I have no first-hand experience with fraternities and sororities. However, years ago, when I was working as a research fellow in a think tank with many alumni from the state university, I learned that those who did not join a fraternity at that university were called “barbarians.”
I thought this was ironic, since I was told by a friend whose only brother had died during a fraternity initiation that he had suffered too much physical abuse from what seemed to have been barbaric traditions. That case happened in the 1950s! And to this day, frat aspirants still die from these primitive initiation rites.
It is about time for universities to take creative and bold action. If school administrators and faculties use their intelligence and imagination, they should be able to think of ways to prevent these tragedies from happening to their students. There must be more effective ways besides just “banning.” Strict rules tend to be honored by adolescents more in the breach rather than in compliance. Even Congressional legislation has failed to prevent these meaningless deaths and to avoid the tragedy as well of young students going to prison for most of their lives.
The college years are a critical formative period that can determine the course of life and careers of young men and women. It is a great time to inspire the pursuit of excellence. Every human being is blessed with talent in something or other. Someone may be good at sports or martial arts, another in mathematics, another in cooking, and another in music, another in drawing or writing. These gifts are not necessarily made use of in the courses they are enrolled in. An economics major might be a classical guitarist. A medical student could be a martial arts practitioner. An engineering student might be a good singer. These talents can be enriched if the opportunity is provided.
Hobbyists like to hang around those who have similar interests. Fraternities and sororities could be specialists or generalists in areas of special interest. Initiations could be occasions for demonstrating constructive skills in something or other; no longer mere demonstrations of physical survival of barbaric tests. It seems sororities tend to initiate aspirants by ordering them to humiliate themselves rather than to commit violent acts. Hopeful members may be instructed to walk around in dresses turned inside out. Or to publicly propose to kiss a campus celebrity.
Senior frat or sorority members and alumni can continue to be panelists in demonstrations for acceptance of applicants. Outside experts can be invited to help enhance talents and skills. Artist frats could have icons such as National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera as advisers. Musician frats could have pop composers like National Artist Ryan Cayabyab or classical violinists like Gilopez Kabayao as guest counselors.
The whole concept of fraternities and sororities should revolve around self-realization and the cultivation of talents amid the challenges of cooperation and competition. A guitarist whose skills are continuously demonstrated and enhanced in a fraternity can absorb a culture of excellence as a medical doctor, economist, lawyer, or whatever his career and profession will be. Our common attitude of low expectations in the pathetic standard of “puwede na” (that is good enough) can gradually fade away.
The university graduate can enter the world of reality equipped with cultivated talents as a person, and not just as a professional. The frat alumnus will be more of an educated person, rather than a gang member who survived barbaric tests of physical survival or humiliation.
Fraternities and sororities can be more than social clubs; they will be clubs for excellence in personal talents and avocations. Frat and sorority members will be more truly educated and fulfilled as human beings. Perhaps our college graduates can be dignified models in constructive competitiveness and cooperation within an ethos of self-fulfillment and excellence, rather than of humiliation and brute force.
Teresa S. Abesamis is a former professor at the Asian Institute of Management and Fellow of the Development Academy of the Philippines.