He says part of the reason members of the Greek system tend to be more conservative than their independent peers is that the organizations celebrate tradition and history.

Mike Cunningham, from Purdue University’s class of ’12, was the president of his fraternity and also of the university’s College Republicans. He says he noticed that, while members of Purdue’s large Greek system certainly span the ideological spectrum, they seemed more likely to identify as fiscally conservative and to gravitate toward College Republicans than did the general student population.

“Conservatives on college campuses are a silent majority,” he adds, arguing that the Greek system can bring together students who otherwise wouldn’t find much sympathy for their ideals.

While Greeks tend to support socially liberal causes like abortion and gay marriage, they also seem more likely to respect tradition, history, and stability.