Online Mob Calls For BAN on College Frats

Discussion: Fraternities, Hazing, and Calls for Reform

The presenters discuss whether fraternities should be banned following campus hazing controversies, including a case at Cornell and an incident at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Wisconsin–Madison Incident

Police reportedly found about 30 people, mostly 18-year-old freshmen, in a hot, filthy basement. Some were partly undressed, covered in food and condiments, and had visible injuries.

The president and vice president of an unrecognized Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter were arrested on allegations of disorderly conduct and unlawful initiation. The university had reportedly shut down the chapter more than a decade earlier. Alpha Epsilon Pi’s national organization condemned hazing and said it was investigating.

Unverified Claims

An alleged message shared online claimed that pledges were given beer mixed with laxatives and forced to defecate on one another, with violence used against those who refused. Police reportedly disputed the claims involving feces.

The presenters said the account seemed plausible but acknowledged that it was unconfirmed. They also suggested that the full severity of the incident might not yet be known.

Broader Criticism of Greek Life

The discussion connects hazing to wider concerns about fraternity and sorority culture. Cornell students cited Greek life’s influence, a stronger desire for social connection after pandemic isolation, and alumni ties as factors that make reform difficult.

The presenters also mention reported rituals such as “champagne and shackles” and sorority members serving fraternity brothers alcohol. They argue that boundary-pushing can escalate.

Calls for Bans

One presenter argues that universities should seriously consider abolishing fraternities, citing allegations of assault and hazing. They point to Amherst, Williams, and Middlebury as schools that have banned them.

The presenter also suggests that government intervention could be considered, while noting that alumni networks may resist it.

Debate Over Men’s Social Spaces

The conversation turns to whether fraternity problems are worsened by the decline of male-only voluntary organizations. The speakers argue that some male spaces became co-ed in the name of equal participation. They criticize what they see as pressure for women to enter traditionally male institutions rather than create or sustain separate groups.

They contend that inclusion can sometimes dismantle social spaces that people later say are missing. These are presented as the speakers’ views, not as established explanations for hazing.

Presenters

Brett Dasovic and Mary (Mary Archived)