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AUTHOR: TITLE: SOURCE: COPYRIGHT:

Robert DeBard, Tony Lake, Ron S. Binder Greeks and Grades: The First-Year Experience NASPA Journal (Online) v43 no1 p1 2006 The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this articleand it is reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article in violation of the copyright is prohibited.

ABSTRACT

After reviewing institutional records for more than 3,000 students, the authors consider how new members of Greek organizations at a Midwestern university performed academically when compared to non-Greeks, in terms of their predicted versus actual grade point averages and whether joining during the first or second semester made a difference in their performance. Implications for improving the first-year experience of Greek members are explored. Reviewing the mission statements found within the Greek life administrative units of 50 public universities in eight Midwestern states we found the enhancement of “scholarship” as an explicitly stated goal in every instance. The issue is whether this goal is being actuated on college campuses. Of particular concern is whether or not this goal is being achieved by first-year students who make up the vast majority of those who join a Greek organization in any given academic year. To begin this exploration, the authors asked: “What is the academic impact of joining a Greek fraternal organization during the first year?” Our intention was to use the actual performance of first-year students who did join Greek organizations compared with those who did not to determine if and when a student joined during the first year impacted the grades attained and the retention achieved. Based on our findings, the goal was to provide insight into policy and practice regarding the enhancement of scholarship by Greek organizations on college campuses. Considering What We Know

A review of literature revealed that more has done to synthesize that which has been asserted by others than actually to conduct primary research tracing impact. These summaries have been cast under the supposition that Greek life can have either a positive or negative impact. In one article, Jakobsen (1986) wrote, “a Greek unit . . . should be viewed as an area of potentially effective influence, where students can gain a sense of belonging and acceptance from friendship with peers” (p. 526). Kuh, Pascarella, and Wechsler (1996) asserted that fraternities hold a “contemptuous” place in the minds of many as stories of binge-drinking, alcohol-related deaths, sexual assault, and hazing hit the news at an alarming rate. There is no doubt some truth in both assertions, but they represent more conjecture than analysis. Studies actually measuring the impact of membership have been few and far between. Gardner (1991), looking specifically at new members, or pledges, of Greek organizations, found academic outcomes were higher for new members than nonmembers, but not significantly. In a study with a relatively small sample size, Marji (1994) found that, whereas Greeks were significantly more involved on campus than non-Greeks, they were not different from non-Greeks in their level of academic achievement. Dickstein’s (1998) study is among the most recent to assert the possible effects of Greek membership. It was determined that students who were pledging a sorority or fraternity achieved a marginally, though not significantly, higher average GPA. Comparing women and men using GPAs, Dickstein found that Greek women significantly outperformed Greek men while non-Greek men outperformed non-Greek women.

Robert DeBard, Tony Lake, Ron S. Binder:

Greeks and Grades: The First-Year

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A Method for Measuring First-Year Impact

Because of the need for sound research regarding the impact of first-year membership on academic performance, the authors wanted to conduct a study that considered verifiable information rather than self-reported performance or advocacy-based assertion. The Board of Directors of Gamma Sigma Alpha, the National Academic Honorary, endorsed this effort by funding a doctoral-level research assistant to collect and analyze student performance data based on transcript analysis. In order to remove the confounding variable of academic ability between those who joined a Greek organization and those who did not, it was necessary to compare predicted academic performance of incoming first-year students to actual performance during the first and second semesters. The researchers wanted to examine these measures on several levels, including making comparisons between Greek and non-Greek women, Greek and non-Greek men, as well as between fraternity and sorority members, and between members who joined during their first or second semester in college. The major challenge was getting access to the data. While an office of Greek life on a given campus could provide the names of students who had joined a fraternity or sorority during a given semester or year, it would not necessarily have access to the other data needed for these students or for the non-Greek comparison group. On the other hand, a registrar willing and empowered to release such data would not be able to differentiate Greeks from non-Greeks. The political implications of using such data to compare one institution to another is also a disincentive to many colleges or universities. In order to establish a research model that can be replicated by other institutions wishing to have such information lead to sound policy decisions, it was determined that gaining the cooperation of one institution would be most beneficial. To that end, we sought an institution with characteristics more typical than idiosyncratic in terms of admissions selectivity, public affiliation, percentage of Greeks in the student body, and institutional mission, hoping this would establish a benchmark for other peer institutions. The cooperation of the director of institutional research at the institution was invaluable. Access was granted to a combination of predicted and actual academic performance measures for the first-year cohort of 2002-2003. Additionally, the 340 students who joined a Greek chapter during the first semester and the 126 who did so during their second semester were identified by the Office of Greek Affairs. In order to establish the predicted grade point averages (GPAs), a multiple regression was constructed. High school GPAs and scores on the American College Testing Program (ACT) specifically for the 2002-2003 cohort were regressed to create benchmarks to moderate the impact that academic ability would have on outcomes. Additionally, a series of t tests were used to compare mean scores in each comparison. Findings

