Illustration by Holly Randall

With a host of new controversies battering the UA's greek community, it should come as no surprise that some of its members chose to voice their discontent in Letters to the Editor. But while there is certainly some merit in their arguments, the reality of the situation is far more complex than anyone seems ready to admit.

Criticizing the UA's greek community is a well-worn path, and one that is especially laden with unfair assumptions grounded in common misconceptions. So let's look at the statistics.

According to Gary Ballinger, the coordinator for Greek Life, last year's greek community raised $48,682 for charity and contributed 18,819 philanthropy hours. With 10 chapters reporting thus far, this year looks to be equally successful, with $46,200 raised and 8,535 hours worked in the name of philanthropy.

On the negative side, out of the 50 fraternities and sororities listed on Greek Life's Web site, seven have been sanctioned within the last three years, and of those seven, four have had their recognition withdrawn altogether (Delta Chi, Zeta Beta Tau, Sigma Chi and Pi Kappa Alpha). In the academic arena, the average GPA for greeks is 2.97 (below the average graduating GPA, 3.1), and while they account for only 9 percent of the undergraduate body, they are responsible for 19 percent of the University's academic integrity infractions.

Damion LeeNatali Columnist

Of course, most students probably wouldn't regard these findings as particularly groundbreaking, as much of it seems to be fodder for countless jokes and stereotypes. Rather, what appears to have driven the furor over greek life in the last few weeks is more a matter of resentment towards greeks who deny the need for change.

While characterizations of fraternities and sororities as bastions of unruliness are admittedly baseless, the real problem lies in an unwillingness among the rank-and-file to admit that problems exist. Somewhere along the line, many greeks became so absorbed in fending off unfounded attacks that they rendered themselves unable to respond to the valid ones.

Most recently, the greek community has been confronted with a double threat (an alleged rape at a fraternity house and reports of a philanthropic event that eventually devolved into a male strip show), and the reactions to both situations are both negative and positive.

After allegations emerged of a rape at the Sigma Pi fraternity house, many students wrote in to the Wildcat to express their dismay. Perhaps more significant, though, were the greek responses, which sought to emphasize the fact that the rape was not perpetrated by a greek and that the event was essentially an isolated one.

While it is certainly instinctive to defend an organization to which one has dedicated so much time and energy, such responses are ultimately counterproductive. Whether or not the rape was perpetrated by a greek and whether or not the event was actually isolated are subordinate to the fact that one rape is one too many.

Instead of dismissing criticism as unfair or biased, which does nothing to prevent future assaults and amounts to nothing more than a deflection of blame, greeks could defuse the entire situation by simply acknowledging the problem and resolving to take steps to prevent it from ever happening again.

Ballinger correctly notes that the greek community "has the correct measures in place" in the form of the Risk Management Policy, but its efficacy is a function of whether or not the rank-and-file members are willing to open themselves to criticism so that any problems can be resolved.

Thankfully, Erin Cohen and Michael Katzman, co-presidents of the Greek Council, embraced a more prudent approach on Wednesday in responding to the innate tension between catering to the enormous student appetite for booze and flesh while purporting to serve philanthropic aims.

"The objectification of men and women on our campus, in the greek community and in the name of charity, must come to an end," they wrote in refreshingly honest terms, " (and) we commit ourselves to working to curb this problem of indecent and immoral philanthropies."

Yet, although the admirable efforts of Cohen and Katzman will undoubtedly lead to positive change within the UA's greek community, its longevity will be determined by the degree to which greek members (and not just their leaders) are willing to lower their defenses and work towards substantive adjustments.

Surely, there are a number of fallacious "myths" pertaining to fraternities and sororities. But for a group that so positively contributes to the UA community, greeks of all stripes (from the top down) would do well to ensure that defensiveness and apathy remain myths and never become reality.

Damion LeeNatali is a political science and history sophomore. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.