by ADANNA CARTER, Contributor

There has been recent nationwide discussions over whether coed Greek Life would solve some of the problems that fraternities and sororities pose on college campuses.

In September 2015 the New York Times ran an editorial by Walter Kimbrough the president of Dillard College, in which he argues that changes in Greek life would come, but forcing coed was not the answer.

While Manhattan College has not proposed coed Greek Life it is an interesting concept to apply to our campus.

The idea is that coed Greek Life would diminish the negative behaviors, improve community on campus, promote gender equality, avoid gender discrimination and promote inclusiveness.

Many members of Greek Life, college officials, and university presidents have expressed their discontent with coed Greek life.

The responses from Greek Life members at Weylan University and Trinity College, who were being forced to go coed, shows that the feeling that this will be counterproductive.

“Being in a fraternity comes with a lot of benefits. You meet a bunch of people that are already at the school in the fraternity. Then you meet a bunch of people who aren’t in the fraternity but are friends with people in the fraternity and then the fact that my fraternity Alpha Phi Delta is a national fraternity we meet people from all over the country and the many alumni that come back to check up on us. Some with gifts , some with advice, and some with job opportunities,” Malik Grant, a junior at Manhattan College and a member of Alpha Phi Delta, said.

“There would probably be different challenges the coed Greek Life might face like worrying about each individual more by trying not to offend anyone, along with removing the certain freedom that you get from just chilling with your boys or just hanging with your girls” he added.

“Guys do things different and think different than girls. And that’s not a bad thing it’s just you have enough ego dealing with just one gender to put them together would just add more chaos,” Grant said.

Another Manhattan College student and sorority member, sophomore Brianna DelSanto, had a different view towards a coed Greek Life.

“I don’t see how it would raise pressing issues. A coed frat/sorority is just brothers and sisters under one entity. If anything, it seems more inclusive than a normal fraternity or sorority” DelSanto said.

“The only challenges it might face is how untraditional and unconventional it might seem. A lot of people who join sororities and fraternities join with that stereotypical image in their mind which might turn them away from a co-ed one” she said.

“I personally think a co-ed Greek life would be amazing to see on campus! I love new and interesting ideas being brought to life, and I think this is a new way to bring more diversity to our campus.”