The Greek Advantage: Implications of Greek Affiliation on Student Government at the University of Mississippi

Author

Lila OsmanFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-10-2023

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Public Policy Leadership

First Advisor

Melissa Bass

Second Advisor

Kyle Fritz

Third Advisor

Brent Marsh

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Greek life is a prominent group at the University of Mississippi, especially when it comes to membership in the Associated Student Body (ASB). ASB is the student governing body at the University so it is important to analyze its membership to understand how reflective it is of the entire university campus it represents. This research answers the question: “How and to what extent does Greek affiliation affect candidates for student government at the University of Mississippi?” Through two mixed methods surveys, one sent to members elected to ASB in the spring 2022 election cycle and the other to the general student body, I identified multiple factors advantaging Greek candidates. These include: increased involvement, ingroup favoritism, favoritism from other groups, and increased political ambition among women. All of these factors play a part in the success of Greek students in student government, as increased involvement can perpetuate a positive feedback loop of Greek involvement in student government, ingroup and other group favoritism continues to promote the success of these candidates, and increased political ambition among women allows for there to be more representation among Greek women. Based on these findings, I recommend ways to help bridge the gap to the Associated Student Body, the student population, and the University’s faculty and staff in order to create more accessibility and fair representation in the University’s student government.

Recommended Citation

Osman, Lila, "The Greek Advantage: Implications of Greek Affiliation on Student Government at the University of Mississippi" (2023). Honors Theses. 2838.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2838

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