New Greek policy changing Greek life for the better

By Margaret Damghani
Opinion Editor

The recent move to up the required GPA for Greek organizations from 2.0 to 2.5 will help fulfill the Office of Greek Life’s mission statement, which says that it “supports and promotes academic excellence.”
A 2.0 GPA is average. It is a “C”. Is average equal to academic excellence? Not really. But a 2.5 GPA is above average, it is a slightly higher bar to set.
It will better promote academic excellence than a 2.0, and is in line with many national Greek organizations that already have higher GPA requirements.
In years past, in order to be eligible for Greek membership, a student had to have completed 12 credit hours with a 2.0 GPA. Now, the policy has changed so that incoming freshmen are eligible to join Greek organizations.
“As a public institution, we cannot tell a student when and where to join an organization,” Sara L. Jahansouz, the Director of Greek Life, said.
That would go against a student’s right to freely associate protected by the Constitution, according to Jahansouz.
This move gives student organizations the option to recruit incoming freshmen if they wish.
It may also lead to positive results when it comes to student retention and grades.
“Research shows that fraternal membership increases retention of students as well as graduation rates,” Jahansouz said.
Anything that helps people stay in school, get better grades, graduate, and therefore have a better shot for higher paying jobs is a good thing.