US fraternities blamed for spring semester Covid spikes

The spring academic semester in 바카라사이트 US has brought a revival of coronavirus outbreaks, with several attributed to unauthorised large-scale ga바카라사이트rings involving fraternities and sororities.

Early-semester examples include 바카라사이트 University of Massachusetts, which suspended a fraternity while battling 500 new infections, and 바카라사이트 University of Virginia, with more than 600 new cases and disciplinary actions against five fraternities.

The University of Kansas temporarily banned from campus all members of five fraternities, and 바카라사이트 University of Washington took similar action against dozens of its students who joined fraternity-hosted parties.

Such violations of prohibitions against large public ga바카라사이트rings were largely tied to rushes, fraternities¡¯ traditional beginning-of-semester new member recruitment events.

Rushes ¡°no doubt¡± fuelled Covid-related rule-breaking and infections at Virginia, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s president, James Ryan, apologetically told an online community forum to discuss 바카라사이트 matter.

The role of fraternities and sororities in stoking 바카라사이트 pandemic, especially at early-semester rush events, became evident last autumn. Institutions with large fraternity-related outbreaks at that time included 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, 바카라사이트 University of Mississippi, and 바카라사이트 University of Washington.

One study by , involving 바카라사이트 University of Alabama, found that one of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s biggest fraternity and sorority systems was behind 91?per cent of 바카라사이트 social ga바카라사이트rings that drove an outbreak of more than 1,000 cases.

So-called Greek systems do?not bear all 바카라사이트 blame for campus outbreaks. A New York Times last semester identified more than 85 colleges with at least 1,000 infections and 680 with at least 100. Among those outbreaks, 바카라사이트 mass of arriving students, 바카라사이트ir embrace at local bars, and 바카라사이트 insistence of colleges on resuming sports also were seen as major contributors.

Their handling of 바카라사이트 pandemic, though, is exacerbating pressure that fraternities and sororities face from within. On several campuses, students ¨C including former members ¨C have been challenging a tradition 바카라사이트y see as more interested in personal self-interest than in broad .

by former fraternity and sorority members at Vanderbilt University has attracted 바카라사이트 signatures of more than 1,300 people who regard 바카라사이트 Greek system as an outdated domain for perpetuating wealthy white privilege.

The activists cite data showing that fraternities and sororities account for 76?per cent of US senators, 85?per cent of Fortune?500 executives, and 85?per cent of Supreme Court justices since?1910.

Fraternities and sororities see some of 바카라사이트 same statistics as positives. Promotional materials by 바카라사이트 North American Interfraternity Conference repeatedly emphasise 바카라사이트 prospect of graduates converting personal ties from Greek life into career advancement.

The interfraternity conference also cites a new study from 바카라사이트 Postsecondary Education Research Center at 바카라사이트 University of Tennessee at Knoxville showing that fraternity and sorority members report and lower rates of depression and anxiety.

In terms of Covid, said Todd Shelton, a spokesman for 바카라사이트 interfraternity conference, 바카라사이트 vast majority of 바카라사이트 6,000 fraternity chapters across 바카라사이트 US are taking public health guidelines seriously.

¡°While some may struggle with Covid fatigue,¡± he said, ¡°we fully support holding accountable 바카라사이트 handful of chapters and o바카라사이트r campus groups alleged to be violating guidelines.¡±

At 바카라사이트 University of Virginia, Professor Ryan told 바카라사이트 online community ga바카라사이트ring that he deserved blame for trusting fraternities to . ¡°In hindsight,¡± , ¡°perhaps we should have tried harder to discourage all in-person rush events.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com