The party’s over for the original “Animal House.”

Claiming that greek life promotes a hostile relationship between the sexes, Dartmouth College President James Wright and the Dartmouth Board of Trustees have declared that by next fall’s rush, the greek system, as Dartmouth knows it, will be dismantled.

A new system, based on co-ed fraternities and sororities, will be established in place of the old one.

The Feb. 9 announcement has sent shock waves through fraternities and sororities across the nation.

Wright was quoted in the Dartmouth Review as saying the college’s current greek system “doesn’t contribute significantly to each student’s intellectual and personal growth and well-being.”

Even Iowa State greek leaders are concerned about the Dartmouth decision, although it has no direct implications on ISU’s greek system.

Brian Tenclinger, coordinator of Greek Affairs, said he doesn’t support the decision, and Interfraternity Council President Adam Oris said, “I just hope it won’t happen at any another schools.”

The Dartmouth administration is concerned about excessive drinking and the problems that can sometimes accompany greek life — and college life in general.

Of course, it’s absolutely necessary to be concerned about these issues. But is it appropriate to destroy an entire system?

If administrators are so concerned about these problems, why don’t they try to find another way to fix them — other than ending a long-standing tradition?

What is even more concerning is that the Dartmouth student body was never asked for input about the situation.

Colleges and universities are about the students, not university bureaucracy. The Dartmouth administrators obviously aren’t taking the views of students into account — and certainly not their best interests.

Nobody can deny that the greek system has its problems, but ending tradition is not the answer.

“Social fragmentation” and excessive drinking are problems that have permeated every college and university in the nation.

Targeting the greek system as the problem is not the answer.

There may be problems with the system. But officials could have taken the time to educate members instead of taking away a part of their college lives.

And how about asking the students how they feel next time?