[backuppath]

I actually posted this on another board. But here is my opinion as a fellow greek at DePauw.

I actually graduated from DePauw University in 2006. I was not a Delta Zeta there, but I was a Rho Gamma (recruitment guide) my senior year. I am absolutely disgusted by the way nationals handled this situation. I think it is difficult for any chapter at DePauw because the school is very small and stereotypically charged. It seems that a lot of pressure is put on appearance at DePauw. It is rare to see someone wearing sweatpants to class (unless it was a heavy drinking night the night before). The campus is inondated with pearls, designer labels and greek letters. Girls tend to be very up to date with fashion, and it is well known that DePauw kids have a "work hard play hard" attitude. About 80% of the campus is greek and your greek status defines who you are around campus. it is often overheard "do you know so and so? she was an alpha alpah." usually a statement like that is enough to pass judgment.
By no means am i condoning the behavior of students at depauw, because as i am now removed from the campus and lifestyle i actually realize how shallow and immature greek life was at times. Yes, of course i had great memories, lasting friendships, and out chapter did a lot for the community. I still support greek life and depauw university, but it was often taken to the extreme because of the size and emphasis on popularity/appearances.
My first year recruitment was a blur, but i remember going to the DZ house. before we even walked in many of the girls were saying things like "what a waste of time," "do we really have to go in?" "i really want to skip this house and go on to the others," "there's no reason to be here." The one thing i do remember about DZ was the fact that the girls who talked to me didn't even go to DePauw. Clearly, we didn't have much to talk about if you couldn't talk about campus, classes, involvement, etc. I just remember thinking how odd it was. I thought it actually made the house look worse because they had to bring in girls from other schools. Even though rush is fake in itself, this was the more disturbing display of falsity we saw through the whole process in my opinion. Although i do hate to admit this, when i cut Delta Zeta during recruitment i did cut them based on their stereotype. But i also wonder if i would have felt differently if i had actually met the women who lived in the house. maybe meeting the actual DZs, they would have erased the stereotypes i already had in my head. I can't help but think so.
the one thing i have to say about the women of DZ at DePauw is that they are such a strong bunch of girls and they have my support behind their decisions to deactivate.
I think that the nationals made a terrible mistake in overlooking the charm these women had. I think that DePauw needs more greek women like the Dela Zetas.