just a few things that have touched me. Their strength and resilience pushes me, not simply to party or act like a “Frat Boy” as so many would stereotype us as, but to keep going when life gets tough (which it so often does) and continue to pursue who I am and what I want.
This dynamic experience is why I value my Greek life. Students can join a topic-specific club or student organization and hone their skills of leadership, enjoy religious fellowship, celebrate scholastic excellence or serve others selflessly. Although those things are what make college an experience, I get all of that, and a support system. It gives me hope that our world can work with individuals that do not always agree or have the same outlook on life because Greek life at Long Beach State does exactly that.
I cannot say that Greek life is perfect, but let’s not assume that it is worthless. In the end, the only way we can address the problems we face are at their roots, rather than shift blame to organizations that do not fit our own ideological preferences. The route to reconciliation of college tragedies is up to the individual to choose, but I would implore students to look past stereotypes and engage the people they disagree with. To generalize an entire group based on the actions of some is to diminish the unique qualities and characteristics that Greek life has to offer.