This is the future of America?

AP: Fraternities Face Pressure to Clean Up---

BOULDER, Colo. - A year after a freshman pledge died of alcohol poisoning at the University of Colorado, fraternities are again recruiting fresh-faced 18-year-olds — but this time against the school's wishes, and under a cloud of fear that one more scandal could shut them down.

"The existence of our community is at risk," said Chris Kline, a member of the fraternities' governing board, the Interfraternity Council. "If one of us screws up, it could go on all of us."

Lynn Gordon "Gordie" Bailey Jr. of Dallas was found dead in a Boulder fraternity house on Sept. 17 after a drunken ceremony in the foothills above the city.

CU administrators, already struggling to shake the university's reputation as a party school, asked sororities and fraternities to delay freshman rush until the spring semester to give new students time to get used to their new surroundings.

The fraternities refused, saying freshman should be able to chose when to join, and that delaying rush would hurt them financially, reducing dues and leaving empty rooms in their houses.

"We have to run it like a business," said Adrian Fryxell, 20, president of Phi Kappa Tau. "We can't afford to take that hit."

By defying the university, the 16 fraternities lost many privileges, including free use of campus facilities and publicity in university materials. The administration also advised parents to discourage their students from rushing in the fall.

Marc Stine, the Greek societies' liaison to the community, said the university's opposition is having an effect. Turnout for this year's rush has been half to two-thirds of previous years' levels.

"Parents may listen more to the vice chancellor than me," Stine said.

The fraternities have started their own push to change their culture, mindful that another scandal could put them under pressure from their national chapters, the Legislature, police or the city to disband.

Regardless of whether or not they have fraternities and sororities, colleges and universities all over the United States need to change the attitudes on their campuses. The prevailing attitude held by college students is that college is the time for partying, drinking, and doing whatever they want, regardless of who is hurt by such behavior.

School administrations don't care about the neighborhoods that surround their schools or the impact their imbecilic, drunken students have on the residents of those neighborhoods.

When did the focus of college change from one of learning and becoming mature to one of having a second childhood and being as irresponsible as possible? Most college students I see every day are self-concerned, immature, irresponsible brats. The boys use all sorts of language in front of everyone and the girls look and act like hookers. Most people drink like they are already alcoholics and they are only in their early twenties.

If these people are the future of our country, then Heaven help us.