Investigated the impact of Greek affiliation of 4,119 college students on freshman-to-senior ratings of four educational philosophies (vocational, academic, collegiate, nonconformist) differentiated in the Clark-Trow model. Small, significant degrees of change in collegiate and non-conformist philosophies suggest Greek affiliation increased social…

The Greek system is seen as an important element in securing the loyalty of alumni at Lafayette College. Many new students say they chose Colby College because of its decision to abolish fraternities and sororities, and because the college provides an environment that is open and accessible to all. (MLW)

Origins and persistent reasons for college sorority and fraternity hazing, particularly in black organizations, are examined, including desire for domination, links to childhood abuse, and homoeroticism. The influences of tradition, peer pressure, the need to belong, and desire for solidarity are also considered. Reviews recent research on the…

This survey, with its 85% response rate, provides an extensive profile of drinking behaviors and predictors of drinking among 3406 members of one national college fraternity, distributed across 98 chapters in 32 states. Multiple indexes of alcohol consumption measured frequency, quantity, estimated blood alcohol concentration levels (BACs), and…

This study examined the cognitive effects of fraternity/sorority affiliation on 2,293 first-year college students at 18 four-year institutions in 15 states. It assessed the net affects of Greek affiliation on standardized measures of reading comprehension, mathematics, and critical thinking, and sought to determine if the cognitive impacts of…

This annual compilation contains four articles addressing issues of growth and diversity in American higher education. Three articles examine student life in evolving institutions, especially the relationship between official missions and student cultures, followed by two essay reviews, one that examines the current debate surrounding the history…

This study assesses the differential substance use between male and female college students through the administration of a survey of recent use of six commonly used psychoactive substances (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and caffeine). It investigates the situational contexts associated with use of particular substances…

Beating of pledges, frequently leading to lawsuits and sometimes to death, has become a serious problem in black fraternities. Although black fraternities officially cracked down on hazing in 1990 in response to a student's death, many fear underground hazing has become even more dangerous. Incidents occur both on black and on white campuses.…

Examined student perceptions of subgroups (non-Greeks, African Americans, international students, adult students, homosexual students, counterculture students, drug users, agnostics or atheists, students with limited family financial support, Jewish students, students from regions outside South, and disabled students) on campus; attitudes toward…

The author discusses some of the conditions that lead to racial tensions, examines the impact of racial incidents, presents a chronology of a specific racial incident at a large, midwestern public university, and describes the strategy used to manage the aftermath of the incident. (MLW)

A study of 3,331 college freshmen in 18 institutions investigated the factors influencing their openness to cultural diversity and challenges to their beliefs and values. Results indicated a nondiscriminatory racial environment, on-campus residence, participation in a racial or cultural awareness workshop, and involvement with diverse peers had…

Sociologists define norms as configurations of belief about behavior expected in various situations or circumstances. Members of social groups share these expectations for behavior. Accordingly, norms embraced by student peer groups influence the behavior of their members, which, in turn, affects the learning experiences of college students. In…

The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the organizations and individuals who are able to reach minority groups to tell them about job training and job opportunities are listed in this directory, alphabetically by State and city. This edition of the directory covers black universities and colleges, and black fraternities and sororities.…

Examined changes in college satisfaction across an academic term among 180 students and how college satisfaction is influenced by student characteristics (sex, Greek affiliation, grade point average, and employment hours). Students were least satisfied with college at midterm, and results suggest a positive correlation between student satisfaction…

The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to determine fraternity men and student athletes' perceptions of a commonly used rape-prevention program. Participants saw "The Men's Program" and then participated in 60-90 minute focus groups assessing whether their attitudes and behavior would change, what about the program led to that change, and…