SF Gate Praises, Criticizes Sororities
The SF Gate recently ran an article, "The Greek Paradox: Mansion living is cheaper for UC Berkeley students than dorms," about the sorority system at Berkeley. The article focused broadly on sororities, and narrowly on Kappa Kappa Gamma, where the reporter recieved a tour and interviewed some of the members.

The main thrust of the article offered a very positive view of the economic benefits to living in a sorority:

But it's a strange fact that, under the management of social clubs that carry a history of elitism, these historic buildings now provide some of the most inexpensive housing around. Although prices vary between houses, average room and board for the academic year is $6,350. This total includes housing, three meals a day, a housekeeping staff, membership dues and a budget for social events and parties. (Sororities and fraternities house about 1,500 Cal students every year.)

The reporter couldn't help but throw in a couple of cheap shots at the Greek system though:

Despite the desperate need for affordable housing at Cal, it's unlikely any student would join a sorority just to secure cheap digs. Indeed, the Greek lifestyle, with its emphasis on group identity, heterosexual courtship and big party culture, is not for everyone.

That cheap housing sure sounds enticing when you compare it to the mindless cookie cutter drones, implicit homophobia, and constant drunken partying that Carol Lloyd stereotypes the Greek Community with. Whether or not any of the things Lloyd cites actually exist in the Greek Community, they are clearly not the emphasis of the Greek lifestyle. Greeks consistenly have higher GPA's than the school as a whole, are active in a wide range of philanthropic activities, and serve as leaders here at Berkeley (ASUC Execs and Senators for example). This is the emphasis of Greek life, not "big party culture."

Carol Lloyd ought to be ashamed of her unwarranted criticisms of the Berkeley Greek community.


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