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Feb. 6, 2006
Integration Later
Administrators at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa say they are working hard to overcome racial segregation, but scrutiny of the Greek system has some professors and students arguing that they must do more.
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Many had thought that the integration of the university’s sororities and fraternities would progress after Carla Ferguson, an African-American student, was offered membership in the Gamma Phi Beta sorority in 2003. More than two years later, Ferguson remains the only black woman to have been accepted into any of the 15 “traditionally white” sororities. The situation is similar at the approximately 30 “traditionally white” fraternities on campus, where students say that only one or two African-American males have ever been admitted.
“Most kids in the Greek system [here] have strange boundaries,” said Samantha Perry, a senior and former member of Alpha Delta Pi. “Their mentality is like, ‘I’m not racist, I have black friends — but I don’t want to recognize them as a sister or brother.’”
Race is a sensitive and important issue in Alabama, where the university’s segregationist past is well known and where black undergraduate enrollment now stands at 2,000 (out of a total undergraduate enrollment of about 17,000). The Greek system, with approximately 4,100 undergraduates, tends to play a major role in influencing social issues.
Because Perry has chosen to speak out on the racial issues she sees in the system — and has been vocal in The Crimson White student newspaper about Ferguson’s experience — she has violated the sorority’s oath. She hasn’t been officially asked to renounce her national membership, but said she no longer personally identifies with the sorority.
She explained Friday that she was at a chapter meeting in 2003 where sisters in the Greek system debated whether to allow Ferguson to get a bid at one of the campuses white sororities. After an initial vote to block Ferguson’s admittance, “people talked and decided to keep her around to boost public image,” said Perry. “To not appear racist.”
Ferguson’s admittance to a sorority was widely hailed by Alabama officials at the time — so the discussion of exactly what transpired at the time does not convey the image of progress the university has wanted to put forward.
Another sorority sister — who wished not to be identified because she remains in good standing — explained that Ferguson’s admittance has done little to rectify the segregation problem in the Greek system at Alabama. “If anything, now Greeks [here] have used Carla as a poster child,” said the sister. “But the same issues as before never went away.”
According to the sorority sister, racism and sexism are prominent among those issues. “Basically, if we let one black friend in,” she said, “we’re not strong enough, socially, to support that member.”
The sister explained that fraternities and sororities on campus have “swaps,” where they host parties for each other. Both the sister and Perry said that many students in sororities believe that admitting a black student tends to limit a sorority’s swapping ability and, in turn, limits its popularity. The Crimson White also recently interviewed women with similar allegations.
Perry said that the situation is indicative of not only racism, but also sexism. “Frats aren’t the be all, end all, of the status you have,” she said. “If a sorority was truly committed to its ideals, they wouldn’t allow frats to push them around.”
Leaders with both the fraternity and sorority systems on campus did not return calls and e-mail messages for comment throughout the weekend. In the past, leaders have argued that the Greek system at Alabama is open to diversity and that integration is a slow process.
Despite the fact that frats and sororities are private organizations, paid for by student dues, some say that administrators should be taking on integration issues more directly.
“Integration hasn’t happened,” said David Roskos-Ewoldsen, a professor of psychology who has been at the university for 15 years. “And the university hasn’t made the kind of commitment to it that it should.”
He is especially concerned that most sororities and fraternities are able to rent buildings from the university at a very low rate, in some cases as low as $1 per year. “We might not be able to say, ‘You have to integrate,’” said Roskos-Ewoldsen. “But we can say that we’re not going to underwrite racism. As a public university, we have an obligation to make all sororities and fraternities open to all people, if we’re going to charter them.”
Despite the professor’s ideas, Perry is cautious about administration involvement. “If administrators were to try to force [integration],” said Perry, “it would probably have an adverse impact on any black students who were let in.”
Administrators, too, want to err on the side of caution. “I think we’ve had a lot of progress,” said Kathleen Cramer, senior associate vice president for student affairs at the university. “We see integration [in the Greek system] as something that we would never want to force.”
Instead, Cramer said that the university has pursued Greek “multicultural awareness” programs that will “help students understand that they are the ones who have to make the change.” The programs encourage Greeks to think about minority issues and to invite speakers on racial issues.
Cramer also noted that the university has “other options” for minority students who wish to be part of the Greek system. There are four traditionally black sororities and four traditionally black fraternities at the university, she said. There are also two multicultural sororities and a Latino fraternity is currently in the process of being established.
