RE: Tri Delta President Comment on Alabama News Article
 

There is a long thread regarding membership selection at the University of Alabama in the NPC sororities. The following is a synopsis of a statement by Phyllis Grissom, Delta Delta Delta President, released today. President Grissom was initiated at the SMU Tri Delta chapter.


We are aware of the situation reported in the Alabama student newspaper. It is absolutely against our values and policies. Both collegians and alumnae members take this very seriously. Additionally, we expect alumnae and advisors to represent the fraternity's position in a professional manner at all times and in accordance with our fraternity governing documents.

The Executive Office has already begun an investigation into the serious allegations.

September 12, 2013

I hope it is truly an investigation....all nationals have an opportunity here to show some real leadership.

I wonder if a national would go so far as to revoke the membership of alumnae as a consequence.

Reading my mind, was wondering the same thing. If they did that would send a helluva message.

I also wonder if the administration of the University has any power in the situation. For example, could they investigate or take action against any of the chapters? Or are the HQs the only ones who could do this because it involved membership selection?

I have read other posts that say the university owns the land the houses are on and leases it back to the houses as well as provides cheap financing to build their houses.....state school getting tax revenue, it seems some lawyer could make a case that the university can step in and prohibit discriminatory practices or they can't use tax payer money....just a thought.

Well, then, what do you do about the Baptist Student Union, the Catholic Newman Center, etc, etc????? the Catholics won't let anyone but Catholics take communion. Are you doing to toss them off campus? What about Christian fraternities and sororities?

It would be VERY dangerous to start getting colleges involved in membership selection. I have every confidence that Delta Delta Delta will, for a number of reasons, take this VERY seriously and address it.

I would not be surprised if ALL the NPC groups at Alabama, not just the ones named, do not do some investigation.

Chi Omega has a similar statement prominently placed on their national website.

^^Wow, yeah, good for Chi O, it's up there front and center. All 4 of the orgs put on blast in the article should have SOMEthing on their homepages to at least acknowledge their awareness of and seriousness with which they take the situation. HINT HINT the 2 orgs that have absolutely nothing on their pages at the moment.

I'd say that all NPC groups with chapters at Bama should do so.

Pi Beta Phi has said something:

Personally, I would love to know why my own org didn't enthusiastically pursue a witty, articulate, intelligent, honor-laden, gorgeous PNM whose grandpa was a freaking TRUSTEE of the university. She should have had a full invite list.

I suspect that many of the collegians KNEW this was going to explode. This woman's connections are too important to ignore. There was no way that this was going to end quietly. This is on the heels of the professor whose wife lost her election bid to a Machine backed candidate and wrote that letter a short time ago.

Anyone can join the Newman Center. Taking communion isn't required for membership. I also strongly doubt that it gets land worth hundreds of thousands for $1/year.

I agree, and can confidently state that they wil.

This. KD wasn't mentioned, but they should check this out. As I was not in the membership selection, I cannot say why we did not pursue her as a top candidate. However, if that involved her race then it is completely unacceptable and goes against our basic values and beliefs.

Private memberships have the right to chose who they want at most schools (Tufts being one outside this rule for sororities), so a religiously based organization would also have the same rights. But you are not allowed to discriminate on race. If it can be proven, and in this case it appears it could be, then the school would be within their rights to intervene. My guess, however, is they won't. This problem seems to be very quickly resolving itself. Don't forget that the inter/national presidents of these sororities preside over quite a few black women, with the more northern sororities probably having more than the more southern ones. I would really love to see some of these women publicly shamed. But of course it won't BE shame. The women in their circles probably agree with them wholeheartedly. I'm sure it's bad enough for these hags that they are required to accept Yankees... but STILL, they wouldn't be invited into the chapter house to interfere ever again even if they're perfectly welcome at the alumnae meetings.

Religious organizations get all sorts of discriminatory power that other groups don't get. It's comparing apples to oranges.

Alumnae who do shiz like these alumnae did are just going to laugh at anything that comes out of their national HQ.

This is all starting to remind me of that 30 for 30 "Pony Excess" documentary about SMU's football program.

I find it very hard to believe they will take a persons membership away simply because they are racist. What someone thinks personally should not affect their membership. If that were the case I guess all the Jewish sisters of most NPC should be kicked out for not believing in Jesus. Take away their power over the chapters should work so those ideas can't harm anyone.

Just had to interject sorry

Are you high, Clairee?

A group that doesn't expel racist members should give up the claim of being a values-based organization.

Excuse my comparison. But they aren't gonna kick someone out for a racist. They'll just take away their power. A racist is only as strong as the power they are given.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/us...date.html?_r=0

"Stephannie Bailey, the executive director of Alpha Gamma Delta, said in an e-mail that the organization was “actively investigating” the situation for violations of its antidiscrimination policy."

The only way they can take away their power is to close the chapter or to sanction the chapter for accepting donations from certain alumnae.

They wouldn't be thrown out for being racist. They would be thrown out for breaking their sorority rules. I can't speak for any other sorority, but I would fathom a guess that alums are 1-not allowed to inject their personal opinions about girls beyond that stated on a rec and 2-CERTAINLY not allowed to vote or interfere with voting.

Maybe not, if it's just about generic "values". But OPA has an explicit policy against discrimination. If it were difficult to prove, we would be reluctant to take severe action. In a case this blatant, however, we wouldn't hesitate to strip an alumna of her membership for violating a national policy.

For FUCK's sake, QUIT posting about what sororities do or may do. You don't know anything about anything!

This. If the national has rules that say they will not discriminate based on race , etc , so alums need to follow the rules. Will the nationals enforce the rules ? We shall see.

Now that literally made me LOL.

I've heard of membership being terminated for "conduct unbecoming of a member". Do you think this could/would apply here?