Fraternity Life

Last updated
Fraternity Life
Genre Reality television
Directed by Brian Krinsky
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26
Original release
Network MTV
ReleaseFebruary 26 (2003-02-26) 
November 19, 2003 (2003-11-19)
Related
Sorority Life

Fraternity Life is a reality television series that aired on MTV from February 26, 2003 [1] to November 19, 2003. The show consisted of college boys pledging to become part of a fraternity. The show was a spin-off of Sorority Life .

Contents

First season

The first season occurred at the University at Buffalo. It followed college students pledging for the Sigma Chi Omega fraternity. [2] The fraternity ended up getting in trouble for illegal hazing and breaking into the Buffalo Zoo. [3] [4] [5] The fraternity has subsequently regained "on campus" status and is currently in "normal" standing with the university. [6]

Second season

The second season occurred at the University of California, Santa Cruz. It followed college students pledging the Delta Omega Chi fraternity. [7] Once again, the show got in trouble with the university. Two frat brothers stole a koi named Midas from a pond on campus and barbecued it and ate it. [8] [9] This led to protests and eventually the revoking of the fraternity's charter by the university. [10] [11]

The second season was also notable for featuring the first openly gay person, Keldon Clegg, to appear on either the Fraternity Life or Sorority Life series. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta Kappa Epsilon</span> North American collegiate fraternity

Delta Kappa Epsilon (ΔΚΕ), commonly known as DKE or Deke, is one of the oldest fraternities in the United States, with fifty-six active chapters and five active colonies across North America. It was founded at Yale College in 1844 by fifteen sophomores who were discontented with the existing fraternity order on campus. The men established a fellowship where the candidate most favored was "he who combined in the most equal proportions the Gentleman, the Scholar, and the Jolly Good Fellow."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pi Kappa Alpha</span> North American collegiate fraternity

Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ), commonly known as Pike is a college fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1868. The fraternity has over 225 chapters and provisional chapters across the United States and abroad with over 15,500 undergraduate members and over 300,000 lifetime initiates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lambda Phi Epsilon</span> North American Asian-American-Interest collegiate fraternity

Lambda Phi Epsilon is the largest Asian-American-Interest fraternity in North America. Lambda Phi Epsilon is affiliated with the National APIDA Panhellenic Association, and is a former member of the North American Interfraternity Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omega Psi Phi</span> International historically African American collegiate fraternity

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (ΩΨΦ) is a historically African-American collegiate fraternity. It was founded on November 17, 1911 at Howard University. Omega Psi Phi is a founding member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The fraternity has chartered over 750 undergraduate and graduate chapters. Over 250,000 men have been initiated into Omega Psi Phi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta Tau Delta</span> North American collegiate fraternity

Delta Tau Delta (ΔΤΔ) is a United States–based international Greek letter college fraternity. Delta Tau Delta was founded at Bethany College, Bethany, Virginia, in 1858. The fraternity currently has around 130 collegiate chapters and colonies nationwide, with an estimated 10,000 undergraduate members and over 170,000-lifetime members. Delta Tau Delta is informally referred to as "DTD" or "Delts."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theta Chi</span> International collegiate fraternity

Theta Chi (ΘΧ) is an international college fraternity. It was founded on April 10, 1856, at Norwich University then-located in Norwich, Vermont, and has initiated more than 200,000 members and currently has over 8,700 collegiate members across North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kappa Kappa Gamma</span> International collegiate womens fraternity

Kappa Kappa Gamma (ΚΚΓ), also known simply as Kappa or KKG, is a collegiate sorority founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pi Alpha Phi</span> Asian-American-interest collegiate fraternity (1929–2023)

Pi Alpha Phi Fraternity, Inc. was an American university-level fraternity. It was founded in 1929 at the University of California, Berkeley. On August 1, 2023, Pi Alpha Phi Fraternity announced that it was closing all of its chapters. At the time, it was the oldest active Asian-American interest fraternity in the United States. It was a founding member of the National APIDA Panhellenic Association.

<i>Frat House</i> 1998 documentary

Frat House is a 1998 documentary that explores the darker side of fraternity life and hazing. The film, directed by Todd Phillips and Andrew Gurland, focuses on the pledging process through a composite of different fraternities. It was mostly filmed at the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity house at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Alpha Tau Omega's charter was revoked two years later in 2000, though it has since been reinstated. The documentary also features scenes of the Beta Chi and Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternities on the campus of SUNY Oneonta in Oneonta, New York.

