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Some Missouri College Students Want To Abolish Greek Life For Good

By Steve Kraske,

Published April 15, 2021 at 4:00 PM CDT

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Fraternity houses on Washington University campus in St. Louis.

Greek life has been a cornerstone of college culture for decades in spite of high-profile sexual assaults, alcohol abuse and hazing deaths.

Considering the array of issues surrounding Greek life, is 2021 the year for its reform or is it time to dismantle it altogether? That's the conversation students around the nation are having. At Washington University in St. Louis, nearly half of students belonging to sororities and fraternities have canceled their memberships, while at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, a movement to reform the system is under way.

Nkemjika Emenike, former sorority member, Washington University St Louis
Mark Nichols, cofounder of Strip Your Letters IFC, University of Kansas Lawrence

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Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Mackenzie Martin

Whether it’s something happening right now or something that happened 100 years ago, some stories don’t fit in the short few minutes of a newscast. As a podcast producer and reporter at KCUR Studios, I help investigate questions and local curiosities in a way that brings listeners along for adventures with plot twists and thought-provoking ideas. Sometimes there isn’t an easy answer in the end – but my hope is that we all leave with a greater understanding of the city we live in. Reach me at mackenzie@kcur.org.

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Chris Young

Chris Young is an Assistant Producer for KCUR’s Up To Date. Contact him at chrisy@kcur.org.

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