Northeastern fraternities: pressure from the top
By RANDOLPH SEALEY
Some of the most significant changes in the role of fraternities in the Northeast will result from housing problems and from pressure for changes in the basis of membership selection.
To KU fraternity men, rules at northeastern colleges on such things as alcoholic beverages, women guests and administration policing may seem quite liberal, but a trend toward greater regulation does seem to exist.
For instance, in 1965, the president of Trinity College ordered an end to drinking in fraternity houses since many members were under 21 and violating Connecticut law. Fraternity men protested bitterly but the regulation went into effect.
(Second in a Series of Three Articles)
A more subtle case is Columbia College. After many years of a virtual laissez-faire policy, the college administration has instituted proctors at parties and periodic inspections of houses, claiming they had a legal and moral obligation to see to it that fraternity houses were run properly.
The problem of fraternity housing is one indication of this trend toward greater regulation of fraternities.
Many schools own and rent housing to fraternity chapters. Brown, for instance, has a quadrangle consisting of units which are distributed among the chapters according to their respective sizes.
University-owned housing necessarily subjects fraternities tq
regulation. A Dartmouth representative of Phi Kappa Psi once said, "The university has the power to tell us how to run our house. They can even tell us how to landscape our lot."
University expansion also can create housing problems for fraternities. At Columbia, fraternities will have difficulty relocating to new housing when the university expands a few years from now. Relocation will have to be undertaken by the fraternities themselves since the university adopted the proposal of an alumni committee not to spend money for fraternity housing.
A similar though less serious situation exists at the University of Pennsylvania. There a number of fraternities have been preempted from their houses and moved to less desirable locations, although, generally, adequate substitutes have been found.
Another problem leading to regulation by colleges is a product of contemporary social changes—the movement against discrimination.
One of the severest criticisms against fraternities in recent years is the charge that they are racially and socially discriminatory. These critics suggest both overt and covert discriminatory practices exist, particularly those resulting from alumni and national organization pressures.
While most fraternities have repealed exclusionary clauses from their laws, many colleges feel that this is not enough. They ask that it be made clear fraternity chapters are not required to discriminate either by law or by threats of reprisal.
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
Consequently, nearly all leading northeastern colleges require fraternities to sign pledges of non-discrimination. This enables the colleges to go on record upholding the principle of "local autonomy" or the right of local chapters to choose its own members without regard to race or religion.
Another charge of discrimination is aimed more directly at chapters themselves. It is said that some people who wish to join fraternities are excluded because of snobbery.
This arises from the fact that membership often is a matter of subjective judgment. Fraternities are supposed to be helpful in developing social poise, but what about those individuals who need this help but are excluded for lacking this poise?
I GOT KICKED OUT OF FINE ARTS;THOSE INSTRUCTORS OVER IN BUSINESS DON'T HAVE MUCH TO OFFER, AN'I FIND ENGINEERING A DRAG — SO WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SUGGEST?"
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Just as they have dealt with discrimination through regulations, so colleges have met social discrimination by rushing rules. Some colleges have adopted the "total opportunity" system: anyone who wishes to join a fraternity gets into one. As employed at places such as Amherst and Hamilton, those individuals not on any fraternity's bid list are assigned to a house whose quota has not been filled. The obvious difficulty is that some men do not get into the fraternity they want.
Some colleges, however, have "total opportunity" of a different sort: room for just about everyone who wants to join fraternities. Cornell, with over 40 fraternities and sororities, has something approaching total opportunity through sheer numbers. A different situation exists at Columbia whose 520 fraternity men, belonging to 15 fraternities, find it difficult to get enough rushees to join.
Discrimination is not the only issue being raised against fraternities. Many northeastern colleges are in the process of changing their social and academic patterns. Just how fraternities will fit into the new roles of their colleges remains to be seen. This probably will do more than anything else to change the traditional roles of fraternities at these campuses.
(The next and final installment will deal with the social role of fraternities and the author's conclusions.)
