Greek Life’s Missing GPA Requirement
By Anne Davey, Opinion Editor //
Over nine-million college students across the globe are members of Greek organizations. Eighty-five percemt of Fortune 500 executives were part of Greek life. The first female astronaut was Greek, as well as the first female senator. And college graduation rates are 20 percent higher among Greeks than non-Greek students. The historical reason for joining a Greek organization stands today, and its not partying. Rather, Greek life is about building a community, a network of supporters and being loyal to your sisters or brothers. Greek life is about academic achievement, philanthropic endeavors and improving leadership skills.
With distinguished alumni members, tremendous workplace networks, and bonds that last a lifetime, its no wonder that more people than ever want to go Greek. At High Point University, Greek Life is a major aspect of campus. Just about half of the female undergraduate population is a part of a Greek organization compared to less than 25 percent of undergraduate males.
Sorority and fraternity recruitment processes are extremely different, with distinct rules, guidelines, events and timelines. Both, however, used to have one thing in common: a GPA requirement. HPU previously had a campus-wide minimum GPA that one needed in order to go through the recruitment process and be eligible for membership into a Greek Organization.
This year, HPU waved that GPA requirement.
What once served as a barrier to entry and an incentive to excel academically before taking on a demanding position is no more. The GPA requirement, previously held at a reasonable 2.5, is gone.
This semester any person, whether they have a 4.0 or a 0.4, can go through the recruitment process. While this move was seen as some as a positive one, I can candidly say after recruitment this semester has come to a close, it did nothing positive. This new rule makes it harder for Greek Life; it crushes new members by giving them false hope that they will be the exception and it draws out an already lengthy process for chapter members.
Each sorority on HPU’s campus has a minimum GPA requirement of its own. This semester the lowest chapter GPA requirement was a 2.7. While some chapters are more flexible than others and accept people below that standard, most draw a hard line. For the potential new members hoping to gain access to a chapter and be a part of campus Greek Life, eliminating this requirement sent mixed messages. Women who weren’t close to any chapters minimum GPA were able to register, and though they were warned about the specific GPA requirements, many went through the process anyway. Not only did this lengthen the recruitment process because of the need for added recruitment events at each house, it elevated these women’s hopes when they stood little to no chance of getting a bid. It crushed chapter members when they fell in love with a potential member only to realize she did not hold the required GPA. It gave girls the impression that sororities might overlook grades, and undermined the most important aspect of being in college: our academics.
While some could certainly argue it gave girls more of an incentive to boost their GPA once they saw what they’d be missing, the positives of this new change are few and far between. If Greek Life wants to boost enrollment in the recruitment process and make the Greek community here stronger, they should be actively advocating for and advertising a GPA requirement. Giving young men and women a goal, something to work towards, and not just a barrier to entry is one way to do all of that and get positive results. Dropping the GPA requirement only fills up online registration. It leaves people brokenhearted, puts chapters in a difficult situation and lowers morale.