Spring Break
Web site dishes out gossip about students on campus
Some Greeks on campus think juicycampus.com is too negative, think site should be banned
Jessica Leggin/Activities Editor
Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: News
Sex, popularity and who students think the biggest nuisance is on campus are some of the related topics posted on the Web site, juicycampus.com.
Even though this Web site feeds off the "juicy" gossip surrounding a particular college campus, Greeks are usually the main focus on the site.
For Eastern, several Greek chapters and members are discussed heavily on juicycampus.com, and the feedback given from anonymous writers are usually demeaning.
Robyn Paige, interim director of Greek Life, said she has no idea why it appears that fraternity and sorority members are targeted on the Web site.
"I do not read posts on the site; so it is hard for me to speak if the site truly is targeting these groups more than others," she said.
Paige thinks the Web site echoes aspects of networking sites such as Facebook or Myspace.
Ashley Hoogstraten, a member of Alpha Sigma Tau, said she thinks it is easier for Greeks to be the stars of attention.
"Greeks are a highly controversial topic amongst the campus," said the junior corporate communications major. "There are those who go Greek, and it is usually the ones who refuse to who are the ones that want something to complain about."
Hoogstraten said her sorority does not approve posting information on the site.
"It is something we don't believe in," she said. "It is something we do not want our name to be known for."
Hoogstraten said she thinks the Web site should be banned.
"That would not be a bad idea," she said. "It wouldn't hurt anyone if it was."
Kyle Valentine, the chapter president for the Fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon, said he does not take offense to the site.
"People are going to have their opinion," said the senior physical education major. "There is no need to ban the Web site. It is completely anonymous so it shouldn't affect you as a person."
Paige does not think banning any particular Web site, such as juicycampus.com, would solve the greater problem illustrated by the posts.
"I think that if people have an interest in engaging in this particular behavior, they would just simply find another way," she said.
Paige said she feels this site is just another example of how people share information with one another.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that much of what gets posted to this particular Web site is positive," she said. "This site is only what people make of it, and it appears that people are making this particular site a location for negative and often untrue statements."
Paige said if people would stop reading and responding to the posts on the site, then the negativity could cease.
"I believe that this site only has power over the fraternity and sorority community at Eastern if our students allow it to be by engaging with those who post on the site," she said.
Paige said she hopes that people who are posting on the Web site would consider the greater impact of their actions.
"I would guess that often people do not think about the harm that a simple Internet post can have on an individual in the short and long term," she said. "I believe that the central issue here is that of respecting each other."
Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.
Even though this Web site feeds off the "juicy" gossip surrounding a particular college campus, Greeks are usually the main focus on the site.
For Eastern, several Greek chapters and members are discussed heavily on juicycampus.com, and the feedback given from anonymous writers are usually demeaning.
Robyn Paige, interim director of Greek Life, said she has no idea why it appears that fraternity and sorority members are targeted on the Web site.
"I do not read posts on the site; so it is hard for me to speak if the site truly is targeting these groups more than others," she said.
Paige thinks the Web site echoes aspects of networking sites such as Facebook or Myspace.
Ashley Hoogstraten, a member of Alpha Sigma Tau, said she thinks it is easier for Greeks to be the stars of attention.
"Greeks are a highly controversial topic amongst the campus," said the junior corporate communications major. "There are those who go Greek, and it is usually the ones who refuse to who are the ones that want something to complain about."
Hoogstraten said her sorority does not approve posting information on the site.
"It is something we don't believe in," she said. "It is something we do not want our name to be known for."
Hoogstraten said she thinks the Web site should be banned.
"That would not be a bad idea," she said. "It wouldn't hurt anyone if it was."
Kyle Valentine, the chapter president for the Fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon, said he does not take offense to the site.
"People are going to have their opinion," said the senior physical education major. "There is no need to ban the Web site. It is completely anonymous so it shouldn't affect you as a person."
Paige does not think banning any particular Web site, such as juicycampus.com, would solve the greater problem illustrated by the posts.
"I think that if people have an interest in engaging in this particular behavior, they would just simply find another way," she said.
Paige said she feels this site is just another example of how people share information with one another.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that much of what gets posted to this particular Web site is positive," she said. "This site is only what people make of it, and it appears that people are making this particular site a location for negative and often untrue statements."
Paige said if people would stop reading and responding to the posts on the site, then the negativity could cease.
"I believe that this site only has power over the fraternity and sorority community at Eastern if our students allow it to be by engaging with those who post on the site," she said.
Paige said she hopes that people who are posting on the Web site would consider the greater impact of their actions.
"I would guess that often people do not think about the harm that a simple Internet post can have on an individual in the short and long term," she said. "I believe that the central issue here is that of respecting each other."
Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 9
Are you serious?
posted 12/03/08 @ 8:59 AM CST
This site should be blocked. Yes it targets Greeks quite a bit, however, there are some posts that target individual people. A student has already dropped out of EIU due to postings on this site. (Continued…)
pj
posted 12/03/08 @ 9:25 AM CST
ever hear of the first amendment, people? this site is stupid and juvenile, but still protected.
EIU Grad Student
posted 12/03/08 @ 11:09 AM CST
I agree with pj. I just checked out the site, and I feel really bad for people who are frequent contributors, but I don't feel that censorship has ever accomplished anything. (Continued…)
awesome
posted 12/04/08 @ 7:41 AM CST
I love this site as it shows just how petty and juvenile most members of the Greek system are.
Geology Giant
posted 12/04/08 @ 10:12 AM CST
I'm going to start posting on this site. Now the whole world will know that the DEN sucks ass!
AC
posted 12/04/08 @ 10:22 AM CST
I fail to see how Hoogstraten's implications that non-Greeks are (often) the instigators of the negativity regarding Greek organizations on juicycampus. (Continued…)
awesome
posted 12/04/08 @ 11:16 PM CST
AC
You hit the nail on the head. It is also funny that when someone writes an op-ed critical of Greek Week, the whole Greek community goes nuts and claims the DEN is anti Greek. (Continued…)
J
posted 12/05/08 @ 2:42 AM CST
I imagine that the majority of students that are offended by something like this are the same ones who post scathing remarks about their professors on ratemyprofessor. (Continued…)
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