CONFLICT THE CASE FOR FRATERNITY & SORORITY PROFESSIONALS
D E V I N B E R G H O R S T, P H . D .
Conflict is natural and inevitable in fraternities and sororities. The book “The Semisovereign People: A Realist’s View of Democracy In America” by Eric Schattschneider suggests the outcome of conflict does not depend on the original participants but on its scope and involvement of new participants, including those managing the conflict. In my study “Exploring the Relationship between Fraternal Organizations and the University of Michigan: An Organizational Analysis,” I examine implications various eras of conflict in the fraternity and sorority community at U of M had for student affairs professionals over time, and extrapolate three reasons why the process of navigating conflict can help demonstrate the value fraternity and sorority professionals provide to an institution.
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