After the Cornell Case, Should Colleges Ban Fraternities?
As Cornell faces scrutiny over a sexual assault lawsuit, historian Nick Syrett explains why fraternities have proved so hard to regulate.
Demonstrators rallied against Cornell University's handling of 2024 fraternity-house gang rape allegations on Monday, October 5th, in Ithaca, New York. A lawsuit claims the drugging and gang rape of a student by seven members of Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity occurred in 2024. The case has sparked national calls for greater scrutiny of fraternities on campus and even potential bans.
Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff announced on Saturday his university would examine the role of fraternities and sororities in campus life, among other measures to enhance safety. Protesters chanted "Ban the frats!" during a demonstration on the Cornell campus. Nick Syrett, a professor of gender and women's studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of "The Company He Keeps," discussed the case and the unique challenges fraternities present.
Syrett noted a long history of such incidents in fraternities since at least the 1970s and 1980s. He emphasized the single-sex nature of fraternities, which provide men a space to reinforce their masculinity through partying, drinking, hazing, and sexual activity. Additionally, fraternities typically own their own houses, giving them significant power and autonomy from university oversight.
Syrett suggested potential regulations, such as stricter oversight of rushing and pledging processes, but acknowledged the challenges of enforcing such measures when fraternities maintain their independent status.
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