Maybe secret societies are just drinking clubs. But who knows?

Maybe secret societies exist just for anonymous recognition of selfless student leaders. But again who knows?

Maybe secret societies work just for the betterment of Penn State and its traditions. But then again who knows?

That is the problem. Nobody knows.

Lion's Paw, Skull & Bones and Parmi Nous remain hidden from public scrutiny. As a result, student leader membership in these societies is marked by elitism, hypocrisy and possible conflicts of interest. In the past, these organizations met to establish hidden agendas and work toward secret goals. The problem of accountability is obvious.

Now, with the election of a student government outsider to the Undergraduate Student Government presidency, chances are good that secret societies will again work toward their secret agendas. Rob Kampia, the new Undergraduate Student Government president should be commended for promising not to join a secret society.

By virtue of their positions and responsibilities, student leaders cannot separate their involvement in secret societies from their jobs as student leaders. The potential for conflicts of interest exists.

Until 1988, some editors at The Daily Collegian belonged to secret societies -- the same editors who made coverage decisions about the student leaders with whom they met. This same type of conflict can occur with student leaders.

These societies also promote elitism. Membership in these groups is often restricted to friends and colleagues of current members, who belong to a narrow range of student groups.

And Lion's Paw has the exclusive use of room 419 in Old Main, otherwise known as the "Lair." All other rooms in Old Main are used for official University business. Elitism contradicts the purpose of representative student government, which is to represent all students.

Membership in secret societies is also laden with hypocrisy. Many of the student leaders in these societies call for more openness from the administration, yet meet behind closed doors. If student leaders expect more openness from others, they should start by setting an example.

Student leaders have an ultimate responsibility to the students they represent. Being active in secret societies shirks that responsibility.