Ursinus College is home to more than ten Greek Life organizations, with over twenty percent of the student body being active members. The campus welcomes all-male, all-female, and gender-neutral groups. Despite all these options, have Greek Life’s numbers gone down?
After speaking with representatives of different Greek organizations, it is obvious that there has been a decline in membership. One sorority representative responds to this by recognizing “in the fall [semester], the number of eligible students has gone down.” This sorority sister is referring to the requirements Ursinus has in place for those wanting to participate in Greek Life. The requirements relate to being in good standing with the college, which include a minimum 2.5 GPA, twelve credits from Ursinus, and no outstanding disciplinary demerits.. The sorority representative also discusses an uptick in first-semester freshman interest, stating that the class of 2029 is “planning for the future rather than the present,” meaning that since they don’t meet the criteria now, they are considering rushing the spring semester. As a reply to the current low period, the sister stated, “It just happens.” She thinks the low and high periods are a natural part of the Greek life flow and are not causing her any anxiety.
Some members of a fraternity, which will remain anonymous, had a different outlook on this situation. The members acknowledged that fraternity life numbers have experienced a sharp decline since they joined.. The officers of the organization believe that the administrators have not been helping the programs. In response to this decline, the fraternity is attempting to decrease the stigma around the organization – especially the notion that all they do is party and haze – by focusing on their community service and brotherhood. With this idea, they also remind people that having fun is still important, but safety is the number one focus. Still, the brothers have made it clear that they believe the reason for the decrease is not a lack of interest but rather the failure to provide support from the institution.
When asked about whether she has noticed there has been a decrease in Greek interest, Mia Harvey-Alekson, Ursinus’ Assistant Director of Student Engagement, responded, “I have noticed they’re getting less numbers.” Currently, Harvey-Alekson is the head of Greek life, a new position for her; she began in July 2025. She has seen “increased activity [among] first year students.” This is a common thing to notice, as the fall semester brings interested freshmen who don’t yet meet the requirements. This low point does not diminish Harvey’s excitement as she suspects a “bright future for Greek Life at Ursinus.” This optimistic outlook is exactly what the student body needs to have a comeback of this prevalent and important culture.
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