College Shorts Pro-Greek and Anti-War

Author: Andrea Gissing

Strong Support Sounds for U. Michigan

Over 300 organizations announced that they would file briefs in support of the University of Michigan in response to the brief the Bush administration filed with the Supreme Court opposing affirmative action policies, (see The Middlebury Campus, Wednesday, January 29, 2003).
The groups represent academia, major corporations, labor unions and 29 of the United States' top former military and civilian defense officials, and the diversity of organizations represented reflect the wide scope of affirmative action policies in the last 25 years since the last major affirmative action case, the court's 1978 ruling in the University of California Board of Regents vs. Bakke. The number of friend-of-the-court briefs expected to be filed in support of the university is expected to reach five dozen, challenging the 62 record number of briefs filed in the 1978 case.
The majority of the briefs filed in favor of the University of Michigan argue that "racial and ethnic diversity have become an essential feature of success in the United States, whether in a university offering an education that challenges students to know others from different backgrounds and perspectives, or a medical school that sees minority doctors and opening new avenues of research, or military leaders who seek well-educated minorities to fill the officer corps."
To date, 15 briefs have been filed against the university's affirmative action policies. The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments challenging the present system on April 1.
Despite the fact that the University of Michigan is a public university, the ruling made by the Supreme Court will be felt at public and private institutions nationwide, especially at the most selective schools.

Source: The New York Times


Greek System Gets Homebase

George Washington University (GWU) plans to open eight townhouses in the fall of 2003 to house five sororities and three fraternities.
Currently, in the District of Columbia, only three fraternities, and no sororities, have official houses.
The townhouses, under construction right now on 23rd Street, N.W., will add 200 beds to GWU's limited supply of on-campus housing. The project is also a part of school official's efforts to enhance student life, by encouraging more students to pledge.
While national trends show Greek membership declining and more stringent policies being instated on campuses for fraternities and sororities regarding alcohol and hazing for example, GWU President Stephen J. Trachtenberg regards a thriving Greek system as a positive part of the school. His goal is to see the school's fraternities and sororities making up as much as 25 percent of the student body, an increase from the current 13 percent. Trachtenberg sees the Greek system as a way to help make people feel like they are part of the campus in a big city environment, not to mention that former fraternity and sorority members are likely to be generous to their alma maters.
The plan has raised issues with campus neighbors who fear that a "Frat Row" in Foggy Bottom will increase the noise and trash problems linked with undergraduate revelries. Trachtenberg, however, maintained that the fraternities and sororities will have little impact on the neighborhood since they will be surrounded by GWU buildings.
It is some students at the college themselves who have voiced mixed opinions regarding the decision to use the houses to bolster Greek membership. "People come to GW for where it is in D.C. -- four blocks from the White House," said Kevin Levinsky, a junior from Stone Mountain, Ga. "Being at a school as intellectual as GW, it's hard to be in a Greek system. Students are more worried about keeping their [grade-point average] up."

Source: Washingtonpost.com


Thousands Protest at UT-Austin

Almost 2,000 students walked out of class at the University of Texas-Austin (UT-Austin) on Wednesday to demonstrate their opposition to the probable war in Iraq. The antiwar "Peace Rising" was put together by a coalition of 13 organizations in order to send President George W. Bush and the rest of the world the message that many students do not support the decision to attack.
Students were told to walk out of their classes at 11:30 a.m. and assemble on the East Mall. Bullhorn-carrying marshals then split the group into two and led them in marches down 21st and 24th Streets where police stopped traffic. The protest concluded with a gathering at the Main Mall to attend a rally with speakers, music and food.
Students from the 13 organizing groups slept in tents on the Main Mall for two nights before the even to plan the protest. Students have been making independent contributions to the effort for four months previous. The event also involved professors, lecturers and local property owners, who witnessed and participated in the rally.

Source: Uwire.com