[cjr]

I think that some folks posting to this thread are a little too concerned with legality. That is, many are defending Delta Zeta National's actions, simply because they were legal, and at least a few are decrying DePauw's expulsion of Delta Zeta as illegal (in violation of their agreement). Let's face facts, for most people, perceptions are reality, and certainly most people perceive the actions taken by the Delta Zeta National Organization to be at least poorly executed, if not actually illegal or unethical. Similarly, most people perceive DePauw's response as appropriate, even if it stretches the bounds of legality. Please note that I do not have the expertise to pass an opinion on the merits of the lawsuit from a legal standpoint, but from a public perception standpoint, it is clearly a loser. It remains to be seen exactly how Delta Zeta in particular and Greek organizations in general will be affected, but I have a hard time seeing anything positive coming out of this situation, regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit.

Full disclosure: I came to this thread looking for a link to the text of the lawsuit. I am neither an active nor alumni member of a fraternity. My interest in this matter? As the saying goes, my daughter - and my money - go to DePauw. She is a freshman who intends to pledge a sorority, but has decided for a variety of reasons to wait until her sophomore year. My feeling is that parents are much more involved in their children's lives on campus than they were a million years ago when I was in college; surf the net for articles on "helicopter parents" for some back up. I'm doing my best to resist the impulse to run my daughter's life on campus. We've talked about the Delta Zeta situation, but no more than exchanging opinions on what happened and why.

cjr