The Upside of Being Kicked Off Campus

As college administrations tighten their policies and increase their sanctions, more and more Greek organizations are being kicked off campus. But what may seem like the equivalent of the death sentence may actually be a blessing in disguise. We’re not saying that every fraternity and sorority should push the boundaries to that extent, or that there aren’t advantages to having your organizations recognized by the school. We’re simply observing the benefits that help balance the situation—a silver lining, if you will.

Part of our realization comes from our friends in Kappa Sigma at Indiana University. We have brand ambassadors nationwide in a range of organizations from sports teams to Greek life to on-campus publications, and have witnessed our fair share of run-ins with college administrations. In case you were thinking it, the vast majority of cases involve fraternities. But I digress.

The real value of being off campus is freedom— the freedom to decide for yourselves how to spend your organizations time and money. The widespread administrative crackdown on college partying has not been without cause. Binge drinking and hazing are incredibly dangerous which has been brought to light by a few high profile cases. But other responsible organizations are being forced to answer for the behavior of others. Simply put, if your organization is not recognized as an on campus organization it is very difficult for the administration to impose their will.

But the biggest upside is being able to allocate funds as the organization’s current members see fit. Most fraternity and sorority dues aren’t cheap. But where is that money really going? Charges like insurance and a house chef are mandated by nationals and may not be the best use of money. Maybe they are, but at least now your organization is free to create their own budget. Kappa Sigma at IU is finding out that they can collect funds specifically for social events and save money in the process. We’ve seen a spike in their SquadUP events since being kicked off campus and they’re leading several monthly prize categories as a result.