All Spartans have an opinion of how things operate down in Ann Arbor during the weekend. We think they hole up in the library - false - or trudge to an anti-climactic fraternity party - true.
Make no mistake, East Lansing, the Ann Arborites know how to party. Some know too well, unfortunately, and University of Michigan students have their share of tragedy as a result of alcohol abuse.
Consequently, U-M administrators are proposing that fraternities admit live-in advisers among their boarders.
Additionally, the Wolverine brass is proposing that first-semester freshmen be barred from rushing their fraternity of choice. This is all in the name of giving students "the best possible experience" as a student at U-M.
While these changes are not expected to meander north on M-23 and west on I-96 to our town - and, if they do, we hope they get lost on the way - we'd like to put rivalry on the back-burner and extend an olive branch to the U-M greek community in the name of keeping the greek system in the hands of the greeks.
A live-in adviser at a college fraternity house is little more than a glorified baby-sitting position.
The proposal at U-M states the adviser exists under the guise of a mentor figure, but we urge U-M administrators to have more faith in their student body.
Accidents as a result of alcohol and drug abuse are inevitable in a college town. Sadly, they happen at a rate that demands a culprit be exposed, or a root of the problem torn from the scene. In the student community, the root lies in poor decisions at the individual level.
Restricting college students from joining a fraternity when they wish, or intimidating them into steering clear of a fraternity house for fear of being monitored, certainly will keep students in the U-M greek system more in line with university wishes, but is it really fair to the other law-abiding houses.
Fraternities who routinely violate laws should, undoubtedly, be punished. But the entire system should not be criminalized for the poor decisions of the individual.
