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U-M President Says Party Culture A Serious Problem For Frats

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel says the partying culture of fraternities and sororities could dim their futures at the Ann Arbor school.

Schlissel told reporters Tuesday following a program at the Detroit Economic Club that unless members of campus Greek organizations moderate some of the "risky behavior" that includes alcohol use "they may naturally wither and people may want to stop joining them."

"I think there is a cultural problem, not only among students in Greek life but significantly inside of Greek life - having to do with the overuse of alcohol - that really does need to be moderated or otherwise it won't be me threatening the existence of the Greeks - it will be these behaviors themselves," said Schlissel.

The Sigma Alpha Mu chapter at the University of Michigan was disbanded earlier this year after a northern Michigan ski resort was trashed in January.

Schlissel said Greek parties "send the wrong message" that Michigan "is a party school and not a serious research university."

"What I am most concerned about are the health and safety issues," said Schlissel. "So when students drink to excess, they are poisoning themselves, alcohol is a toxen, having a beer or two, I'm not going to complain if a student does that, although they shouldn't drink untilthey are 21, they are not going to listen to me. But binge drinking and getting purposefully intoxicated as a mode of entertainment - that's not healthy."

He added that students in fraternities and sororities, on average, have higher grade point averages than non-Greeks at Michigan.

© TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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