“I’m proud of our system,” said Cramer. “Our goal is to have the best Greek system in the country, with a wide variety of options for students.”
“I don’t think this is a case of student racism,” added Cramer. “I think that as they interact more, it will take care of itself.”
Norm Baldwin, a professor of political science at the university who has pushed for Greek integration for several years, isn’t so sure that unmediated interaction will be the cure all.
He said that the university should be doing more to help break down the “institutional racism” surrounding rush times. Black sororities tend to hold rush in the winter, while white sororities do so in the early fall. “The university permits the separation of the rushes,” said Baldwin. “And it doesn’t have to be that way.”
“I’m not satisfied with the state of progress,” added Baldwin. “But I know our administrators don’t want this issue to be resolved in the press. There’s a lot of concern about legacy.”
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Comments
...and Another Thing
‘Curious’ identifies some important issues omitted in the article. Another item left out is an examination of whether other black students would exert significant pressure on someone NOT to join a traditionally white fraternity or sorority.
I have personal anecdotal knowledge of this happening at other schools. You can rest assured that a black student called, for example, “Judas N-word” by another black student does not truly have the option of filing a harassment complaint with the college’s affirmative action office.
I’m sure racism plays some role in the parallel Greek systems at Alabama. But failing to address the role that self-selection (both black and white) plays and chalking it all up to obdurate white racism is just absurd.
This is a time when colleges across the country offer separate African-American (and other minority) graduation cerermonies, housing options, advising, student orientation, and so on under the banner that such programs make the constituent communities feel more secure and welcome. OK, so be it. But why then do the same administrators suddenly feel that when it comes to the Greeks, the exact same theory isn’t applicable?
If Alabama was examing the entirety of its approach to undergraduate student programming, I’d find this article much more compelling.
And, P.S., isn’t it a just a little bit racist itself to imply that students would, if there weren’t all this pervasive racism, by default join the “white” Greek letter organizations and not the “black” groups?
Stu Gittelman, at 9:51 am EST on February 6, 2006
curious and curiouser
Wow. From reading the 1st two comments, you’d think that it was white people who were once slaves. White people, if you want to protect racist institutions, you need to seriously take a look at your inner motivations.
Susan P, at 10:13 am EST on February 6, 2006
Integration Later
The writer commenting on the article about the University of Alabama sorority/fraternity system made a worthy point. In merely reporting on old biases, the article was a sleeper. It would have been fresher as an exploration —or at least a mention—of not only the selectivity in Black sororities in fraternities, but selectivity campus-wide. The reporter said the University wanted the organizations to be “open to everyone...". This is a noble but hollow idea. Ask someone with dermatology issues or orange hair. A group’s specific area of exclusivity is what identifies its niche on campus and is what members pay their dues for. If only UA could find a way to make it a system where people are clamoring to be around leaders in education, research, social justice or environmental innovation (who also know how to stage a good party now and then).
Somerville, at 10:15 am EST on February 6, 2006
Blame the Alumni
Having been a faculty member at UA for eight years. One thing that becomes clear when discussing these matters is how afraid student affairs adminstrators are to address this issue. When professors raise the issue, task forces are created, public meetings are held, all with the apparent purpose of burying the issue.
What are they afraid of? It is not the hard partying, status craving, undergrad greeks that intimidate administrators. It is the vast network of Alumni who were members of these organizations. When asked what would happen if the Greek system was forced to integrate, one mid-level administrator at a recent meeting said it would be “like a nuclear bomb” with the alumni. In the middle of a University capital campaign, no one wants to risk disturbing the big donors.
Nice to know money can still buy a safe place for our racist children, at least at the University of Alabama.
Concerned Community Member, at 11:42 am EST on February 6, 2006
All You Need to Know
All you need to know about integration (or lack thereof) at Univ of Alabama is presented at the end of the article: Fraternities and sororities come in three types — historically white, historically black, and multicultural. Oh, and now a Latino frat is in the works. Sure looks like self-selection to me...
Publius, at 11:42 am EST on February 6, 2006
When are Frats going to be open to everyone ?
I don’t think this is an issue. The kind of person that would want to join any fraternity is just insecure and wants to exclude others (based on “coolness” or race) from his group, anyway. I am not going to lose any sleep over whether black frats exclude whites, white frats exclude frats, or whatever. They all exclude someone, and these people just want to party. (I would disown any son that “rushed” a frat. Many women tell me that they couldn’t “handle” college without a sorority, but I think that is because they were not that intelligent to begin with and just wanted to “party” all the time, anyway. But, since my family is very smart, I would have to disown her, anyway.)
