Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

A few words by Associate Dean for Student Affairs Birney Harrigan… Dear Editor,

A few words by Associate Dean for Student Affairs Birney Harrigan (“University asks NPHC to expand,” The Pitt News, March 23) got me thinking. Harrigan stated that certain administrative moves are motivated by a desire to make the fraternities and sororities more “vibrant” and “effective.” I just wanted to publicly question some of these more recent moves, focusing on Zeta Beta Tau, as it just made The Pitt News headlines for a questionable suspension elongation.

As it has come to the attention of myself and everyone else who read The Pitt News on March 25, ZBT has received an extra semester of suspension. What was the reason for this suspension? Apparently, overzealous ZBT brothers broke a small hole in a door in their own house to, of all things, obtain access to cleaning supplies to clean their own house so the school cleaning staff would not have to do so.

Was this smart? For a chapter historically ranking among top fraternity QPAs — ironically no.

Was this noble? Under today’s set conditions of heroes — not at all.

Was it warranting of another entire semester of suspension? In efforts to keep fraternities more “vibrant” and “strong,” the University seems to think so.

ZBT, in addition to not being allowed to “host, sponsor, co-sponsor or participate in any social activity with non-members ANYWHERE [sic],” is not allowed to participate in IFC events. This means no Greek Week. For those of you who do not know what Greek Week is, it’s a yearlong University event that raises money for charity via the work of fraternities and sororities — around tens of thousands of dollars each year. The University no longer wishes ZBT and other suspended fraternities to contribute to this fund. ZBT is also not allowed to sponsor their third annual benefit concert for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Research Society. Not to mention that suspended fraternities are banned from other non-alcohol-related events, the very events I would suspect the University would want to encourage, namely sports.

Even though I am now no longer active, but an alum of Pitt’s Greek system, I wanted to still toss in my two cents and commend the University for such a valiant effort of cutting down these threatening groups — stopping them from throwing regulated parties in fire-coded buildings with police walk-throughs — it’s much better for students to party in a South Oakland firetrap. I want to bless the University for stopping multiple fraternities from participating in intramurals — the Cost Center is a much safer place now. And finally and foremost, on behalf of charitable organizations in the greater Pittsburgh area and beyond, bless the University of Pittsburgh for cutting these organizations off at the knees when it comes to raising and donating money.

I’m sure the “vibrant” and “effective” groups that rise out of these well-thought-out punishments will be very thankful to the wise administration in the end. Which raises another interesting situation. When these suspended groups’ memberships fall so low due to near-impossible recruiting under their suspensions, will they then be punished once again for not having enough members?

— Jonathan Henry Berger

Pitt Greek Alumnus, School of Arts and Sciences Senior