ABC's 'Greek' causes concern

ABC Family’s new show, “Greek,” has caused a controversy among Greek communities on college campuses nationwide.

The show is an hour-long dramedy that depicts the fictional college campus of Cyprus-Rhodes University and the members of its greek community. Greek life at the school is depicted as a “social minefield” where it’s members of sororities and fraternities must go through rush, pledging and living the greek lifestyle at the university. There was protest to the show even before the first episode aired July 9.

The National Panhellenic Conference, a Greek governing body of 26 organizations, sent a letter to the president of ABC Family upon learning about the show in April.

Elizabeth Quick, chairperson for NPC, said the organization wanted to make contact with the president and express that the show should focus on the core purposes of our organizations: the development of leaders, high academics and philanthropy.

“We would like to see movies and television shows that represent and show the values of our organizations,” Quick said.

NPC also teamed with a public relations firm to devise a letter that people could send to ABC in response to the show.

“We wanted to make sure to state the facts and not have irrational statements made,” Quick said.

According to the letter the show might promote stereotypes that are not true.

“I am concerned with the negative and inaccurate message “Greek” sends about the sorority experience. Your program will only further promote the stereotypical and mistaken misconceptions about greek life,” the letter said.

Some national sororities have chosen to display the letter on their Web sites and allow alumni and collegian members to access them and send them in if they wish.

The national organization of the sorority Delta Delta Delta has taken a more proactive approach.

“The first thing we did was to outreach to the shows producers and offer Tri-Delt as a resource,” said Stacy Gillard, marketing director. “We are not protesting, but want to show what we stand for.”

Other sororities have waited to respond to the show.

“We wanted to see what the show was about before we jumped to any conclusions,” said Janine Hippensteel, marketing director for the national chapter of the sorority Alpha Chi Omega.

Hippensteel said Alpha Chi Omega will not display the letter on its Web site or any other statement about the show, but will help individual chapters handle any problems that might arise from the show.

At Ohio State as the Greek community prepares for recruitment in the fall, the Panhellenic Association and individual chapters are looking to discredit the stereotypes depicted in the show.

Members of the greek community at OSU have admitted to watching the show and most agree the show focuses on exaggerated stereotypes. One scene has sorority pledges stripping and dancing with fraternity members on the front lawn of their sorority house.

“It’s funny, but the show takes it to the extreme and at times makes us as girls look horrible,” said Rebecca Susman, Alpha Chi Omega chapter president.

Greek members say that the show is entertainment and actual Greek life is nothing like it.

“It’s a TV show, if you actually depicted fraternity or greek life as it is it would be a boring show,” said Niraj Shah, a member of Phi Kappa Psi.

The biggest impact the show may have on the Greek community is recruitment.

An incoming freshman said that the show might impact their decisions to join.

“I have thought about joining because I have a boyfriend in a fraternity here, but I think the show would make people not want to join.” said Whitney Pearson, an incoming freshman, “The way they are portrayed on TV is negative.”

PHA is taking steps to prepare for recruitment and letting potential members know the truth, said Liz Warren, PHA president.

“To combat the stereotypes we will probably poke fun at and use a clip to show what not to expect from greek life,” Warren said.

Katie Swanson can be reached at [email protected].