The University of Alabama is, on the whole, very strict in its enforcement of the law. Bikes that are not locked to bike racks are tagged and sometimes impounded. Cars that are parked illegally are frequently ticketed for hundreds of dollars by campus police. Frequent room inspections by resident advisors ensure that students keep their dormitories up to University standards. Students convicted of domestic violence on campus face a mandatory prison sentence.
There is only one group that is largely overlooked by University police and administrators in their enforcement of the law. That group is greeks.
Earlier this month, The Crimson White ran an article about a fraternity pledge’s experiences with hazing. The article detailed ways in which initiates are physically violated, verbally abused and threatened with reprisal if they report on their mistreatment.
On that note, the article described Vice President for Student Affairs Mark Nelson’s response to hazing, which appears to be largely unenforced, and in no way includes the prosecution of those responsible for abusing pledges. Dean of Students Tim Hebson has promoted self-reporting as a means to combat hazing, but ignored the threat of blackballing or other reprisal against greeks who self-report.
This isn’t even approaching the issue of rampant underage drinking on campus. Last year, four of six cases of alcohol poisoning that resulted in hospitalization were greek students. This statistic fails to account for the number of greek students who suffer alcohol poisoning but, again, fail to report it for fear of their brothers’ or sisters’ response. And yet, University officials continue to turn a blind eye to the problem. Nelson even claimed earlier this year no greeks were hospitalized last year for alcohol poisoning.
Why are greek transgressions ignored, even condoned, while even minor violations by unaffiliated students are met with uncompromising resolve? I’m hesitant to suggest it, but we should consider the possibility that it’s for financial reasons.
Think about it. The University makes money whenever it gives parking tickets, which is to say all the time. Requiring students to keep their dormitories clean protects an important recruitment asset that allows the University to bring in out-of-state students. But prosecuting greeks, who make up roughly one-third of the student body, would impair recruitment and hinder the University’s current policy of expansion.
It’s easy to condemn greeks who participate in hazing. But we should also condemn University officials who hold a double standard when it comes to safety and the law. Turning a blind eye to certain transgressions may help the University’s bottom line, but it also undermines our moral integrity in ways that matter far more.