Mr. Gittelman, I don’t see why students get to file “harassment” complaints against each other, anyway. It isn’t as if they are in a position of power over each other.
Larry, at 11:51 am EST on February 6, 2006
Most curious of all
As a black alumna of UA I have to say that I find the whole thing ridiculous and a complete waste of time, energy and, of course, money. Unless things have changed radically since I left in 92 the Greek system at UA has never been more than rent-a-friend. I will cede that there are 3 or 4 fraternities from whom all state legislators tend to come, but otherwise it’s a group of people you’ll never see again anyway. The number of black faces in a white sorority (and vice versa) is all window dressing. Could we please table this discussion until we’ve addressed inequalities in admittance, graduation rates, remedial class need, etc.?
Claressa, at 12:23 pm EST on February 6, 2006
My Views in Balance
Unfortunately, everything that is shared in an interview isn’t published. I was hoping that the article’s author would report the account of one of the Presidents of the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusiveness who is in a better position to describe the litany of activities and efforts the University has made with respect to race. To name a few, UA has a new position—a Vice Presidency—with primary respnsibilities to address diversity and multiculturalism, two new Greek organizations committed to diverse membership and activities, and a new multicultural center to initiate dialogue and improve cultural understanding. To help facilitate the integration of sororities, the administration has worked to curb the importance of recommendations from sororities alums, as well as deemphasize the importance of being a legacy (e.g.,having a parent who was a member of the Greek organization). Through the encouragement of the Administration, Greek organizations are also conscientiously choosing to have a record number of interracial activities and social events. Moreover, the University probably has more speakers, forums, and programs related to diversity and inclusiveness than any campus in the country. With that said, any reported dissatisfaction with the progress in integrating the Greek system doesn’t reflect my judgments of or appreciation for all of the administrators and faculty who are working diligently to make the University of Alabama, a more diverse and welcoming enviroment. Thank you, Norm Baldwin P.S. I thought my comment about the Administration not wanting racial issues to be resolved in the press was off-the-record. It also pertained to more first-hand experience with a former administration.
Norm Baldwin, Associate Professor at University of Alabama, at 2:16 pm EST on February 6, 2006
My daughter is a member of Phi Gamma Beta on the University of Alabama campus. She is proud to have Carla Ferguson as a sorority sister and disgusted that some of the fraternities on campus will not “swap” with PGB due to its integration. I find it curious that the article fails to mention that there are also current members of the sorority who are of Indian and Asian descent. This sorority practices inclusiveness despite negative feedback they receive from some of their fellow Greeks. I am proud that my daughter is a member.
PGB Mother in Alabama, at 2:20 pm EST on February 6, 2006
proud?
Mother, How can a sorority practice inclusiveness, when, by definition it only admits people that 1) rush; and 2) are approved based on unknown criteria? And why are you proud of your daughter? Did she accomplishing some great thing that resulted in her admission to the sorority?
Larry, at 2:41 pm EST on February 6, 2006
Curiosity killed the cat
As one of the people who spoke out against my sorority, I would just like to say a few things.Racism is prevalent all over campus, not just in the sororities. What bothers me is that the sororities cater to it, rejecting members that would greatly benefit us. The only reason these girls are turned away is because of the social impact they will have on our sororities. It’s true that my sorority has asian and indian members, but why not african american?
Silence and fear are bred into these young women by their older “sisters,” and if one speaks up or speaks out, she is black balled, shut down, or shut up. I don’t agree with it, because women have fought so hard to be heard nationally, why am I going to pay to be told to be quiet when I don’t agree with the majority?
I loved my sorority a great deal. It tore me apart to have to speak against it, and obviously took me long enough to speak out. I believe in the ideals that the sorority was founded upon, which was the first secret society for women. Instead of lifting up women, it has become a place for grooming... where sisters and mothers groom their fellow woman for the highest bidder. It’s sexist, and at Alabama, it’s racist, and if all of these young women are silent, then it won’t change.
Some girls justify it by saying that “Black girls have their own sororities, so they obviously don’t want to be a part of ours.” That is a poor excuse. Racism is racism, and it’s ugly in all its forms.
