FYI .....
The rights of its member organisations to restrict member ship in compliance with Section 18 Ontario Charter of Rights, R.S.O. which states:
“Special Interest Organizations:
18. The rights under Part I to equal treatment with respect to services and facilities, with or without accommodation, are not infringed where membership or participation in a religious, philanthropic, educational, fraternal, or social institution or organization that is primarily engaged in serving the interests of persons identified by a prohibited ground of discrimination is restricted to persons who are similarly identified." R.S.O. 1990, c. H. 19, S. 18. (http://www.ohrc.on.ca/english/codeeng.htm)
Specifically this means that women’s Fraternities and sororities have the legal, constitutional, right to RESTRICT MEMBERSHIP EXCLUSIVELY TO WOMEN ONLY, and similarly that men’s fraternities have the right to RESTRICT MEMBERSHIP TO MEN ONLY.
One thing to note- the prov gov't gives leadership development funds for Student Unions to give to recognized groups to help them in being a club (mailers, etc.). At the University of Calgary, the SU there specifically set up a separate class of club status for Fraternities and sororities, noting that they are recoginzed as a club (can get meeting speace etc.), but are not eleigible to receiev funds.
If you suggest this, AND show them your calendar of charity events, study tables and the like, (And the above quote), they will learn that you do offer a positive addition to campusn life.
Interfraternally,
Shala
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shala Berry
President, Canadian Interfraternal Assc.
shala@canadiangreeks.com
(Thanks to the WLU Greek site for the Onatrio Code information -
http://www.wlu.ca/~wwwss/greek/misc.htm)