*Editors note – Joseph Kamin is an initiated member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.

Tim Piazza was a pledge of Beta Theta Pi at Pennsylvania State University. Piazza had a blood alcohol content of .40 when he fell down the stairs and collapsed a lung, ruptured his spleen and received brain damage. Piazza died two days after his fall. After his death, 18 students were arrested. Eight are being charged with involuntary manslaughter and the other 10 are being charged with hazing and furnishing alcohol to minors.

Maxwell Gruver was a pledge of Phi Delta Theta at Louisiana State University. Gruver was taken to the hospital with “acute alcohol intoxication with aspiration.” His BAC was a .495 when he arrived at the hospital. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, Gruver passed away. The Louisiana State University Police issued warrants of arrest for 10 students.

Andrew Coffee was a pledge of Pi Kappa Phi at Florida State University. Coffee was found unresponsive the morning after a house party. Medical treatment was administered, but it was too late for Coffee. After the death, the Pi Kappa Phi chapter at Florida State was suspended.

All three deaths were a tragic loss. All three deaths were avoidable. The blame lies with nobody but their “brothers” who forced alcohol down their throats until they were unresponsive and then ignored them when they needed medical attention.

However, this is not an accurate representation of Greek life. There are over 750,000 undergraduate students involved in Greek life. According to the North-American Interfraternity Conference, in the 2014-15 academic year, 380,487 undergraduate students were members of fraternities. There are also over nine million students and alumni members of Greek life. The 28 members that were arrested for the death of pledges represent .000075 percent of fraternity members. As they should, these deaths attract media attention. However, many of the positive aspects of Greek life go unnoticed to the media, as they aren’t stories that will attract website clicks.

Since the first social fraternity was established, 19 Presidents the United States have been in fraternities. 20 Vice Presidents of the United Sates have been in fraternities. Since 1910, there have been 40 Supreme Court Justices who were involved in Greek life. 25 percent of the United States House of Representatives were involved in Greek life, as well was 40 percent of the United States Senate. 43 of the 50 largest corporations in America are lead by Greek men and women.

The list of notable Greek alumni can even be localized to Tarleton State University. Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio, the President of Tarleton, was in a fraternity.

Dr. Laura Boren, Vice President for Student Affairs, was in a sorority. Dr. Kyle McGregor, Vice President of Institutional Advance, was in a fraternity. Darrel Brown, Executive Directory of Student Engagement, was in a fraternity. Alyson Chapman, Director of Editorial and Creative Services, was in a sorority. Caleb Chapman, Director for Student Affairs Marketing and Communication, was in a fraternity. Kent Styron, Directory and University Compliance Officer, was in a fraternity. Daron Trussell, Associate Director for Campus Recreation, was in a fraternity. Caris Thetford, Assistant Director of Student Counseling Services, was in a sorority. DeWayne Burns, a Tarleton alumni and State Representative for District 58, was in a fraternity.

The list of influential alumni on campus grows exponentially when you begin looking at faculty and staff who are not directors or department heads. There are countless faculty and staff at Tarleton who were involved in Greek life. Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, Greek life surrounds you.