Students passing out club information in the West Mall

Anyone who has attended a four-year college is aware that there are different groups/clubs/organizations offered at that university. Here at UT, it is nearly impossible to walk through West Mall without someone shoving a flyer into your hand advertising their next meeting, food scarcities in Africa, the evils of capitalism, or a free condom. There are literally hundreds of different organizations that you can choose to become involved in, or to not become involved in. But why do students become involved in an organization? We aim to discuss the significance of extracurricular involvement in college and how it relates to conflict and/or functionalist theory.

Many college students are involved in extracurricular activities. These activities range from work, volunteering, campus organizations, Greek life, and sports. It is generally known that group/organization involvement is healthy for one’s academic career. In a study done by Christine Hegedus and Dr. James Knight, it was found that involvement in activities outside of the classroom was more likely to occur in younger, female students. They also found that reasons for joining organizations centered around building leadership skills and making resumes “look good” (2002).  In addition, students join organizations for friends and improving their communication skills.

This is a good example of functionalist theory. Students use these groups and organizations for self-improvement, job opportunities and socialization. Many fraternities and sororities focus on the networking that comes from Greek life. This would also fit in the category of functionalism.

However, studies have found that students often don’t have time for extracurricular activities and this can cause them to feel “left out” or obligated to over extend themselves. Kathleen McCann from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, found that students who participated in extracurricular activities for 10 or more hours per week were at a significantly higher risk for non-restorative sleep, sleep deprivation and insomnia (2008). This is an example of organizations operating under conflict theory. Another example of conflict theory comes from a particularly embarrassing incident when UT students in the West campus area (a notoriously Greek neighborhood), started ‘bleach bombing” minority students (Permenter, 2012). This is an example of conflict theory because the people of higher socioeconomic status were using their power to racially discriminate against minorities.

Functionalism and Conflict Theory Defined

As we have learned in the class, functionalist theory is basically how a society or in our case, an institution, functions by having each different process perform a certain job in order to maintain equilibrium. Conflict theory on the other hand, explains how society is made up of a power struggle between each class or process in order to drive social change or power society as a whole. Since this blog post mainly deals with both functionalism and conflict theory, we felt it would be best to present an insight on both theories. In order to provide a better understanding of both functionalist theory and conflict theory, we will provide explanations from the scholarly article, “Sociology: A Multiple Paradigm Science”.

 “The structural-functionalist is concerned with the relationship between structures, between institutions, and between structures, and institutions” (Elster 159).  By understanding this quote, the structure-functionalist understands that the individual’s decisions are influenced by external social facts (159).  Functionalists make clear that society is orderly, shows how society keeps order, and see how society is held together “by norms, values, and common morality” (160).  Understanding this harmonious relationship between man and institution as well as institution and society, the main focus for functionalism is on the “functional relationship between behavior and changes in the environment on the actor” (163). This “actor” is defined as “not simply responding to stimuli, but interpreting these inputs and acting on the basis of the way he defines them” (163).  From the article, it is understood that functionalism not only deals with the balance of processes in society, but also how the individual is affected by these processes.

Conflict theory is seen as being the opposite of functionalist theory (159).  According to Elster, “conflict theorists see every society at every point subject to change” (160).  Conflict theorists see every change in society’s element creating contributions of dissolution, that society comes from strong-arming from people in power, and they generally focus on social facts (160).  Unlike functionalism, the power is not given to the individual; it is given to those that have authority (160).  This shows that power is not divided up to create equilibrium, but it is a constant struggle in order to keep society moving.  In short, change is key to conflict theory, while change might be unwanted for functionalism.

Now that an there is understanding between both functionalist paradigm and conflict paradigm, this blog can effectively show the relationships between the University, student organizations, and how the student is affected in this environment.

The University of Texas and Functionalist Theory

The University of Texas at Austin itself tries to encourage all its students to join organizations. Bealonghorn.com, the universities website for prospective students, boasts that UT has over 900 student run organizations “from every affiliation, orientation, and philosophy under the sun” (“Student Organizations”, 2011). The university’s official YouTube page features videos that promote clubs and activities for prospective students and for current students. The one of the most persuasive is the video about an international student who found her niche at the University of Texas at Austin by joining clubs and organization. This video sends a message to other students and aspiring students that if an international student, Ana Coronell, who has no ties to the university, can find their home at the university, so can anyone else.

Other videos that promote clubs and organizations include the testimony of former UT student body president, Keshav Rajagopalan (Utaustintexas, 2012), who “strived to connect students with leadership opportunities in the numerous campus clubs and organizations”, and Natalie Butler (Utaustintexas, 2011), a Plan II student who  attests that joining clubs and organizations will make the campus appear smaller and “more beautiful”.  The message of opportunities and becoming fully integrated in university life shows Functionalism.

The University of Texas and Conflict Theory

While the purpose of clubs in the university is seen as a way to help its students, there are times when the university has to condemn clubs when the behavior of club participants conflicts with its designated purpose. The most prominent clubs and organizations on campus, frats and sororities, are notorious for committing acts of deviance by participating in hazing and racist acts.

The report Hazing In View: College Students at Risk has found that more than “55% of college students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations” (Allan & Madden, 2008). A recent incident of this was the 2011 Texas Kappa alpha fraternity. This fraternity was suspended by the national Kappa Alpha organizations for hazing recruit and hiring “performers for live sex shows”. The fraternity was accused of “pushing and shoving pledges and forcing them to do calisthenics on multiple occasions”(Associated Press, 2011). While technically this fraternity was suspended, it lives on in the new Texas Omicron Fraternity.

