<p>I’m not sure I’d place a lot of blame on whether the University President is affiliated or not. </p>
<p>In particular, in the case of OU, at least as I vaguely remember, going to deferred rush was one way for them to survive. I was in Norman for a football game against my alma mater, back in 2004 right after the campus had a severe alcohol poisoning/death (I don’t remember exactly which) and the University had put all the fraternities on social probation (they still hosted a nice house party for me and my chapter brothers…though I almost got in a fight for saying Jason White shouldn’t have won the Heisman !yikes!). I think deferred rush and having substance free housing were two of the major items the University put them up to in the wake of the tragedy. Now maybe it has resulted in a drastic change in campus climate (I haven’t really paid attention), but what I’m getting at it that there were likely larger external forces in place than just some vengeful Gamma Delt University President…</p>
<p>I’m also not sure I’d say that deferred rush by definition limits the influence of fraternities. It’s not a matter of getting the “leaders on campus” to join the greek system and then pointing to them as examples of what the Greek experience can do…those people would have gotten involved anyways. Good greek systems take the guys and gals with potential and then encourage them to tap it by getting involved on campus (that’s what happened to me in my chapter). With that model, there’s little reason why the influence of Greeks should be lowered, you still have quite the opportunity to get talented people and make them better over the remainder of their college career. If Greeks lack a presence on campus, then what they’re offering, or how they’re pushing their membership is faulty. The Greek systems that “run” their campus do it by filling the ranks, not just by having one or two people at the top.</p>
<p>OSU, with your interest in Greeks at other schools, I think you’d really, really enjoy the NIC’s Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI)…great, great program held during the summer every year. They put on a bunch of sessions at Indiana University and a couple out West (they might have other locations now too - I went to it in 2004, so things might have grown), but it’s a co-ed program that brings together fraternity and sorority leaders for a week of training in leadership, service learning, and fellowship that’s geared towards Greeks and the challenges we face. A lot of universities send their IFC and Panhel execs, but it’s open to anyone and I know a lot of the Itner/national organizations have scholarships available to defer costs for those who earn them. I got one from my General Fraternity and only had to pay for airfare…but I think you’d really like it because you’d get to meet Greek men and women from all over the country and find out about ways to improve your campus</p>