Samantha Perry, University of Alabama, at 4:05 pm EST on February 6, 2006
Time to change
I observed changes over a few years, from the time I entered the University as a graduate student in the late 90’s from an all white to a more integrated cheerleading squad. The new president had a very positive effect. On a daily basis, blacks and whites seem to interact positively in the classroom and on campus. However, too many in the student population have accepted a “separate but equal” mentality. The theatre department could still offer an all white production of The Tempest. “Unconscious” and conscious racism is still a big part of campus life in most colleges and universities in the U.S. At the University of Alabama, the unspoken issue is not interracial friendship but interracial dating!
Former Graduate Student, at 8:00 am EST on February 8, 2006
FGM, is it too soon ?
FGM, That is why I have always argued that if people are going to “hook up” in college, everyone should be required to couple with at least one person of another race. (It is too soon to require a homosexual encounter, but a lot of girls do – or tell everyone about it – it just to get attention, anyway.)
Agreed?
Larry, at 11:55 am EST on February 8, 2006
Racism is what it is, don’t ignore it...
There is still the lack of knowledge and understanding of racism when it concerns blacks. You say you have an Indian, and Asian. You fail to realize, fail to make an attempt that for Blacks, it is always an issue of racism. Yes, admit Asians, admit Indians, admit even Hispanics. When it comes to Blacks, there will continue to be this hesitation and labeling of inferiority.
By the mere fact that you bring up blacks having minority resources, advising programs, etc. shows me that you are not ready to talk about racism in its ugly form when it concerns blacks. Because of the past, and everything that has happened, there will always be the need to ignore racism. It is easier to talk about whites, asians, and members of other ethnic groups.
Yet when the issue is raised about blacks, you want to sugar-code it by saying “I have black friends and my daughter has had a wonderful experience with the poster child in our group.”
Just read through the comments again and notice the “power, privilege” mentality that plagues those comments.
We will never be an integrated America as if we never TALK openly about racism and understand racism in its rawest form. Are you ready to be open and raw about racism?
If you are not, then don’t bother wasting your time talking about black-white issues. As long as I have observed readings, media, shows, movies, etc. the issues of black-white has always been shoved under the rug and put on the back burner.
HOW CAN YOU TALK ABOUT EQUALITY WHEN YOU DON’T EVEN BRING UP KATRINA IN THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS?
Again, if you are not ready to be raw and open about racism, then don’t waste your time trying to justify the plague that continues to exist!
ATS, at 3:50 pm EST on February 28, 2006
I’m not yet a UA student(i will be in the fall ‘06)but i’ve grown up around here all my life. I went to Central High East, which is literally right down the street from Bryant Denny Stadium. So i know the types of people that attend the UA, and i also was in the same class as Carla Ferguson. The preppie(as they’ve been called since i can remember) are all cookie cutter and never really think for themselves. They are only sticking to their traditions and customs, although racism may be apart of those traditions. The high school and college variety of preppies dress,look, and sound alike.They tend to clique with each other and never really associate with anyone else. The UA has no right to interfere with student affairs,and if they did try and make a “white” frat integrate then their goes the Alumni money they crave so much. “black” frats can be just as racist and closed minded as the “white” ones. I commend Samantha for choosing to speak out against what was happening, that took an enormous amount of courage. She could’ve been kicked out of her sorority and alienated by her peers. This is the south and even on a college campus you’ll still have racism. That is because nobody is willing to talk about it openly.
Bryan, at 12:10 pm EDT on April 13, 2006
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© Copyright 2008 Inside Higher Ed
For my entire adult life, I’ve self-identified as a liberal. As a native Southerner and now a tenured full professor, I’ve always been vocal about my opposition to segregation and racism. The only thing that I dislike more than racism is one-sided journalism because it’s designed to mislead. This article reports the number of Black sororiety and fraternity member in historically White Greek organizations but fails to report the number of White members of historically Black Greek organizations. I have a really simple question: Why? Racism is racism, no matter who’s doing it. Be fair and don’t leave the impression that the only racists at the University of Alabama are White. While it may be that no White students have ever attempted to integrate historically Black Greek organizations, we simply don’t know that or any other facts about how Black Greek organizations have or have not been receptive to being integrated. Omission like this play into the hands of people who accuse liberals of not being fair in their presentation of the story and facts. The goal of good journalism should be to present an issue fairly, not to provide grist for those who want to maintain the status quo (whether White or Black).
Curious to Know, at 8:51 am EST on February 6, 2006