Victoria Anderson

Social Media in the Modern Rush Process

Through the powers of social media Greek organizations at the University of Oklahoma are able to evaluate and screen potential new members without even meeting.

A key part of the rush process can disappear with the click of a button, a first impression instead formed through posts and tweets and premeditated judgements. A powerful first impression can go a long way for a hopeful student, but so can a controversial post or tweet. 

“I looked through my social media and just made sure that it looked the way that I wanted to be portrayed.” Alpha Gamma Delta member Emily Rushing said. 

Not only does social media let rush committees pre-approve the incoming class but it provides an opportunity to connect potential new members to members with similar interests during the first round of interviews. 

“If they post about playing volleyball, then I would match them up with someone who played volleyball so they can have that connection to make their overall experience here better.” Chi Omega Rush committee member Meredith Kardaras said. 

Although this process can be a disadvantage to  those without any social media. 

“They weren’t able to look me up before talking to me to see my interests and create talking points. I had one girl during rush ask me why I didn’t have social media and I was like, oh, so she did look me up.” Kappa Alpha Theta member Lauren Gastinu said.

Just as Greek organizations preview incoming members’ social media presence, they hope PNMs will do the same. 

“We want to make sure our social media looks very presentable, especially our actual sorority account. We want to make sure we are not perceived as boy crazy, drinking, like we have our three B’s that we stay away from Boys, Booze, and Bible” Kappa Alpha Theta Treasurer Olivia Thomas said.

As the University sets up to become a member of the S.E.C. in the year 2024 the expectations are high for Oklahoma’s Greek life scene, to compete with schools such as Alabama.

“Marketing your rush and having a big online presence is going to be the future of rush once we become an S.E.C. school. You’re going to see a lot more communications from bigger houses in the near future.” Alpha Sig Rush Chair Archer Roberts said. Information about Greek life on campus is available at the universities Fraternity and Sorority Programs and Services Panhellenic Recruitment page.

In the wake of rising inflation, many OU students are struggling to keep up with food prices

In 2022, shoppers have seen a 9 percent increase in prices, compared to previous years. The American population has had to adapt and bend to inflation and price hikes. While most college students lack the financial flexibility to adapt to rising inflation. 

Throughout the year the term “inflation” has been thrown around, in newsrooms, gas pumps and at the dinner table. However, many fail to understand the term at a base level. The University of Oklahoma’s Student Government Chair Demetri Papahronis defines it as, “The increased monetary value assigned to an item. So it’s the gradual increase of that price or dollar value assigned to that item. Just rising due to supply and demand.”

Though inflation has had a nationwide impact, almost all aspects of college students’ living expenses and education are directly affected. This includes tuition, gas, housing and food. 

 “I would say that you see inflation mainly impacting students because students’ budgets are not expanding, while their costs are expanding. So you’re seeing students have to purchase more or less items because they have less money to work with in the whole, because those items cost more money,” Papahronis said. 

With college comes the promise of freedom, though many students are left without any idea how to budget and plan meals. Especially for college sophomores who became reliant on meal plans and points their freshman year, the task of grocery shopping can seem daunting, and the condition of the economy has not helped alleviate any stress.

Sophomore Special Education Major, Brianna Boyett reflected on how the change from meal plans to meal planning in this state of inflation has affected her health and wallet. 

“Going from the convenience of a meal plan and being able to just buy food whenever I want to go to the Caf, literally anytime, to planning out meals and grocery shopping is a lot harder. It takes a lot of effort. And it’s a big responsibility…I definitely eat less because it’s more convenient to buy less groceries. It’s cheaper that way. And so eating smaller portion sizes and smaller meals is easier,” Boyett said.

 Many students have reported fundamentally changing their eating habits due to the recent inflation.

 “I used to be vegan, like for most of high school, and then even a little bit last year. Freshman year and now, It is way too expensive to buy vegan food…I definitely would be interested in trying to go back. I think I would try being vegetarian for a little bit. But probably not anytime soon. Food is just a little too expensive right now,” Sophomore Biology Major Josie Kramer said. 

OU students aren’t the only ones noticing the impact of inflation. Organizations such as the OU Food Pantry are now serving almost double the number of students and staff to keep up with the demand. 

“Last year, we were averaging like 150 to 180 people per week in the pantry. And now we’ve surpassed 500 per week, but probably average about 450…I think food prices definitely are affecting it. Because I’ve even seen people on staff grab food, just because it’s getting so expensive,” said Bailey Koewing, OU Food Pantry Volunteer. 

The food pantry is hoping to dismantle the stigma around students using campus resources. Especially during times of inflation and price increase, the organization hopes all who need help feel welcome to ask. 

“A lot of people seem to think that the food pantry is actually only for OU students and staff. And I mean, it’s used by a lot of people every week. I feel like it is moving to the heart of campus, people use it a lot more. And I think the stigma around a food pantry is kind of going down, because it’s only students and staff using it. So it’s not like you’re taking food away from someone who needs it more, because everyone needs it,” said Koewing. 

While some Economists predict the period of high inflation will slow down sometime next year, for now the food pantry isn’t slowing down, and neither is the demand. More information on the University of Oklahoma Food Pantry is available on the organization’s website.

Attached below is a visual aid highlighting OU students’ experiences when facing rising food prices, and how campus resources are striving to support students. The video includes interview clips, footage from the OU Food Pantry, and clips of students creating budget-friendly meals. Interview clips feature Demetri Papahronis, Brianna Boyett, Josie Kramer, and Bailey Koewing.

