What happened to the Phi Delta Theta fraternity last month is a good example of how a few bad seeds in an organization can ruin the whole thing for everyone.

The vast majority of its members honored the rules and strived to accomplish the goals and purpose of the fraternity. In 2005 the organization won Greek Week, and a member won greek man of the year.

But because a few members hazed a pledge, the U chapter has lost its charter.

The damage done by the members of Phi Delta Theta goes beyond their own house. Every other greek chapter will suffer; the reputation of the entire greek system is tarnished.

The greek system is striving to rid itself of stereotypes that prevent students from choosing to participate.

Unfortunately, when things like this happen, all that hard work goes to waste.

All the other U organizations should take a lesson from this situation and make sure to stop potentially damaging practices before they go too far.

The active members of Phi Delta Theta probably thought it was harmless to make all the pledges drink prune juice or do weird things like crawl into a fireplace and act like a fire without laughing. But those little things escaladed, causing others to physically harm a pledge.

The students on Greek Row who are pointing fingers at the pledge for telling on the fraternity should be ashamed of themselves. It is against the law to haze in the United States. Those who are guilty deserve to be punished: They knew the rules and broke them.

If drill sergeants in the Marine Corps go to jail for hitting a recruit, then it is appropriate that the Phi Delta Theta fraternity loses its charter on the U for hazing a pledge.

Unfortunately, the actions of a few students have negatively affected the reputation of not only the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and Greek Row, but of the university as a whole.

As we embark on a new year and new semester, it should be the resolution of every student to represent himself or herself, and consequently the university and student groups with which he or she is involved, in the best possible light.

Likewise, every student group should resolve to maintain its integrity by ensuring that all of its members follow its respective guidelines and regulations.