As fraternities and sororities prepare for a week of grecian festivities, the merely mortal contingent of Binghamton University will be going about their lives, oblivious to the difficulties of orchestrating a week-long celebration on relatively few funds.

Our greek compatriots, who this year have turned to an internal $4 fee in order to support Greek Week and off-set their meager $3,000 funding, are also relegated to off-campus greek housing ‘ a concept unheard of at other universities.

All of Binghamton University’s fraternity and sorority houses, in fact, exist outside of the campus bubble, and far from its safe, comforting and newly-tiled sparkle.

Instead, their houses ‘ located next to ours ‘ are in the crime-ridden (though oft-charming) neighborhoods of Binghamton, separating them from students they mean to recruit and intoxicate.

And while the mansions of Riverside Drive and the basement garages of Prospect Avenue may be cozy, they’re not substitutes for the cache of campus or of a real college town.

BU itself is far removed from the allure of a town with one-way streets and tree-lined sidewalks. Instead, perched on the edge of the Vestal Parkway, it is surrounded by strip malls, fast-food chains and a four-lane highway.

And if those dismal offerings weren’t enough, we’ve gotten wind of plans to add yet another Wal-Mart to the area (see Page 2).

This second Wal-Mart, conveniently located just across the river from the ‘old’ one, could bring tax revenue to Binghamton, create massive flooding and worsen traffic in Johnson City. But what dismays us more is the giant leap this supercenter will make toward wrenching what little soul and flavor the area has left.

What if, instead of adding another corporate chain store, there was a Collegetown Bagels or more independent clothing stores? What if Binghamton had a used bookstore in Binghamton or a few used record stores?

What if there were a few privately-owned pharmacies where pre-med students could work on weekends for more than minimum wage?

As though Binghamton was not suffering economically already, the proposal of another low-paying mega-giant in the area is nearly guaranteed to make things worse. A second Wal-Mart will only serve to cheapen the already dismal array of available jobs at establishments like Dunkin’ Donuts and Big Lots.

So while BU watches the leaves turn and the greeks honor themselves, and construction most likely commences on another concrete lot and tree museum, the rest of us are left to think about a decidedly hollow college experience with only cheap shampoo and dish towels to fill the void.