Official Bulletin
Foreign Students: March 31 is the deadline date. Sign up or June 22 to receive a Family Assembly kit from Colonial Williamsburg, Va. Open to students who are leaving this summer.
TODAY
Experimental Theatre. 8:20 p.m. "An Evening with Dylan Thomas."
Lecture, 7:30 p.m. Dr. James Woolfe-
l, KU University Lutheran Church.
Festival of the Arts, 8:00 p.m., "The
Art of Animation." Chuck Jones.
with Tim Burton.
Danforth Devotions. 4:30 p.m.
Sponsored by Lutherans at Danforth
Ph.D. Examination. 2:30 Philip Rosnusheld, psychology. 423 Fraserlassic Film. 7 & 9 p.m. "The Kids are Watching Us" Italian. Dyche; Aud.
History Lecture: 8 p.m. Dr. David A. Shannon, U. of Maryland. "The constitutional Wisdom, Dissent and the New Deal." Forum Room, Kansas Union.
P1.D. Examination 2.30 Philip
Recognize, anathema: 427 Frayer
Festival of the Arts Lecture, 8 p.m.
Exhibition of the present State of
The Arts. "Hoch Aud."
Faculty Recital 8 p.m. Robert Scott
Ward, pianist. Swa 'thout.
Shell Game
Experimental Theatre. 8:20 p.m. "An Evening with Dylan Thomas."
2
Daily Kansan
editorial page
Tuesday, March 21, 1867
UDK Theatre Review—Marat/Sade
Marat / Sade exciting theatre
By SCOTT NUNLEY
If I had the verbal ability I would try to convey to you the tremendous impact and power of Lewin Goff's production of "Marat Sade" at the University Theatre March 19, 23, 24, and 25. It is incredible.
Not everyone can like this kind of drama, drama that hits hard, drama that makes you hurt and think and suffer as we must suffer for the plight of humanity and for our own souls.
I WOULD BE PRESUMPTUOUS to try to tell you what "Marat Sade" is about. Every audience must instinctively know, whether they care to admit it or not, that this play is deeply personal, deeply social, deeply theological, and deeply disturbing.
There is very little to criticize and much to praise in KU's production. Lewin Goff is a brilliant director and "Marat Sade" is his own brilliant success. If one has any doubts that KU is losing a very gifted man when Dr. Goff leaves this fall for Cornell, one has only to witness this production.
Witness dazzling performances by Richard Kelton, Sean Griffin, and Linda McDonald; witness stand-out roles by Cherie Shuck, Jerry Koellsted, Julia Callahan, Jurahee Lain, Gene Tishauer, David Morgan and Sue Tisdall; witness the superior musicians and singers, too numerous to mention here; witness the inspired ensemble acting of the inmates of Charenton under the direction of one incredible Dr. Goff.
NO LESS IMPRESSIVE than the acting is the masterful set by James Hawes; Richard Watkins' frighteningly effective lighting; Chez Hachl's excellent costuming; and the fine musical direction of Kay Bethea.
There are forty people in the cast, and all forty deserve wreaths of praise. Not that I cannot find a few twigs to critisize. Throughout the first act I found Kip Niven's characterization unconvincing, his laugh and voice especially so. Niven's second act, however, showed marked improvement in his compelling last scene with Corday. Miles Coiner seemed a bit weak in motivation and character, but he looked the part.
"Marat Sade" is controversial, and deservedly so. People do not like to see themselves stark naked under the uncompromising light of truth, and while "Marat Sade" may not be that "light of truth" it is a glaring and penetrating beam that cuts through many of the surface-layers of our modern, sophisticated existence.
If you are not afraid of being shook-up and knocked down, kicked in the guts and made to feel things more deeply; and then after all this, if you are not afraid of being "left with a question that's always open." (and I trust most liberal-minded, free-thinking men of all ages are not afraid), you will find "Marat Sade" an experience you will never forget.