right arrow
GUEST STUDENT OF THE WEEK: ski_racer, a high-achiever in high school, was rejected by some of the elite schools she applied to. This rejection was the best thing that happened to her as she got to choose her own path. Learn how she fell in love with her safety school, ASK HER ANYTHING!
Make sure to check out our August Checklist for HS Seniors. Consult these quick resources to get you started on the process this month.
As we work to adjust to the current reality, make sure to check out these dedicated COVID-19 resources: our directory of virtual campus tours, our directory of extended deadlines, as well as the list of schools going test optional this fall.

Fraternity controversy at Swarthmore

milgymfammilgymfam 1596 replies28 threads Senior Member
edited May 2019 in Parents Forum
I have no idea where this post should be parked, but as a parent I was struck by a feeling of relief that my D fell out of love with Swat and in love with a school with zero Greek presence, so here it is in parent cafe.

https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/3634109002

Weren’t they trying to get the frats there shut down years ago?
edited May 2019
171 replies
· Reply · Share
«13456789

Replies to: Fraternity controversy at Swarthmore

  • intparentintparent 36292 replies644 threads Senior Member
    There certainly have been protests for several years.
    · Reply · Share
  • ucbalumnusucbalumnus 83859 replies744 threads Senior Member
    https://www.swarthmore.edu/sites/default/files/assets/documents/institutional-research/2018-2019 Common Data Set Swarthmore College.pdf says that 11.3% of men join fraternities and 3.0% of women join sororities at Swarthmore.
    · Reply · Share
  • milgymfammilgymfam 1596 replies28 threads Senior Member
    Wow, that’s quite the gender imbalance! Together they make up a small portion of the student body. Too small to be worth all this trouble imo.
    · Reply · Share
  • Dave_BerryDave_Berry CC Admissions Expert 511 replies3091 threads CC Admissions Expert
    "A sit-in at a Swarthmore College fraternity entered its fourth day Tuesday as student protesters demand the banning of two Greek organizations after offensive material from one fraternity’s 'meeting minutes' surfaced in April.

    The action started Saturday afternoon, and organizers say they don’t plan to leave until their demands are met. Based on the results of past sit-ins at the school, that’s not a bad bet."...

    https://www.philly.com/news/swarthmore-sit-in-history-fraternities-sexual-assault-black-enrollment-football-program-delaware-county-20190430.html
    · Reply · Share
  • yourmommayourmomma 1323 replies1 threads Senior Member
    Yawn. So statements by students in a private meeting who are no longer there are "offensive." Nobody keeps meeting minutes like that. They don't even have a Greek system -- it's like two houses, which aren't even houses. Time to go back to class.
    · Reply · Share
  • yourmommayourmomma 1323 replies1 threads Senior Member
    There is another article in the NYT that documents current students who have told the administrators about current sexual assaults happening on campus. This is not ancient history nor a yawn.

    And who is committing those assaults? How many are prosecuted? There's like 12 guys in their entire greek system. If bad things are going on it's not the greek system that's the problem. And now, according to the above post the frats are gone. But the assaulters are still there.
    · Reply · Share
  • PublisherPublisher 11570 replies155 threads Senior Member
    I think that one of the most thorough college guides ever written "Choosing The Right College" is no longer published, but it detailed some unusual practices at Swarthmore College.
    · Reply · Share
  • HarrietMWelschHarrietMWelsch 2662 replies34 threads Senior Member
    "Choosing the Right College," the one that the NYT called "a right-wing slant on choosing the right college"? If that's the one you're talking about, it's worth being frank about that fact that it is an unapologetically conservative tome from a very conservative organization.

    "Midge Decter, a neoconservative author and critic, said she was delighted by the book. ''When I was shown the book I suggested that they add a final chapter entitled 'Burn Them Down,' '' she said, laughing.
    · Reply · Share
  • HarrietMWelschHarrietMWelsch 2662 replies34 threads Senior Member
    Here's another choice quote: "Pomona College and its president, Peter W. Stanley, are criticized for having ''acceded to the demands of the political activists'' in allowing the formation of an Asian-American studies department last year. ''Why not an Italian-American studies department or a Nepalese-American studies department?'' the authors ask dismissively."
    · Reply · Share
  • RW1RW1 182 replies6 threads Junior Member
    https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/01/us/swarthmore-fraternities-sit-in/index.html . It just seems like there are problems everywhere you look; even at tiny sedate campuses like Swarthmore. There are so many non PC activities built into greek life that most universities could find themselves in trouble.
    · Reply · Share
  • PublisherPublisher 11570 replies155 threads Senior Member
    Yes. Most thorough college guide ever written.

    Great resource for both conservatives & liberals.
    · Reply · Share
  • HarrietMWelschHarrietMWelsch 2662 replies34 threads Senior Member
    My point is that readers would benefit from an awareness of the perspective of the group deciding, for example, what might constitute "unusual practices" at any fairly liberal college.

    · Reply · Share
  • ucbalumnusucbalumnus 83859 replies744 threads Senior Member
    Some information associated with Choosing the Right College used to be at http://collegeguide.org (now just redirects to a site advertising the organization's books), including red/yellow/green ratings about the political environment from a right-leaning political viewpoint. Left-leaning students could reverse the political ratings to match their preferences.
    · Reply · Share
This discussion has been closed.

Recent Activity