University of Nebraska Omaha - Tomahawk / Gateway Yearbook (Omaha, NE)

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couple of Lebanese fellas on campus we have invited to visit the fraternity. Tomahawk: Have you received any response from them as yet? Eirenberg: The invitation was ex- tended a couple of weeks ago and as yet we have had no reply. On the national policy scope, our fraternity doesn't take an official stand on anything, but we do have our own opinions. For instance, even in the Mid-East situation we all have our own views and beliefs. Eairleywine: We don't have any dis- crimination clauses in our national con- stitution or local by-laws. When we rush, we try to pick out good men, and we talk to individuals who are blacks because we think they are good men. On the other question, I doubt if the chapter will ever take an official stand on any issue. We have a very wide range of political views, and we think that's good. We feel diversity promotes growth. We want everybody in the fraternity to be an individual, we feel if an issue is worth boycotting classes for or organizing a demonstration against, that's fine. Those involved can come to the chapter and solicit help, but the chapter itself will take no official action. Tomahawk: As a president of a Greek organization, how far would you go before taking action if a member became a hippie type or indulged in the use of marijuana? Eairleywine: The chapter has so far taken the position that it is important to stay in good standing. We don't want to do anything that is contrary to the law that we can be called on the carpet for. We don't want to be raided and caught with minors in possession, or with pot or pills. We have been more lenient with the liquor aspect because the police are. We have had the police drop in on occasion and had no problem. What the member does outside the chapter is his business. We just don't want him doing anything that will endanger the chapter. We're not too concerned about everyday dress. All we ask is that for an occasion he dress appropriately. We don't have any hippie types, even though some fellows have longer hair, but we're not condemning that. Eirenberg: Pot is our main concern. As long as he smokes it on his own personal time it's not our business. But if he does it at a chapter function he would be asked to leave. If he refused and caused trouble we would have to take action either as a fraternity or as citizens. Clark: We have no dress code. The national constitution leaves it up to the individual chapter. However, we do dress in a sport shirt and slacks once a week, as opposed to jeans. Drugs are against our national constitution, too, and we would take action against the user. Tomahawk: What specific action would be taken? Clark: We would pull his pin. Hawkinson: We don't condone break- ing the law, and smoking pot is. But until a person has violated others' rights, he can do what he wishes. Vail: There is always social pressure. If a guy does this, the brothers become concerned and talk with him to see what his problems are. It really isn't a problem of dress you are looking for, it's what's inside; that's what makes him a brother — not his appearance. Kniewel: You go down to the Ouampi Room right now and you will see some of our guys dressed just like they belong to a hippie group. The only restriction we put on them is the use of drugs — that is absolutely not condoned. Once you be- come a brother you can go to functions naked as far as we are concerned, we have no dress code. Tomahawk: Do you think Greeks are too powerful? Pedersen: The only power we have is that we are the only group involved in things. If an independant wanted to run for something and get involved, he would. Non-Greeks have made inroads into government and SPO, and I think they should. It's their school as well as ours. Hawkinson: I don't think Greeks should be condemned because of involve- ment and participation in activities which elevate to a position of power. Tomahawk: Are they condemned? And by whom? Hawkinson: It is possible for someone to put them down. 1 don't think that the Greeks are all-powerful the way they used to be. When i was a freshman there was only one non-Greek in the student government. Therefore, whatever con- demnation exists results from that time. Vail: I think in some ways they have dominated things they shouldn't, like the government system. But that's because they are more oriented to school than independents. By nature the Greek insti- tution is select; not everyone can be a Greek. In any system people are different and what makes them different is organi- zation. Hawkinson: In our case I wouldn't say we have any better people. Our fraternity is a voluntary organization, and we want to associate with others of like intelli- gence on campus. Vail: A Greek by the fact that he is a Greek is above average in total involve- ment in the university. Usually on a college campus the Greek grade average is above the independents, also, according to some statistical literature I have read. Tomahawk: Can you quote the source of your information? Vail: It was either our pledge book or a magazine somewhere. Pedersen: Opportunity is here for organizations to take advantage of group study periods in which students in trouble can seek help from those in the fraternity who have had the course and are in a position to help. Clark: I don't think Greeks are too powerful. I think we do control most of the student senate offices, but nobody 18