Sorority Life is a reality television series on MTV that aired from June 24, 2002, to November 19, 2003. The show consisted of girls pledging to become part of a sorority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sigma Phi Epsilon</span> North American collegiate fraternity

Sigma Phi Epsilon (ΣΦΕ), commonly known as SigEp, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College, which is now the University of Richmond, and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love. Sigma Phi Epsilon is one of the largest social fraternities in the United States in terms of current undergraduate membership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kappa Sigma</span> North American collegiate fraternity

Kappa Sigma (ΚΣ), commonly known as Kappa Sig or KSig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international fraternities with currently 318 active chapters and colonies in North America. Its endowment fund, founded in 1919, has donated more than $5 million to undergrads since 1948. In 2012 alone, the Fraternity's endowment fund raised over $1 million in donations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpha Tau Omega</span> North American collegiate fraternity

Alpha Tau Omega (ΑΤΩ), commonly known as ATO, is an American social fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters and colonies in the United States and has initiated more than 229,000 members. VMI Cadets are no longer associated with the fraternity. In 1885, the VMI Board of Visitors ruled that cadets could no longer join fraternities based on the belief that allegiance to a fraternal group undermined the cohesiveness of and loyalty to the Corps of Cadets.

Hazing in Greek letter organizations is defined as any act or set of acts that constitutes hazing and occurs in connection to a fraternity or sorority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines)</span> Service fraternity and sorority

The Alpha Phi Omega Philippines Incorporated, commonly known as Alpha Phi Omega CollegiateService Fraternity and Sorority or simply Alpha Phi Omega or APO (ΑΦΩ), is a service fraternity and sorority in the Philippines founded in 1950. It is the first established national chapter of Alpha Phi Omega outside of the United States, although both organizations have separate leaderships and operate independently. Alpha Phi Omega has 250 chapters in the Philippines and 150,000 members as of 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omega Gamma Delta</span> American high school fraternity

Omega Gamma Delta (ΩΓΔ) is an American national high school fraternity founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1902. It is the oldest surviving high school fraternity in the United States. In the 2010s, it was recast as "a fraternity for men" with a focus on citywide alumni and graduate clubs.

In North America, fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities. They are sometimes collectively referred to as Greek life. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student but continues thereafter for life. Some accept graduate students as well. Individual fraternities and sororities vary in organization and purpose, but most share five common elements:

  1. Secrecy
  2. Single-sex membership
  3. Selection of new members based on a two-part vetting and probationary process known as rushing and pledging
  4. Ownership and occupancy of a residential property where undergraduate members live
  5. A set of complex identification symbols that may include Greek letters, armorial achievements, ciphers, badges, grips, hand signs, passwords, flowers, and colors

The Penn State fraternity hazing scandal is an ongoing issue within the Greek life system at Pennsylvania State University. The scandal encompasses hazing, binge drinking, and secretive ritualistic behavior.

References

  1. Amatangelo, Amy (22 February 2003). "Television Review; A-mega Greek drama; MTV's sorority, fraternity kids spew double dose of theatrics". ARTS &LIFESTYLE. Boston Herald . p. 025.
  2. Chandler, Gary (5 September 2002). "Residents Wary of New MTV Neighbors". LOCAL. Buffalo News . p. B3.
  3. Watson, Stephen (20 March 2003). "Fraternity on MTV Suspended on Hazing Concerns [Corrected 04/05/03]". Local. Buffalo News . p. B1.
  4. Buckham, Tom (27 March 2003). "Fraternity Prank may Lead to Charges [Corrected 04/03/03]". LOCAL. Buffalo News . p. B1.
  5. Watson, Stephen (2 May 2003). "Fraternity on MTV Show is Put on Probation". LOCAL. Buffalo News . p. B3.
  6. "Greek Affairs - University of Buffalo" . Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  7. "MTV Goes Greek: Network Renews "Sorority Life" and "Fraternity Life"". Everyday Magazine. St. Louis Post-Dispatch . 5 June 2003. p. F6.
  8. Gathright, Alan (5 June 2003). "Santa Cruz mourns one that didn't get away / Beloved campus koi stolen, possibly grilled". NEWS. The San Francisco Chronicle . p. A.1. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved 4 Apr 2010.
  9. Gathright, Alan (19 March 2004). "SANTA CRUZ / MTV tape helps convict fish thieves". BAY AREA. The San Francisco Chronicle . p. B.4. Retrieved 4 Apr 2010.
  10. Moormeister, Robyn (8 June 2003). "Protest staged at fraternity". Santa Cruz Sentinel . Archived from the original on 27 June 2003.
  11. "UCSC revokes fraternity's recognition over fish incident". UC Santa Cruz Currents Online. 13 June 2003. Archived from the original on 4 Dec 2003. Retrieved 4 Apr 2010.
  12. "Frat Life will show frat's expulsion; gay rushee "disappointed" with portrayal". 19 September 2003.