Walkout is done. Pots are to disappear after the Monon Bell Game. Pledgeship and initiation will be over by winter break. Fraternities are more than upset – some members have already expressed outrage.
Dean Thomas Bambrey ruled Tuesday the fraternities must abide by the above changes for the remainder of the semester. There will be discussion concerning the fate of fraternities’ pledgeship and rituals beginning next semester, according to Associate Dean Mike Raters.
The situation came to a head in recent days because of actions by fraternities and their inability to follow directions as mandated by the Dean’s Office, Raters said. Some fraternity leaders and members think it is unfair to tell students how to run their organization. They argue it is against everything the Gentleman’s Rule stands for at Wabash College.
Some students blame the faculty and its inability to see the importance of tradition. According to the Dean’s Office, however, it was the fault of the fraternities. Fraternities neglected the rules set forth by Dean Bambrey and Dean Raters, and they have been punished accordingly.
The Monday faculty meeting was dominated by discussion of the fraternity walkout issue, but none of the options discussed were used in the final decision presented above. The Deans insist they are trying to be advocates for the students, especially in this situation when they need advocates most. Bambrey’s actions were taken to support Greek life, Raters said.
The students do not see it that way. They see it as an affront to their leadership independent from administration governance.
The rules punish everyone for the mistakes of a few. Dean Raters didn’t contradict that argument Wednesday, speaking with the Bachelor. Sometimes everyone does suffer for the mistakes of a few. The Dean’s Office is not happy with the situation because it deteriorates the student-administration relationship with those Wabash men who are following the rules. This pledgeship controversy strains the relationship between fraternities and the administration, since the Gentleman’s Rule prides itself on self-government, and direct actions like this by the administration seem to break the trust that is sacred to Wabash tradition.
At the beginning of the semester, Dean Raters told fraternity leaders that pledges were not to be in academic buildings during walk out. This was where some pledges stepped out of line. Certainly one should not place the blame of a few on the whole, but sometimes that is what happens when strict rules are broken. Many people in the community hear unsubstantiated rumors of fraternity men hog-tying their pledges and other intense forms of ‘hazing” and they think it’s wrong. Then, however, they associate that behavior with all Wabash fraternities, when not all of them cross that line of acceptable behavior. It is an unfortunate circumstance, and so the Dean’s Office acted as it saw fit to control the situation.
Tradition or not, walkout has been banned for the rest of the semester (with only one fraternity left that had not yet held its walkout). All fraternities are to follow National Chapter pledgeship period rules. If there is any form of hazing discovered by the administration, or brought to its attention, then the National Chapter will be called in to deal with it.
Students have expressed dissent over the administration’s actions through a variety of ways. “With regard to the issue of hazing in general, and walk out in particular—I liken it to playing Russian Roulette,” Nick Gregory said. “Shortening pledgeship is like saying ‘hey, let’s pull the trigger fewer times,’ when the better choice is just not to use any bullets.”
The Dean’s Office hopes to facilitate the discussion that will follow. Raters offered to personally come to each fraternity house to discuss the changes and the rules placed on pledgeship.