Letters
Subj: June 1, 2004 Letter
Date: 6/20/2004 10:57:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: EMiller883
To: Goldie45
Cc: EMiller883
John:
I just wanted to drop a note to you to explain why, based upon personal experience, I disagree with the new policy regarding residential life:
I was a member of the Phi Tau Fraternity.
When I arrived at Colgate, I was a mid-year acceptance student ("Feb-fresh"). Making friends was difficult, as people were already set in their ways by the time I arrived in the middle of winter. Also, I was not allowed to pledge in my first year -- unlike everyone else in my dorm. Consequently, when my dorm-mates began to pledge, I became even more isolated. Nevertheless, the brothers of Phi Tau always invited me to functions and other events. When I was able to pledge a year later, there was little doubt as to where I would go because many of my friends were in this house.
Later, when things began to go wrong in my life and in my academic career, my fraternity brothers provided academic support and tutoring, convinced (in fact forced) me to seek counseling, and provided a substantial support network, all of which allowed me to stay in school and finish with a degree. Thanks to them, I was able to continue on with my education and become an attorney.
Even today, I keep in close contact with my fraternity brothers, who continue to provide significant support and friendship.
Unfortunately, although I suspect that there are many stories similar to mine, I fear that they are underreported because they do not make for interesting copy.
Because fraternity life was such an important part of my Colgate experience, I do not know whether I can continue to recommend the school to others in the future or to continue to provide financial support. I simply cannot imagine the school without the same social and support network that I enjoyed.
Moreover, the claim that drinking and other "unacceptable behavior" arise out of fraternity living is a political and fallacious excuse: the same destructive activities occur among people living in dorms, people participating in athletics, people living off campus, and even among people who do not attend Colgate University. In fact, I firmly believe that a certain amount of such unhealthy activity will always occur among a population of young adult regardless of the restrictions attempted (i.e., the 21 year-old drinking age is not terribly successful in preventing underage drinking by your own suggestion in your letter). Further, when these non-fraternity people are injured, they may also sue the University for their injuries -- removing the fraternities is not insurance against further suits (or determinative of the scope or number of potential suits).
Thus, I believe that there is something threatening about the organization of fraternities that is unacceptable to the University and to the administration, and that this is the reason why the University wants to purchase, control, and eventually eradicate the Greek letter system.
While I understand that there have been some recent tragedies involving fraternities at Colgate, I do not believe that it warrants the actions taken. Accordingly, you must understand that you will never convince me that the proposed changes are in the best interest of the University or the students.
Thank you for your attention to the above.
Sincerely,
Eric H. Miller, Esq. '93
249 Sleepy Hollow Farm Road
Warwick, RI 02886