According to the Trustees' Resolution on Fraternities published each year in the student handbook, "no resource of the College (physical, staff, or monetary) shall be used or employed directly or indirectly, in any procedure relating to rushing, pledging, initiating, or otherwise admitting to, or maintaining, membership by any student of the College" in fraternities or similar social clubs.
Certainly, the College could treat fraternity members like outlaws, hounding them the second they step foot on campus. But to the extent that the College does not collect J. Edgar Hoover-like files on people, we are grateful for the willingness of the College to see frat members as students and members of the College community, first and foremost. We could see a time when the official policy could be used to vilify frat members and we lament that possibility.
Because of the current climate for fraternities here at the College, those students who choose not to involve themselves in Greek life do not feel marginalized. At the same time, we appreciate the contributions that fraternities make to the College's social scene, along with the fact that these events are open to the entire community.
The absence of these fraternities in their current incarnation would be a noticeable and unfortunate loss to the campus. We feel that students here should be able to make a decision, free from the pressure of a large, organized Greek system, either to involve themselves in these unrecognized fraternities or not.
At the end of the day, the administration should make sure that it is looking out for the interests of all students, including fraternity members. The fact that the College is willing to approach Psi U's faculty advisor is a step in the right direction. Inviting the members of these "non-existent" fraternities to lectures such as the one given by the expert on hazing last year would be the right thing for the administration to do. It is in the best interest of insuring a safe environment for all students, even if they run across the street into the no-fly zone that is the DKE house.