I appreciate the aims of this project and can even better appreciate the dialogue that it’s created. The willingness of Greek-affiliated and Greek-disaffiliated students to engage in a real discussion of what many consider a bone of contention within our university system is admirable. All that said, I’m a f*cking GDI.

To begin, I’d like to respectfully disagree with some points asserted in the post titled “Greeks View.” Therein, our author blames much of the “Greek vs. Non-Greek” mentality we seem to be discussing on the admissions practices of the university. ”If the university made prospectives [sic] aware of the social structure at Vanderbilt,” he says, “students that do not like the social structure wouldn’t be blindsided by it upon arrival, giving them a chance to go to a school where they fit into the social system better.” In my view, this is insufficient. This university cannot and should not be defined by its social scene. Vanderbilt is primarily a premier research institution known globally for its medical endeavors, its breakthroughs in every field, and its excellence in undergraduate education. These are the things Vanderbilt should be making clear to its prospective students, and they are the criteria a new generation of Commodores should use to judge our community. Should future classes of Vanderbilt students find themselves displeased with our social scene, the university should seek to change it. We must prioritize -placing our academic prowess before our Greek system- and reevaluate our campus setting as the times demand.

On a more personal note, I’m deeply disappointed with the “it factor” this author holds as central to the Greek recruitment process. It’s unfortunate he views the standards of accepting and loving someone as a brother and being proud to be associated with him as separate measures.

But, a broader point:

Among the most scarce and highly-valued resources at Vanderbilt are (1.) housing options, and (2.) parking options. As of now, these are two things that the university provides to Greek students at a level inconsistent to that at which they offer them to Greek-disaffiliated students. Vanderbilt’s insistence on controlling Greek life by making it a primarily on-campus, university-sanctioned phenomenon has created a problematical condition in which the administration inadvertently favors one group of students over another in the provision of precious campus resources. This isn’t right.

Finally, I’d like to purport what no one else seems willing to: Greek life offers virtually nothing not attainable elsewhere on campus or in Nashville. I am not in a Greek organization and have never sought to be. Opportunities to drink socially (while remaining in compliance with university policies) exist in every dorm building, save for those on Commons. It’s also the entire purpose of Lower Broad just down the street. Networking exists through other clubs and through our school’s alumni network. Brother-/sisterhood is established not through rushing, but from getting to know and truly appreciate people.

The challenges we face fundamentally are twofold. First, the Greek system here at Vanderbilt should not be permitted to take precedence over those things that define the school. We must also refuse to allow it to become a “sacred cow,” exempt from evolution simply because it’s always been done, governed, or considered one way or another. Second, the school should reevaluate how Greek life systematically divides students. That is, in deciding what happens in the next several years, it is important to address not just the bullying some have experienced, but also the inherent inequalities and strains that are introduced by the system. An answer to our bone of contention will arise only after addressing both these points.