Our first budget meeting of the year was cut short because of frat boys.
Five of the six Samford Crimson staff reporters are involved in Greek life. Three of the six editorial staff members are, as well. At our first meeting, all our male writers – including one of our editors – had to leave only 30 minutes in to prepare for round 1 of IFC recruitment.
A newspaper is only ever as good as its diligent writers that put hours of work into the words you now hold in your hands. Many of Samford’s accolade-winning clubs and nationally-recognized organizations are like this. But how are we expected to operate when over half of our members are stuck in the sorority houses of West Campus the first three weeks of school?
Are other clubs not as important as Greek organizations? According to Samford’s own data, “86% of Samford students participated in two or more high impact practices by senior year.” As of 2024, 57% of students are involved in a Greek chapter. Students are inclined to be involved at Samford – it’s what we do.
But how can we balance our passions if Greek life demands so much?
And it’s no surprise that our Greek organizations are run like a well-oiled apparatus – our Greek life director, Clint Coulter, formerly held the position of Assistant Director and Interfraternity Council Advisor at the University of Alabama. Yes, the “Bama RushTok” University of Alabama.
If Samford wants to run our fraternities and sororities like an SEC school, someone should make the executive call to push recruitment before classes start.
Do I think this would take away a core tenant of what makes Samford, Samford? Yes. But I fear we watch that fade every time a sorority girl packs a “go” bag for her last class of the day during work week or a frat guy pre-bids any freshman boy with a pulse.
Where it used to be obvious that Samford valued its students getting to know the campus sans-Greek affiliation in the first month of fall, we now have Greek letters plastered on matching t-shirts from the first day of school all the way up until bid day.
Is this truly letting freshmen get to know the campus for all it has to offer besides Greek affiliation?
This in-between creates stress for all Samford students – even senior independents, like myself. I cannot hold a proper meeting including all of my organization’s members until after recruitment is over – I don’t think that’s fair.
Editor-in-Chief
