Editor’s Note: During this tragic incident at WVU, there has been many opinions on the culture of Greek Life, and the University in general. The HerWVU staff wanted to be able to share the opinions from the WVU community in a forum that allows explanation and reasoning. The thoughts shared were done on a voluntary basis, and were collected by HerWVU writers. These opinions do not necessarily represent our thoughts, but are rather direct, unedited quotes from those who we spoke to. Those who asked to remain anonymous are referred to by “WVU Current Student”. If you are interested in sharing as well, please email jessicarangel@hercampus.com.
“The Moratorium needed to happen after an incident like this. Certain organizations have started to lose sight of the ideals that their fraternities stand for. This break is needed for everyone to realize that the decisions they make have consequences. During this time we all must cooperate with the University to start to foster a relationship that is healthy and beneficial for both sides. Obviously the rules and regulations that the university have tried to establish have been pushed aside. We must work to fix the problem of alcohol abuse on this campus and push for an amnesty program that will allow students to call for help if their friend is in need without worrying about getting in trouble. Binge drinking is not a problem specific to Greek life and should be addressed on a campus wide level.”
-Matt Elder
“I am deeply saddened to hear about this tragedy. The culture at West Virginia among students that has allowed for the creation of these perceived “traditions” are dangerous and destructive. We as a campus must come together to ensure that tragedies like this no longer happen. I applaud those in students in leadership who have spoken out and challenged their brothers and sisters to cultivate these necessary changes. I plan to assist student leaders both inside and outside the Greek community as we move forward.”
-Daniel Brewster, WVU Professor
“At the beginning of the year I was in an alcohol related accident that left me close to death and temporarily unable to walk. I spent the month following in the hospital and months more healing. Post-accident people would call me crazy, an alcoholic, or crack jokes about my accident to my face. Even now when a fellow mountaineer has passed away there are people saying that he got what he was asking for along with a menagerie of other nasty comments about the situation. What really makes me sad is the fact that I worked so hard to be healthy and happy in order to return to school and was met with such adversity as to who I had become when I did return. Now if I wanted to stop drinking or didn’t go out I was told I was boring or asked why I was so sad. Instead of my survival being celebrated it was being challenged by peers trying to force alcohol upon me even when I had turned it down. It would be easy to simply blame Greek life but the attention this death has received is the culmination of many similar events and the culture that WVU perpetuates – Greek and non-Greek. Blacking out has become celebrated and something to laugh at while sobriety, to any extent for students on this campus, has become harder and harder. How would you feel if you woke up to learn that your brother, sister, or best friend had died because they drank too much? Could you hold a loved one in the hospital while they took their last breath because no one had stopped them or you hadn’t said anything when they started drinking a lot over the past couple weeks? There are no words to describe what I went through due to alcohol. The pain both mental and physical isn’t something I would wish on my worst enemy. Even now I have physical pain, anxiety, and PTSD. My mother still has trouble with me being at WVU just because she thinks it’s a dangerous environment as far as alcohol is concerned even with her complete trust in me to know my limit. Every late night phone call or call unanswered and she is triggered into thinking something terrible has happened to me. Trust me when I say you do not want this for your parents or your friends parents, don’t let them bury their child or see them in the hospital as mine did. Next time you see someone that has had too much to drink stop them from drinking more, take them home or to the hospital if they need it. If you have a friend that is drinking more and more don’t brush it off as a phase, push them to seek help or ask them what’s wrong. As mountaineers we need to all come together to start a dialogue on how to create a safer more accepting and knowledgeable campus when it comes to having a fun night out. With a little empathy and understanding we could all save a life and help change WVU for the better.”
-Rebecca Salvatore
‘When I heard the news about Nolan, my heart broke. After seeing many negative things happening in Greek life these past few weeks, I didn’t think a tragedy like this would ever occur. This should just be a huge eye opener for all students that this could happen to anyone. A fun night out could end with a life being ended, not relizing as you get into it. I think this university needs to stick together. Greeks, non-Greeks, student leaders, professors, alum. We need to stick together to show support for Nolan and his family and ignore all the negative forces coming upon this situation. That will be the light at the end of the tunnel.’
-Katie Padden
“As our Greek community has grown over the past few years, there has also been an increasing number of incidents involving Greek organizations. The decision by the University to suspend Greek life is the culmination of those incidents, and it’s truly unfortunate that they it was spurred by tragedy.As we move forward, fraternities and sororities must come together and decide what behavior is acceptable and what is off-limits. But that discussion is for another day. The Mountaineer community is devastated and is doing everything we can to show support for Nolan Burch’s family and friends. That’s far more important than anything else right now.”
-Chris Nyden, SGA President
“Waking up in a hospital to your parents staring back at you with a look of pure shock and devastation couldn’t be a more horrifying moment. It goes beyond the point of getting lectured and punished for doing the wrong thing. Because at that point the only thing that matters is that you opened your eyes and that you’re breathing. It sounds cliche, but it truly hits home when the only thing that races through your mind is the “what ifs” because at that point the what ifs don’t seem so far fetched anymore. That realization that you’re not invincible and that you can only take so much. The idea of life suddenly seems so much more valuable because it can be so easily taken away. It’s one of the scariest realities to come in terms with but its one of the most valuable lessons you can learn. Appreciate all the things you have to offer, all the things you have around you and all the people who couldn’t see a world without you. Cherish your life, your friends, your loved ones, and most importantly yourself. The suspension is a blessing in disguise. It may seem unfair or over the top to some people but it’s not meant to be a punishment. it’s meant to be a time for us to take it in and understand how real it is. One of the biggest tragedies is to see someone with so much life and opportunity get it all taken away as a result of something that people go out and do every night without a single thought about it. This is a time for us to appreciate the finer things in life beyond the parties and the social influence. It’s a time to rethink what we prioritize in our lives and value what’s important.”
-WVU current student