The recent choice to defer Greek life recruitment to spring semester has raised a variety of concerns and sparked conversation between those who support and oppose the decision.

While there are potential benefits to deferred recruitment, there are also significant problems, and the Greek organizations on campus were given little to no opportunity to impact the decision.

Deferred recruitment may improve the experiences of freshmen on campus. Establishing an identity outside of a sorority or fraternity encourages students to seek out different opportunities and expand their social circles.

However, there could be a more negative effect.

Greek organizations allow for an easier and quicker social circle than most other opportunities. Freshmen who otherwise would remain at Linfield because of Greek life could potentially leave after their first semester.

It’s difficult to decide if the decision will have a more strongly positive or negative impact until it is put into practice.

Aside from the actual outcomes of the idea, the presentation and communication to Greek organizations on campus was poor.

The Greek organizations on campus did vote on whether or not they supported deferred recruitment. The results of this vote were mostly negative, and the idea was met with heavy resistance.

Regardless of the vote, they were told that deferred recruitment would be enacted in two or three years anyway, bringing into question whether or not the vote was of any importance to the decision.

Shortly afterward, the time frame was also changed without warning, and deferred recruitment will now be put into place immediately for the 2015-2016 school year.

This is a harsh method of transitioning. Student input was largely disregarded, and the sudden shift in time frame means that the organizations will have a more difficult time adjusting to the new budget problems of having no fall recruits.

Stalling the decision as was originally intended would allow for more time to adjust and make plans accordingly.

Overall, it’s difficult to say if the decision will be truly beneficial or harmful until the next school year begins. But a better discussion about these kinds of changes should be encouraged for the future.

-The Linfield Review Editorial Board