Greek Week brings more color to Doane’s campus

Ryan Moore
Staff Writer
April 1, 2004, Page 1

Doane College has finished another Greek Week.
This traditional week took place as it has many years before, the week before Spring Break.
Also known as “hell week,” Greek Week is the culmination of the rushing process. It is the week that all pledges must go through to become part of their selected fraternity or sorority.
Doane students decide to become a part of the school’s Greek system for many different reasons.
“The best thing about the Greek system is that it is just another social activity alternative,” said Doane President Fred Brown, “It provides students a choice.”
That’s one of the reason sophomore Delta Kappa Pi pledge Rob Triano joined.
“Although I still have many friends that aren’t a part of my fraternity, a lot of the people I hung out with on campus were in the frat, so I decided why not share that association with them,” Triano said.
Another reason that the Greek system is so prominent at Doane is that it is very traditional.
“Historically, the majority of our alumni are Greek, but that trend is changing,” Brown said. “A lot of our gifts and donations for the college in the past have come from Greek alumni.”
Brown also said that for many, it’s that association that brings alumni back and keeps them active with Doane College today.
Many students are multigenerational Greeks whose parents and even grandparents were a part of a Doane College fraternity or sorority.
The week is very different than any other week of the school year and Greek Week is usually a debated topic every year.
“I realize that in some cases, there are ill feelings between Greeks and non-Greeks and it troubles me,” Greek Adviser Jim Hermelbracht said. “Greek organizations play an important aspect of the college experience for some people, just as other activities such as athletics, speech and theater do to others.”
“Greek Week is unfair to other students only if it is disrupting their lives, and the college has tried very hard to make the week fair to everyone,” Hermelbracht said.
Despite Doane’s efforts, the week does seem to affect everyone on campus.
“I admit that at times it can be distracting but it only goes on for one week, whereas nationally these activities can continue for a whole semester,” Brown said.
Senior Kelly Owens agreed.
“It’s a good week for those who are pledging, but it can be distracting to others,” Owens said.
Owens suggested that it might be better if Greek Week was held over Spring Break or Interterm.
Brown said that the school has considered holding Greek Week over a break, but the school has concerns about problems with limiting and monitering Greek activites during Interterm or a break.
Sophomore Gamma Phi Iota pledge Steph Blackstone said she doesn’t have a problem with Greek Week being the week before Spring Break.
“Although having homework on top of all the Greek activities sucks, I would rather do it during school than sacrifice one of my breaks, because afterwards I slept for like three days straight,” Blackstone said.
The fact that Greek Week happens the week before Spring Break means that it happens during mid-term examination time.
Owens said she saw the effects in her classes.
“Although the pledges were there physically, they weren’t there mentally, almost all of them were sleeping in my morning classes,” Owens said.
“Doane has just always done it traditionally the week before Spring Break,” Hermelbracht said. “Some of the reasons are that it gives first year students a whole semester to get associated with each fraternity and sorority. With Spring Break following, it allows for a week of rest relaxation and recovery afterwards.”