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Incoming freshmen sign fraternity pledge preference cards to indicate the group of their choice. In an intra-mural exhibition football game, Alpha Epsilon Pi takes the Gateway into overtime. Fraternity members donate blood during a ROTC-sponsored blood drive held each semester at UNO. FRATERNITIES Interview by MIKE RISSIEN Tomahawk: What is your chapter doing to aid social reform on the UNO campus? This includes the topics of class boycotts and Vietnam issues, as well as racism and discrimination. Vail: Every chapter has guidelines, in our national there are blacks. 1 think this speaks well for our chapter locally, too. If you pledge a black and he can't make the pledge program after he is accepted, we are caught in the middle and lose both ways. In Lincoln there is a forced pledg- ing of minority groups, I can't see it here. Hawkinson: We are not interested in tokenism; we are not interested in pledg- ing someone along this line, just so we can say we have someone who is a member of a minority race. We are interested in the content of a person's character, not the color of his skin. Tomahawk: Do you have any blacks in your fraternity? Hawkinson: No, we don't. Tomahawk: Have any blacks come through rush? Hawkinson: Not for the last four years that 1 know of. Kniewel: The Vietnam issue is pri- marily an individual matter, the chapter doesn't have an official stand. We would be naive to think 60 guys are all going to feel the same. As far as the race issue or accepting blacks in our fraternity is con- cerned, our charter provides that any- body who would like to join and who is a male student over 16 years old may pledge. We have pledges who are Jewish and a Hawaiian boy, too. We don't discriminate against anybody. If they would like to join and think they can endure our training program to become a brother, that's up to them to decide. Eirenberg: We don't have any dis- crimination because you don't have to be Jewish to be in the fraternity. In fact it is possible for an Arab to join; there are a 17

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Fraternity and sorority members participate in else really cares. That's not our fault. Eirenberg: I think powerful is the wrong word. In our society whether right or wrong the majority rules and has the right to change anything. Maybe Greeks are more organized, that's why we appear more powerful and are able to get things, done. Kniewel: The Greeks represent above five percent of the total student body. Anytime you have five percent which gets power or is able to elect any men to any position, I think it's a credit to them for being able to organize and to work together for a common goal. Tomahawk: Do you feel professors grade down because of Greek affiliation? Hawkinson: I don't think so. The faculty doesn't have any bias in grading. My grades are based on my performance and the expectations of my professors of what they wanted me to learn. Pedersen: I don't think so either. Take myself as an example. A student told me not to take a certain course because the professor didn't like Greeks. He told me not to wear my pin or jacket to class. I did anyway and got an A, so it didn't make any difference in spite of this. campus activities. Traditionally Greeks have Eirenberg: I doubt in a class of 250, unless you are a figurehead, if the pro- fessor knows who's Greek and who isn't. In a class of 25, if he does discriminate he is a poor teacher. Clark: Yes, I have seen low grades because of Greek affiliation, but not too much of it at UNO. I do know it exists on other campuses. To be on the safe side when I go to classes I don't wear my fraternity pin, just to be safe, because I know it happens. Tomahawk: Can you mention specific instances where it has happened on UNO campus? Clark: Ah, no. Tomahawk: In the past few years national trends indicate the Greek system is declining on college and university campuses. In view of this, UNO boasts a new colony. Can you explain this? Hawkinson: First, this is one person's view of the situation. I think the true picture is decrease in Greek involvement in activities on large campuses and the strengthening in the small college campuses nationwide. By the same com- parison you could say church member- ship has decreased in the past years, but a higher voter turn-out for all campus elections. because of that you can't say God is dead. The basic underlying precept of the fraternity system and Greeks in general is valid today and will be valid in the future. We are now encountering a change in the fabric of society, and this is represented by membership in fraternities being down in certain areas. Kniewel: You have radicals who want to tear down the system and the estab- lishment, and they are aiming it at the Greeks. Look at the men in Congress, one-third of them are Greeks. The presi- dents of Coca-Cola and General Motors are Greeks. 1 think the extreme radicals are out to get the establishment, and they hit hard where most of these leaders come from. Tomahawk: Are you familiar with any attacks on Greeks per se? Kniewel: Not off-hand. Clark: Our national probably has the largest expansion of chapters there is. Right now in Nebraska alone we have three colonies of affiliates, at JFK, Hiram Scott and Midland College. In the last two years we have installed 35 chapters. Now if this is decline, I don't know where it is happening. ■ 19