The population was drawn from a midsized Midwestern state university with a total undergraduate population of 15,703. From this population, 3,568 were first-year students. The demographics of the cohort were consistent with national averages having 57% women and 43% men. The first-year students who joined Greek organizations were 65.7% women and 34.3% men. Table 1 shows differences between predicted and actual GPAs for each group. Non-Greek women were the only group in the study to significantly out-perform their predicted scores. Whereas Greek women’s actual first-year GPA matched their predicted GPA of 2.70, first-year Greek men did not achieve their predicted results. In

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the case of both the men and women, Greeks who joined during their first semester of college underperformed, while the Greeks who joined in their second semester overperformed as compared to their predicted GPA. Analyzing the issue, Table 2 shows that non-Greek women scored higher than Greek women in nearly every measure examined; and they were statistically significantly higher in high school GPA, ACT score, and predicted GPA, in addition to spring semester and first-year cumulative college GPA. Non-Greek women also surpassed their predicted GPA, whereas Greek women members did not. However, when it came to comparing the retention rates of Greek women with non-Greek women, the results demonstrated significant advantage for Greek women. The implications of this finding will be discussed later in terms of policy and practices that could enhance the academic success of Greek organization members. Similar, but more pronounced, differences were found between Greek and non-Greek men, as displayed in Table 3. Again, the Greek men were predicted to achieve a lower GPA than their non-Greek counterparts; but the level of their achievement was even lower than predicted, whereas the non-Greek men achieved a higher GPA than predicted by the end of their first year of college. As with non-Greek women, the non-Greek men earned more academic credit hours by the end of their first year and, in this instance, the difference was statistically significant. Interestingly, despite this relatively low comparative academic performance, as with Greek women, Greek men were retained from their first to their second year at an even more significantly higher rate than non-Greek men. Tables 4 and 5 illuminate the differences between Greeks who joined during their first semester of college and those who joined in the second semester. It is clear that deferring membership from the first semester to the second semester had a significant impact on the academic performance of both men and women as well as the retention of men. However, even though the first-year cumulative GPA for women was significantly higher for women who deferred their membership until the second semester, it was their performance during their first semester, before they joined, that was most significant. In like manner, men who deferred did much better during their first semester than men who joined. It appears that joining in either semester has a deleterious impact on both men and women for that particular grading term. Implications for Policy and Practice

One of the primary goals of student affairs practitioners should be the creation of an environmental press, or a set of normative expectations, designed to achieve intentional outcomes for students on a given college campus (Strange & Banning, 2001). Despite what the mission statements gleaned from campus websites identify as goals of Greek life, some believe the social nature of Greek life is antithetical to the educational goals of higher education (Maisel, 1990). This study attempted to ascertain the actual impact of Greek membership on students’ academic outcomes. The results proved to be provocative for those who would champion the mission of Greek life on a college campus. The academic performance of Greek men who join a fraternity during their first semester of college should be considered unacceptably low to the institution in question. The fact that they also earned significantly less academic credits than their nonmember counterparts cannot be good news to parents or state legislators who are concerned about the ever-increasing costs of higher education. The difference between the academic performance of both men and women members who deferred their membership to their second semester compared to those who joined during their first could be the most telling outcome of all. These findings related to deferred membership are supported by the literature concerning the first-year