Inclusion is spreading on the University of Oklahoma’s campus as more staff and professors take on the title of “Ally”

Students taking a look around OU’s campus might see rows of stickers clinging to faculty and staff doors that say “LGBTQ ALLY”.  While many may embrace the title of “ally”, you may wonder how does allyship transfer to the classroom? One example is pronoun usage. Over the years, many classrooms at OU have started implementing pronouns into their first-day-of-school introductions. 

For some students, this increase in pronoun usage goes unnoticed, but for LGBTQIA+ students, small changes like pronoun inclusion can change their entire college and classroom experience for the better. 

The University of Oklahoma’s Gender and Equality Center (G.E.C.) has been an instrumental part of the increase of inclusive language in classrooms. In their presentation entitled LGBTQIA+ Faculty Aspiring Ally Presentation, their staff teach the foundational steps of allyship, which G.E.C. staff member Jerry Lessley described as a three-hour introduction to ally-ship. 

“We focus on understanding key elements of identity development, as well as how that relates to folks within the LGBTQ-plus community. We also reflect on ways that society has kind of socialized us into thinking through binary understandings of self and identities and things like that. And then how that can prevent challenges and be harmful to folks within the community,” Lessley said. 

Statistics show that only 31% of college students nationwide feel their campus administration address LGBTQIA+ issues. The G.E.C. puts intense value into increasing inclusion on campus as it can affect students’ experience connecting to the campus community. 

“I think, first and foremost, feeling accepted and welcome on a campus that is essentially going to be your home for on average four and a half years…that’s paramount to a student’s experience, and how well they’re going to not only enjoy college but also perform here at college. I think it provides a sense of inclusiveness…also just a sense of overall safety and affirmation, that they are allowed to be who they are, and that there’s a community of people here who support and celebrate them,” Lessley said. 

 Many professors on campus have been making changes to their classrooms to make the environment more inclusive to all, including Women and Gender Studies instructor Melinda Chen. 

 “I use pronouns in the classroom- it’s helpful for students to feel more engaged in the class, particularly those folks who identify as non-binary, trans. Even if you don’t identify as trans or non-binary and you identify as cisgender, you’re still being included because you’re recognizing that there are other people in the classroom who may have differences, but that those differences are okay. So getting students to feel more welcome in the classroom is hugely important for classroom engagement throughout the semester,” Chen said. 

For many trans or non-binary students, a campus can be a difficult place to navigate, from gendered bathrooms to gendered dorms, leaving ample opportunity for OU faculty and staff to make sure their classroom is a safe place for students to be themselves and learn on an even playing field. More information on the LGBTQIA+ Faculty Aspiring Ally Presentation and other trainings can be found on the G.E.C. Trainings website. Campus LGBTQIA+ resources are available on the University’s Gender and Equality Center website.

LGBTQIA+ Students’ Experience in OU Greek Life

This summer many watched the rise and fall of #rushtok on the social media platform TikTok. The content consisted of incoming and returning college students sharing their experiences with fraternity and sorority recruitment. This trend highlighted the same type of students succeeding in Greek life, cis and straight. While many members of the LGBTQIA+ community were rejected without reason. The amount of attention these videos achieved, introduced a new question: are Greek life organizations actually inclusive to all? 

Statistics from a 1996 study show that “approximately 5-6% of fraternity members and 3-4% of sorority members were known by respondents to identify as LGBT” and the numbers have only grown since. Many LGBTQIA+ students are drawn to the promise of belonging and the feeling of a family on campuses across the country. The University of Oklahoma is no different, advertising the inclusivity and community provided by 29 active Panhellenic chapters on campus. 

While some LGBTQIA+ students have found a sense of home in these organizations, many others feel unwelcome and feel the need to hide their true identity. Current Greek life member Madison Newberry does recommend Greek life to other queer students.

“I absolutely would, because even in my sorority, there’s a large percentage of us that do identify as LGBTQ, and there’s a place for everybody.”

Although Newberry admits there’s only so much the organization itself can do.

 “I do wish there was maybe more public acknowledgment. I know for a fact that it comes from the National Panhellenic Council on whether it’s okay to post about certain things. So, even if we wanted to, if headquarters didn’t want us to do it, we couldn’t”. 

As the first fraternity can be dated back to 1776, many policies and foundations aren’t designed for today’s modern and more inclusive world. While some Greek organizations’ inclusivity problems are rooted in the founders’ ideals, others can be found rooted in the culture themselves. Previous fraternity member Teagan Gonzalez commented on the culture of OU Fraternities.

 “You have to be able to look the other way. And, if you can’t then you shouldn’t rush, like, they’re not going to change, how they talk or what they talk about, or the jokes that they make. Just because you’re out of the closet or just because you’re gonna be uncomfortable with it, they don’t care. That’s not the culture of the fraternity” Gonzalez says. 

It seems for many LGBTQIA+ individuals the question is how much are you willing to tolerate to be included, though for some the reward is worth the risk.

 “There’s also a factor where, you know, even with real siblings, you accept one another, deep down, but you never show it. You mess with your sibling all the time, with as much inflammatory language as possible. And you don’t mean anything behind it. and yeah, it’s bad that you said those things but like, you’re just there to piss your sibling off, that’s being in a fraternity.” Gonzalez said. Information about Greek life on campus is available at the universities Fraternity and Sorority Programs and Services Panhellenic Recruitment page. For LGBTQIA+ campus resources visit the Universities Gender and Equality Center website.