Two party attendees at the "Fiesta Party" wearing racist costumes

Recently, fraternities and societies came under fire for hosting racially themed parties and for throwing bleach bombs at minority students in West Campus. Victims of the bleach bomb assaults have reported that “racial epithets” followed the bleach bomb. Shortly before the news about the bleach bomb incidents University of Texas sororities, Tri Delta and Zeta Tau Alpha, were accused of racially themed fiesta party where attendees were seen wearing shirts that read “Illegal” and “Border Patrol”. This was condemned by the university and the sororities apologized soon afterwards (Permenter, 2012).

Acts like these conflict with the image of clubs and organizations the university wants to project. In both instances there is conflict between the members of the fraternity in power and those seen to have less power than them. In the case of hazing, the fraternity members use their power to humiliate pledges. In the case of racism, the fraternities use their racial dominance (most sororities and fraternities on campus are predominantly white) to belittle and harass minorities.

A Student’s Perspective

With the purpose of examining the relationships between the University of Texas, its student organizations, and the students themselves, there needs to be evidence for understanding these behaviors defined as functional paradigm or conflict paradigm.  In order to gather evidence from the University of Texas, we interviewed several subjects in the from  whom are given different names in order to protect their identity.

Students in major related clubs

The first subject, Bill, claimed that he joined the student-run radio station mainly for meeting other students with similar interests.  Bill also claims that he felt no outside pressure whatsoever when it came to joining clubs in college.  Bill is allegedly very involved in this student organization, and he helps out with the radio station to simply stay involved and earn credentials for the real world. Since Bill mainly just wants to help contribute to the equilibrium within this club, shows that this specific occurrence can be understood through the functional paradigm rather than by the conflict paradigm.

Darin also joined the student-run radio station, but his reasons prove to be different than Bill’s.  Darin joined this organization for meeting new people with similar interests and considers himself very active, like Bill.  Darin 
went on to explain that he has felt outside pressures for joining a club, unlike Bill. Darin said that it was not just the University of Texas that made him feel like he had to join a club, but he had been hearing rumors since high school that he would need to join a student organization.  Darin joined this club strictly for just helping out and being involved, yet he has competed for a head position in the past.  This interview with Darin has both functionalism and conflict theory undertones.  Once again, the pressures put on him “since high school” to join a club and him competing for a higher position shows features of conflict theory. On the other hand, Darin just wanting to stay involved and working with others in the radio station shows features of functionalism as well.

Mick had a somewhat different experience when it came to joining the university’s film club.  Mick originally had a slight interest in joining this organization, but he did not join until his adviser influenced him to join.  The subject also said that he felt pressure from the university that he needed to be involved in some kind of club.  Although Mick is in this organization because he shows an appreciation for film, he also admitted to wanting to eventually have a higher position such as president over the club one day.  Mick’s experience with joining a club contrasts Bill’s experience; it can be best seen through conflict paradigm due to the university pressuring Mick and his urge to compete for power within the club.

Taylor, unlike the others above, joined NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) solely to strengthen her resume rather than personal benefit. She states that if she knew she could get into the college of engineering without having to join a club related to that major, she wouldn't have. This best shows conflict theory because while she joined a club, she did not join it for "the right reasons" presented by the University.

Students in social organizations

Forever Texas members

Erica joined Forever Texas in order to gain friends. She was introduced by a friend of hers who said the organization was fun. She also stated she always has friends in this club she can hang out with outside club events, which shows the togetherness of this club. Erica experience reflects the functionalist paradigm because she is very active in the meetings, sisterhood events, and volunteer opportunities. 

UT intramural volleyball game

Tiana also joined her organization, intramural volleyball, in order to gain friends. While her organization is competitive, which reflects the conflict paradigm, Tiana's the main purpose for being in this organization is to have fun and be around people different than her. Tiana's experience reflects the functionalist theory because she joined the club for personal reasons and to form friendships.

Tri Delta members

Sarah, on the other hand, was pressured by her parents to join a sorority so she would have a support system in college. She did garner a support system of friends that she can rely on, which does show functionalist theory. However, since she was pressured to join Tri Delta her experience leans more towards conflict theory rather than functionalist theory.

Students not in a club or organization

No club or organization

Jasmine is not a club. She feels that she is a not a well-rounded student and by not being in a club, she gives off the appearance of being a “nerd” who is only focused on the academic aspects of college. She feels that not taking advantages of being in a club is like "shooting yourself in the foot". She also feels pressure from both the university and the students. This pressure to join a club and the fact that she is not in a club shows the conflict paradigm.

Interview reflection

From comparing these subjects, it is understood that there is no right or wrong interpretation of sociological paradigms.  We are also convinced that functionalism and conflict theory are not opposites; both theories can technically go hand in hand because they are based on interpretation.  While we can see points of conflict such as wanting more power or providing pressure to join groups, there is also somewhat of a harmony between multiple organizations and the social roles of the individuals within them based on the evidence provided.

Conclusion

After researching college organizations and conducting our own interviews, we conclude that both conflict theory and functionalist theory can be incorporated when analyzing the effects of college extracurricular activities. We found that people’s motives for joining an organization vary. People usually join groups due to external pressure, need for friends, or the desire to gain resume credibility. Each situation is different and usually incorporates both theories. We found that the role of college organizations as a whole can neither be defined as strictly based on the conflict paradigm or the functional paradigm.