For the past couple of weeks, Greek organizations have been introducing their new members to FAMU’s campus.
Not only did these events bring joy and excitement to the campus, they also brought division within FAMU’s student body.
This division led to the vandalism of Greek walls and plots.
Vandalism is a serious crime and it is unfortunate that it continues to happen on FAMU’s campus, which is overflowing with so many intelligent students.
The primary goal of a student should be obtaining a valuable education, learning how to carry one’s self in a respectable manner and understanding how to conduct one’s self in the real world.
As a graduate student who is fairly new to this campus, and as a member of a Greek organization, I must say that ladies and gentleman, we need and must do better.
This is ridiculous and it makes us look very ignorant and petty.
With all of the trials and tribulations that FAMU is facing, is this all that we are concerned about?
Do we not understand that FAMU is under a microscope right now during these trying times, and we are not making the school look any better by doing these frivolous acts?
Regardless of if you are Greek, all of the property on FAMU’s campus represents each and every student.
Greek plots and walls are a way to add beautification to our campus.
Why are we spending our time vandalizing property when we could be studying, doing more community service and uniting as one student body to help FAMU reclaim its 1997 title as “College of the Year?”
What we are displaying to our administration, faculty and staff of FAMU and to state legislators is that we do not care about the University or about the direction the University is heading.
FAMU has an enrollment of more than 13,000 students and is the largest Historically Black College or University in the country; therefore, we should be setting a positive example for the other HBCUs to follow.
It is a privilege for all of us to be here at FAMU, and to be a part of any organization, whether it is Greek or social; hence, we need to start showing our appreciation toward FAMU and start handling situations in an adult manner.
In order to move pass the feelings that people have toward Greek organizations and the feelings that Greek organizations have toward each other, we need to first realize that being a part of a Greek organization does not make you better or above anyone else. It also does not make any Greek organization better than the others.
Maybe some Greek organizations are doing more on campus than others, but that does not give them the right to look down on any other organization.
I feel that Greek organizations should use their clout to unite not only the “Divine Nine,” but the entire student body.
This is the purpose of Greek organizations. It does not matter who steps the best, who is the prettiest, who has the most members or who has the most parties.
What does matter is who stresses having a high grade point average, who is making a difference in this community.
Ladies and gentlemen, let’s make the organization and not let the organization make us.
When we overcome these problems, then we can move forward and unite as one to help FAMU move in the right direction. Our student body will then be too intelligent to do petty things such as vandalizing organizations’ plots or walls.
This issue should no longer be ignored or neglected by our student body. We need to handle this now and move on. Many may not feel that this issue is a downfall for our student body, but I definitely feel that this is a SERIOUS MATTER.
Teesa Johnson is a graduate student from Bamberg, S.C. She can be reached at teesajohnson@hotmail.com.