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experience. The viability of an extended orientation to smooth the transition into college has been well documented (Choy, 2002), and the specific worth of a freshman orientation course taken during the first semester has also been demonstrated (Boudreau & Kromrey, 1994). Given the importance being accorded to first-year experience programs (Dennis, 1998; Levitz, Noel, & Richter, 1999; Upcraft, Gardner & Associates, 1989), the need for policies and practices conducive to academic enhancement rather than diminution need to be enacted. However, looking at the data from a different perspective, the findings did illuminate some outcomes that benefit campuses that wish to promote Greek life. The retention data should be gratifying to those who view Greek life as an important way of creating a bond between the student and institution. This finding supported the previous work done by Terenzini and Pascarella (1984) that found that the level of one’s commitment to a living arrangement on campus had a positive impact on voluntary first-year persistence. More specifically related to Greek life, Astin (1975) found that living in a sorority or fraternity house during the freshman or sophomore years had a statistically significant positive influence on degree completion or continued persistence in college. Other research has established that membership in Greek organizations has a positive impact on a student’s sense of belonging on a college campus that can lead to increased retention rates throughout the literature (Eckland, 1964; Bryson, 1965). There is no doubt that these findings can be interpreted according to the prism through which one is looking. However, the purpose of this research was not advocacy based. The reality is that most 4-year institutions plan to sustain their Greek fraternities and sororities. So the issue is to formulate policies and enact practices regarding Greek life on a campus that enhance institutional mission while sustaining or growing Greek affiliation. Research, such as that conducted by this study, should become part of the decision-making equation, but must be put into proper perspective. For instance, the findings would seem to build a case for deferred membership. At the same time, the need for local chapters to sustain and grow membership for economic considerations militates against elimination of first-semester membership. This leads us to consider the following recommendations intended to improve the academic success of Greek organization members while respecting their need to attract new members: * Allow first-semester membership, but restrict such membership to incoming first-year students whose predicted GPA is 2.5 or above. It should be noted that different institutions use various criteria for the construction of predicted GPAs, but the goal should remain one of helping first semester students succeed in their cognitive domain before venturing into an affective domain commitment as intense of Greek organization membership training. * For those who do qualify to join a Greek organization during their first semester, an extended orientation class sponsored by the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council should be developed to help the new members keep focused on academic success. Pascarella and Terenzini’s (2005) How College Affects Students, Volume 2: A Third Decade of Research clearly establishes the viability of such courses to help the transition into college and the resulting positive impact on academic performance and persistence. * The Office of Greek Life, by whatever specific name, responsible for coordinating good practices and developing sound policy, should conduct an audit of each chapter’s membership training with the intention of helping the various chapters build enhanced scholarship into their goals for new members before such members can become fully active. Students receiving less than an agreed upon GPA during their membership training semester (e.g., 2.25) should not be allowed to be pinned until the following grading session, at which point they would have either attained such grades or not be allowed to become active.

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Greeks and Grades: The First-Year

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* Create financial and public relation incentives to promote academic achievement among fraternities and sororities specifically aimed at new member performance. It is very common for such offices to give awards for “most improved” or highest,” but there is no indication that the crucial first semester of membership is targeted for such distinction. The more public such awards are, the greater it can help chapters recruit in the future. * Provide a more formal recruiting and membership training time line policy for first-semester students. Although this could restrict some current practices that allow chapters to recruit at any time during a semester, the benefits of being able to assure parents as well as prospective members that proper counsel will be provided and information given could end up not only helping recruitment through building a good reputation for concern about academic outcomes, but also nurturing the actual academic success of members. * Finally, among the points of information provided to students and their parents, solid data concerning the first year and subsequent academic success, retention and graduation rates should be generated on a regular basis by the institution. As stated by Pascarella and Terenzini (2005), “The post-1990 research is notably silent on the net impact of fraternity or sorority membership on educational attainment” (p. 617). This not only should be unacceptable to our field, but also potentially creates a vacuum filled by conjecture instead of facts. Pike’s findings (2000) concerning the impact of fraternity and sorority membership on the collegiate experience, including cognitive development, is largely positive. Asking questions does not ensure that the answer will be positive, but not asking questions can lead to conjecture that most likely will be negative. Where Do We Go From Here?

The Gamma Sigma Alpha research effort is being carried on in the hopes that other institutions will study the impact of Greek life on student academic achievement. The goal is not to compare one institution to another, but rather in assessing the collective impact of communities across institutional type, size, and affiliation. It is acknowledged that any effective policy or practice must be institutionally based. Still, issues such as the effect of Greek residency on academic achievement, the characteristics of highand low-achieving chapters, the efficacy of national/university scholarship policies, the academic achievement of minorities who join Greek chapters, and the effect of alcohol-free housing on academic achievement must be addressed. Those interested in exploring such questions are encouraged to contact Dr. Robert DeBard at [email protected] or (419) 372-9397. ADDED MATERIAL

Robert DeBard is an associate professor of higher education and student affairs at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. Tony Lake is an assistant director of student life at Michigan State University. Ron S. Binder is an associate director of residence life and director of Greek affairs at Bowling Green State University. Table 1 Predicted and Actual GPA Women Nonmembers Members Fall New Members Spring New Members Men Nonmembers

Predicted

Actual

2.79 2.70 2.69 2.73

2.83(FN*) 2.70 2.66 2.88

2.57

2.57

Robert DeBard, Tony Lake, Ron S. Binder:

