Wednesday morning, almost at sunrise, several hundred students got out of bed and made their way to the front steps of Gorgas Library. After a week of planning, kept secret until Tuesday night, the organizers of Stand in the Schoolhouse Door 2013 brought students together to protest segregation in the greek system.

I, for one, couldn’t be more proud of our campus.

For the first time, University of Alabama administrators have cooperated with efforts to end greek segregation by authorizing and being present for the demonstration. For the first time, students have organized in mass to protest against discrimination in the greek system. For the first time, our greek system has been the subject of national news, not because of what’s wrong with it but because of what we’re doing to fix it.

I would like to thank and congratulate everyone who was involved in this event, including the administrators who enabled it.

However, we cannot allow ourselves to think that segregation has been solved. This protest has been an excellent jumping-off point, but continuous efforts are required from all of us to expunge racism in the greek system.

Firstly, administrators must remain hawkish on offenses by the greek system. This extends not only to the issue of segregation, but to allegations that alumnae unduly influence the recruitment process. Other offenses, like hazing and alcoholism, must also be taken seriously; after all, the administration’s inequitable leniency toward greeks is part of why segregation has persisted for so long. We must first establish accountability if we want to see systemic improvement.

Secondly, greek organizations must exert a sincere effort to correct the flaws in their recruitment process. If you are part of a fraternity or sorority and you have influence over recruitment decisions, it is your responsibility to choose fairly and objectively. If you feel you are being pressured toward racial judgments by alumni, remember that the reputation of your organization is at stake. Greek segregation at the University is now a national news item, and that means you have a lot to lose.

Finally, non-greek students must continue to put pressure on greeks and administrators alike. Unaffiliated students are the majority here at the University, and we’re the only ones who don’t have a personal stake in segregation in the greek system. That leaves us with a moral obligation to hold this university accountable for its actions, as well as its inactions.

I’m incredibly hopeful that we are beginning to reverse the legacy of racism and inequality that has marred our campus since its inception. When I arrived here two years ago, I never believed segregation might end during my college career. But now, I’m both excited and proud to be a part of the movement to right our wrongdoings.

The eyes of the nation have been on our campus for over a week, but yesterday was the first time they looked on us positively. Let this be the turning point in our story of desegregation, where we began one of the greatest reforms in the University’s history.

Nathan James is a junior majoring in public relations. His column runs weekly on Thursdays.