Anyone on this campus with eyes and/or access to Facebook knows the big scandal rocking our city in the past few weeks –the Board of Education election and the greek system’s involvement in it. Just from reading the news, I am disgusted.
The greek system at The University of Alabama is vast and something I don’t want to come close to generalizing about. The UA Office of Institutional Research and Assessment reported that in fall 2012, 27.75 percent of undergraduates were in sororities and fraternities – or 7,777 students. Obviously there are individuals involved in these groups with individual opinions and thoughts, and I don’t think they’re “all the same,” as some might claim. I do, however, believe there is a definite hive mind mentality going on: one that has the potential of being dangerous.
As a Tuscaloosa native, I care a lot about this town’s government and the leaders we elect. Perhaps the greeks who offered their members free drinks to vote a certain way didn’t realize this, but that wasn’t just a campus thing – it affected the students of Tuscaloosa. I’m not saying this is true, but if the people elected were just elected because of their past involvement with the University, then Tuscaloosa’s children are being denied the best possible leaders in the Board of Education.
As of Aug. 29, Kelly Horwitz and Denise Hills have yet to concede the race for the Board of Education. Whether either one of them ends up in the seats on the board as a result of this or not, I hope it will bring about change. At best, the allegations surrounding this election will bring about some reform, and at worst, fraud will continue to take place and may even become commonplace.
It’s easy for UA students to get caught up in campus life and forget that we are actually inside a city. When this sort of thing happens, it has to be recognized. We have a huge impact on Tuscaloosa’s economy, social scene and government. When we start to use this influence for personal gain or to further an agenda, we forget what’s best for the city itself and lose sight of the place that houses us. The students who actively partook in voter fraud should feel ashamed of themselves and the greek organizations they belong to. When this sort of thing happens, it makes every UA student, faculty and staff member look bad.
But then again, with a system that has made clear its only goal is to further its own power and influence in a city that houses approximately 60,000 other people, what can you expect?
Beth Lindly is a junior majoring in journalism. Her column runs biweekly on Tuesdays.
