By JEFF FIJOL

University of Illinois
The Daily Illini

The New York-based online store Greek101.com has severed ties with the MTV shows Fraternity Life and Sorority Life - and University greeks are applauding the move.

Greek101.com, which sells apparel and other items sporting Greek letters, had an unofficial product-placement deal with MTV in which its merchandise was featured in both shows, said Brett Radmin, co-founder of Greek101.com.

Troubles began for the retailer when they saw clips from the current season of Fraternity Life showing members engaged in hazing and underage drinking while wearing the company's apparel, Radmin said.

Soon after Greek101.com began receiving complaints, he said.

"We found that people thought we were a supporter and that people thought we were in on this," Radmin said.

He said the shows do not offer an accurate portrayal of greek life and that Greek101.com decided to pull out of its agreement with MTV even before the complaints came in.

"We really thought there would be something provocative, intellectually stimulating or original there," Radmin said. "After the third or fourth week of this season, I lost interest because it just isn't real."

Matthew Hintze, junior in aviation at the University and Interfraternity Council president, said he has worked with Greek101.com before. He said he thinks the company made a good decision.

Hintze called Fraternity Life a "blatant misrepresentation" of greek life.

"Greek life is part of a well-rounded college experience for most students," he said. "I don't think the people on Fraternity Life are getting that."

Hintze said at the beginning of the semester some University fraternities were approached by MTV about being on the show. He said the offers were declined after the fraternity chapter presidents decided MTV was not interested in accurately portraying greek life at the University.

Hintze said MTV is being turned down at other campuses too.

"To a large extent, greeks are kind of recognizing what they're after," he said.

Erin Breem, junior in engineering and vice president of public relations for the Panhellenic Council, the governing body of the sorority community at the University, said the council has not formally discussed Sorority Life.

Assistant Dean of Students for Greek Affairs Dan Bureau also commended Greek101.com for ending its association with the MTV shows.

Bureau, who is also president of the Association of Fraternity Advisors, said the fraternity on Fraternity Life has crossed the line into areas of hazing and inappropriate conduct.

"Every week I root for these guys to quit what they're doing and start a real fraternity," Bureau said.

Because the fraternity and sorority in the shows are "local" and not parts of national organizations, Bureau said, they have lacked guidance for the members.

"I don't want to dismiss local organizations because we have some on this campus that function very well," Bureau said. "But neither of these organizations have had the guidance they need to be really values-based."

Some greek members on campus don't approve of the shows' approach either.

Junior in applied life studies and Alpha Delta Chi member Jonathan Trapani said the portrayal of fraternity brothers on the show makes him embarrassed to be one.

Amanda Decker, freshman in business and Sigma Kappa member, said Sorority Life might be more realistic if the girls weren't acting for the camera.

"They over-dramatize everything and make (greek life) out to be something it's not," Decker said.

Eileen Quast, publicist for Fraternity Life and Sorority Life, said the events depicted on the shows were exactly what happened. She also said the shows are not meant to generalize greek life, but rather to show what happened at one fraternity and one sorority.

She added that MTV has no formal agreement with Greek101.com.

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