Cooke says she thinks most of the organizations founded by this year's seniors will last a long time. The next question that arises is this. Is that a good thing?
The multiplication of organizations has created a severe strain on space and funding and has ratcheted up the competition for members. The lasting groups founded by the Class of 2000 will also create some lasting problems.
Still, Noah Z. Seton '00, former president of the Undergraduate Council, argues that the overall impact of so many groups is good for the campus.
"I see only positives to the number of groups," he writes in an e-mail message. "I know that there is some concern, among students and in the administration, that there are too many groups, but I think that they add to the diversity of opportunities on campus and can only be regarded as a positive development."