In a recent Editorial Board, you have spoken words that have quickly gotten the Greek community riled up and taking a stand. I hope to speak for many Greeks when I disagree and state that no, Miami would not be better off without Greek life.

I want to take a moment to rebut some of your arguments. Logistically, Greek life is essential to Miami University. As the statistic that is highly stated goes, about 30 percent of the student body is Greek. Greek life is a major recruiting factor to the university; if applicants didn’t have the opportunity to try out Greek life (which is available at plenty of other reputable universities), then they may simply disregard Miami and enroll in another school.

Whether you are involved in a club or varsity sport, religious organization, or something else you are passionate about, you are eliminating the clean slate that you have dragged into your tiny dorm room your first day freshman year. Greek life has done just the same; the difference between your argument and mine is that we chose this identity. We joined Greek life because we wanted to become something bigger than ourselves. I don’t wear my letters as the Scarlett A—I take pride in my letters because Greek life gave me the chance to be a leader, friend, and proud member of this community.

Thirdly, you asked if we could have the same friends, parties, and meaningful bonds without the facades and structured meetings. Our lives wouldn’t be the same without the traditions and strong foundation that Greek life provides. The five pillars of Greek life are: scholarship and learning; service and philanthropy; community; leadership and values; and brotherhood and sisterhood. In every organization, similar values are trickled down and are taught at every chapter and event.

In today’s mainstream media, Greek life is almost always being framed in a negative light. Binge drinking, hazing, and a rowdy lifestyle are portrayed more days than not, especially after recruitment.

I’d like to pull a quote from another one of your Editorial Board Opinions, “This is not just a college thing or a Greek thing, it’s a Miami thing. Fraternities and sororities may carry much of the brunt for Miami’s partying and bad behavior image — but it’s an issue that reaches to every single person who calls Oxford their temporary home.”

As an involved member of Greek life, I see these problems and worry about them too. We are not invisible to the problems surrounding college life and many leaders and chapter members are trying to do something about it.

So instead of asking, “What if Greek life wasn’t at Miami,” I challenge you to take a different stand and ask, “How can we make Greek life better?”

There are programs in place that are currently working to make Greek life better. The Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life’s mission is to assist our fraternity and sorority community to succeed in living out its shared values of the five pillars, which were stated earlier.

One of the biggest achievements that the Cliff Alexander Office has created is the Community Advancement Program.

The Community Advancement Program is a huge part of the good that chapters bring on campus. It was created less than five years ago as the intent of holding Greek life accountable and raising the standards for our leadership and value. As a former Board of Trustee member, I have seen how much it can impact chapters. Fraternities and sororities not only have to participate in events around campus but host a variety of programs under academics, leadership, brotherhood, and service.

Whether it is bringing Officer Hercules in to speak about community safety, welcoming alumni to talk about their profession and how to excel in academics, or hosting our favorite philanthropy events, the CAP program has pushed chapters to become bigger and better.

As for the next steps, I would say that Greeks—and non-Greeks alike—should focus on one of our missions, Stand for Community. Our fraternities and sororities are meant to meet the diverse interests and needs of members by striving to create a community. In a sense, that is what Miami lacks.

Alpha Omicron Pi has paired with Miami Athletics for their philanthropy 'Minute to Win it' and asked the entire Miami community to participate. We welcomed teams from outside of IFC and Panhellenic and we hope they enjoyed our company as much we did theirs.

This is a small step to bridge the gap between Greeks and non-Greeks, but we are making an effort. If we focused more on being a community under “Love and Honor” and less about the divide, then maybe we can make our chapters and Miami progress, and frame our community in a more positive manner.

Some Greeks had more to say about Greek life and your editorial opinion:

“I decided to go Greek because my whole life I was always a part of a team. When I went away for college I wanted to find a group of guy that were relatively similar to me and shared the same values and ideals. I didn’t make my best friends by paying money to join an organization, you get out of it what you put in it. I devoted a lot of my time towards getting to know each of my pledge brothers and thats why we’re really close--which I would not consider artificial or fake” -Sophomore Pi Kappa Alpha Brother

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“Greek life has impacted my life in so many ways, but the most important is that it has helped me grow and understand who I am as a person and a friend. If it were not for Kappa Delta I don't even know where I would be. The girls I met here have taught me what it means to be a true friend… No matter what, if I have a bad day or a good day they are always there to support me and make me laugh. Being in a sorority has given me the support that I and others need to handle some of the most stressful times of life and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Because no matter what I will always be a Kappa Delta.” - Sophomore Kappa Delta Sister

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“I joined Greek life for the people. Being a part of Greek life brings you into an entire community. Not only are we surrounded by other chapters, but the world around us and we are constantly striving to change it in a philanthropic manner.

Sure, some people join Greek life for the wrong reasons and give us sorority girls the reputation we have. But simply identifying our flaws made true by a minority in the community doesn't define us as a whole. By focusing on the brokenness of sororities, we don't get anywhere.

By pointing out the divide between Greeks and the unaffiliated population, we don't get anywhere. The question should be how can we make it better and instead of eliminating Greek life all together, how can we bridge the gap? It's a two-way street where you have to put yourself in someone else's shoes. A task that is difficult, but something we all ultimately face in life.” - Junior Alpha Omicron Pi Sister

Sister, I couldn’t have said it any better myself. 

To conclude this response, I want to shed light on the positive aspects of Greek life.

There are parts of Greek life that I would never change. Greek life leads to higher academic success and lifelong friendships—two very significant aspects in college life. Graduation rates are 20% higher than non-Greeks and after college, our professional networks expands to millions across the globe. Over 85% of Fortune 500 executives are Greek, as well as almost all of our U.S. Presidents.

But our success doesn’t start after graduation— Greeks have a better GPA than the overall student body. In fall of 2013, Greek women scored a cumulative 3.28; unaffiliated women had an overall GPA of 3.19, according to Miami University Fraternity and Sorority Life Semester Report Fall 2013. Behind the facades, chanting, and traditions are intelligent students that work hard day and night to provide themselves with the best academics at the best university.

We are also constantly raising money for philanthropies nearest to our hearts. In fall of 2013, Miami’s Greek life raised almost 80,000 dollars. (This is comparable to other Greek communities around the country.)

Oh, and fun fact: Pi Kappa Alpha is within the top 5 donors for Susan G. Komen because of their innovative and creative philanthropy Beards for Boobs. Alpha Omicron Pi’s chapter paired with the Cincinnati Red’s for Strike Out Arthritis, supporting Arthritis Foundation, and Alpha Phi recently donated an automated external defibrillator (AED) to Cook Field.

An Alpha Phi stated, “In Alpha Phi we highly value our philanthropy, which is cardiac care. We raise money every year with our philanthropy event, the Red Dress Gala, and use this money to donate AEDs all throughout Miami’s campus. This philanthropy has affected the lives of many sisters which makes it even more special for our chapter!”

Whether it is local or national, we are trying to make a difference. (See our Greeks Doing Good page from the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life.)

The lifelong bonds that are spoken about so often are not forced or paid for; they are created because of effort. While sororities and fraternities may have a system to recruitment, you do not become best friends right away. It is through effort, dedication, and the pure enjoyment of spending time around each other that creates the sisterhood or brotherhood that many college students seek.

Please tweet your opinions and thoughts on this to @Odyssey_MU!