America prides itself in being one of the oldest democracies in the world– by the people and for the people. But modern politics has deviated from Aristotle’s original mean. The leaders of our country are not the common man.
Oil tycoons, business heirs, and stock investors dictate the political culture and public policy of our nation. The New York Times found nearly half of Congressmen are millionaires, with a median net worth of $913,000. Congress is made of an established and rising aristocracy.
SMU proves no different.
For the past two years, a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon has controlled Student Senate. As current President Austin Prentice steps down from his post next year, unopposed candidate Alex Mace plans replace him. Mace is a member of SigEp too.
Sig Ep is just one of the many Interfraternity Council chapters on campus. The Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life reports active IFC member costs can range from $1200 to $2450 per semester. In short, Greek students have some money.
But just as the Federal Election Commission regulates national campaign spending, Student Senate bi-laws do the same. Student body officer candidates can only spend $200 on campaigning according to Membership Chair Anthony McAuliffe. Regular senators are restricted to $100.
But candidates are banking on another type of currency to get elected: Greek power.
Forty-one percent of the student population at SMU is in a fraternity or sorority. Sixty percent of the candidates running for Student Senate are Greek. While the numbers may not be identical, they match an overwhelming theme of Greek rule.
Greek order has killed democracy at SMU. The ruling order is an aristocracy branded by arrows, keys, dragons and crescent moons. Tight race or not, it is a safe bet to assume Greeks will dominate the Student Senate executive board.
Take the intense election of 2011-2012 for example. Run-offs for both the president and vice president seat occurred.
Non-traditional Greek Katie Perkins, a member of Christian sorority Eta Iota Sigma, lost to Sig Epper Austin Prentice. The vice-presidential race seemed a level playing field between non-Greek affiliates Roza Essaw and Alex Ehmke, but included a lot of controversy.
Ehmke asserted Essaw did not care about the Greek community on campus after she failed to meet with Interfraternity Council because of a night class. Essaw challenged Ehmke’s claim in an election complaint, but was struck down by the Membership Committee and Election Code. She ultimately lost.
While both girls’ non-traditional/non-Greek affiliations may not the sole cause of their failed campaigns, any distance from Greek life seems detrimental in gaining student body office. Being Greek at SMU, like being rich in Congress, seems like a requirement for success.
Non-Greeks face a certain kind of pressure. They endure awkward pauses admitting no affiliation and blank stares when they confuse Greek colors, letters, and symbols. Reviewing who makes the best candidate is a discouraging game. They all look a like when they’re dressed in Greek.
Candidates are answering more questions about diversity than ever before. Senators and Student Body Officers have debated LGBT legislation and defended/opposed special interest seats for semesters. Minority students are becoming concerned the majority is not representing them.
Non-Greek students are a part of that minority group too.
The question for Senate in the wake of elections is simple. Are we creating a democracy representative of the people it serves or building an aristocracy dictated by Greek rule? Aristotle would say the latter. The Greeks didn’t believe in democracy.