Members Fall New Members Spring New Members

2.42 2.41 2.44

Greeks and Grades: The First-Year

2.36 2.31 2.48

Footnote

* Indicates a statistically significant difference (p < .05) Table 2 Women Nonmembers and Members Nonmembers ACT HSGPA Fall GPA Spring GPA Cum GPA Predicted GPA Hours Earned Retention Rate

3.25 2.76 2.79 2.83 2.79 29.32 74%

Members (FN*) 3.18(FN*) 2.69 2.66(FN*) 2.70(FN*) 2.70(FN*) 28.59 84% (FN*)

Footnote

* Indicates statistically significant differences (p < .05) Table 3 Men Nonmembers and Members ACT HSGPA Fall GPA Spring GPA Cum GPA Predicted GPA Hours Earned Retention Rate

Nonmembers

Members

3.02 2.52 2.50 2.57 2.57 27.13 71%

2.86(FN*) 2.29(FN*) 2.33 2.36(FN*) 2.42(FN*) 25.01(FN*) 83% (FN*)

Footnote

* Indicates statistically significant differences (p < .05) Table 4 Women Members by Semester Joined ACT HSGPA Fall GPA Spring GPA Cum GPA Predicted GPA Hours Earned Retention Rate

First-Semester New Members 20.77 3.17 2.60 2.63 2.66 2.69 28.54 83%

Second-Semester New Members 20.85 3.21 3.06(FN*) 2.78 2.88(FN*) 2.73 28.78 85%

Footnote

* Indicates statistically significant differences (p < .05) Table 5 Men Members by Semester Joined ACT HSGPA Fall GPA Spring GPA Cum GPA Predicted GPA Hours Earned Retention Rate

First-Semester New Members 21.24 2.85 2.18 2.31 2.31 2.41 24.76 79%

Second-Semester New Members 21.09 2.88 2.61* 2.38 2.48 2.44 25.72 94% *

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References

Astin, A. (1975). Preventing students from dropping out. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Boudreau, C. A., & Kromrey, J. D. (1994). A longitudinal study of retention and academic performance of participants in a freshman orientation course. The Journal of College Student Development, 35, 444-449. Bryson, F. W. (1965). An investigation of the effects of deferred rush and pledging on a group of freshmen at Southern Methodist University. Ann Arbor, Michigan, University Microfilms, Doctoral dissertation, North Texas State University, 1964. Abstracted in Dissertation Abstracts, 25 (8), 4487. Choy, S. P (2002). Access and persistence: Findings from 10 years of longitudinal research on students. Washington, DC: American Council on Education, Center for Policy Analysis. Dennis, M. J. (1998). A practical guide to enrollment and retention management in higher education. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey. Dickstein, G. G. (1998). The impact of Greek affiliation on academic success during the quarter pledged at Wright State University. Dayton, OH: Unpublished master’s thesis. Eckland, B. K. (1964). A source of error in college attrition studies. Sociology of Education, 38 (1), 60-72. Gardner, K. L. (1991). Academic achievement of national social fraternity pledges compared to non-fraternity students. Doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas, 1990. Dissertation Abstracts International, 51 (09), 2993. Jakobsen, L. (1986). Greek affiliation and attitude change: Developmental implications. Journal of College Student Personnel, 27 (6), 523-27. Kuh, G. D., Pascarella, E. T., & Wechsler, H. (1996). The questionable value of fraternities. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 43 (4), A68. Levitz, R. S., Noel, L., & Richter, B. J. (1999). Strategic moves for retention success. In G. H. Gaither (Ed.), Promising practices in recruitment, remediation, and retention (pp. 31-50). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Maisel, J. M. (1990). Social fraternities and sororities are not conducive to the educational process. NASPA Journal, 28 (1), 8-12. Marji, M. S. (1994). The interrelationship between key demographic variables, involvement in extracurricular activities, development of interpersonal values and academic achievement. Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland College Park, 1993. Dissertation Abstracts International, 55, 1398. Pascarella, E. T., & Terezini, P. (2005). How college affects students, Volume 2: A third decade of research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Pike, G. R. (2000). The influence of fraternity or sorority membership on students’ college experiences and cognitive development. Research in Higher Education, 41 (1), 117-39. Strange, C. C., & Banning, J. H. (2001). Education by design: Creating campus learning environments that work. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Terenzini, P., & Pascarella, E. (1984). Freshman attrition and the residential context. Review of Higher Education, 7, 111-114. Upcraft, M., Gardner, J. and Associates. (1989). The freshmen year experience: Helping students survive and succeed in college. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.