MTV skews Greek life
By Andrew donovan
Staff Reporter

Fighting. Crying. Hazing. Drunkenness. Excessive partying.

Greek leaders on campus say these are several reasons why many people enjoy watching shows documenting Greek life. Unfortunately, they said, these images come at the expense of fraternities and sororities nationwide.

Alpha Chi Omega President Robyn Windham said shows like MTV’s “Sorority Life” and “Fraternity Life,” which shows college students going through the pledging process of the Greek system, hurt the image of sororities and fraternities.

“Those MTV shows are definitely the biggest reason for the stereotype fraternities and sororities have received,” Windham said.

The senior speech pathology major said most of what happens on the shows does not represent all fraternities and sororities, but that those stereotypes are how most people outside fraternities and sororities tend to judge the Greek system.

“The opinion on Greeks pretty much comes down to the person’s experience with them,” Windham said. “Unfortunately, for those totally foreign to Greeks, (the shows) are the only images they get.”

According to MTV, the show is not supposed to represent all Greek life. The two shows came under fire last summer when Greek101.com, which sells apparel to college fraternities and sororities, cut its ties to the shows after several complaints from Greek members across the country.

As for any chance of TCU becoming the site of the next “Sorority Life” or “Fraternity Life,” Tiffany Abbott, director of fraternity and sorority affairs, said the possibilities are very slim. She said the chapters featured on the program usually do not fall under the national systems, which would not allow a group to participate.
More importantly, Abbott said, she would not want to bring that type of negative publicity to the campus.
Panhellenic Council President and Chi Omega member Emily Marriott said the biggest problem with the shows is that they tend to concentrate a lot on the negative aspects of Greek life and hardly show the positive, like philanthropy.

“It’s hard in a world where media and entertainment just want to show the bad,” Marriott said. “You have to always try to overcome this negative publicity.”

Senior advertising and public relations major Jason Myers said he is not part of the Greek system, but he agrees the TV shows do seem to exaggerate the footage they show.

“They definitely portray Greeks as stupid and elitist,” Myers said. “Most fraternities are pretty much typecast anyway, and the show just kind of takes that to the extreme.”

Myers said he has had much experience with fraternities, because he has been a resident assistant in Milton Daniel Hall for two years. He said he doesn’t actually watch the shows himself, but he understands why some students are attracted to them.

“People that are not a part of (Greek life) like to watch it and point out exactly why they are not a part of it. I think it helps them feel better about themselves,” Myers said.

Windham said she does watch the shows, even if they do support the negative stereotype.

“If you’re in the Greek system, it is really funny to watch because you know it is not true,” Windham said. “Plus, it’s great drama.”