National GLO's Chartering Without Recognition

[Senusret I]

At my Alma Mater, social fraternities and sororities were not recognized by the administration, nor were they allowed access to university benefits. This was not a huge problem for most BGLO's and LGLO's which were quite acustomed to the idea of city-wide chapters.

By the time I graduated, a colony of Alpha Epsilon Pi had formed, and has since been officially chartered. They told me that their national organization did not require school recognition in their case. (I have seen similar on their website.) This was not a city-wide chapter, but a chapter of men exclusively from the one school.


My question is which national organizations allow chapters to form without university recognition?

[KillarneyRose]

This is an interesting question; I look forward to reading what everyone has to say.

AFAIK, Delta Zeta will not colonize without recognition. I base this statement on the fact that when Alfred University decided to disband the greek system I can think of at least one sorority that stayed on without recognition whereas DZ just closed the chapter at that school.

[aephi alum]

AEPhi will allow chapters to operate unrecognized by the university. Example: We had a colony at Brandeis a few years back. As an area alum, I was invited to the colony's new member ceremonies. I remember being told distinctly not to wear anything that might make it look like I was going to a ritual, because GLOs were not recognized by the school. That colony had to operate wayyy underground.

Harvard doesn't recognize fraternities and sororities either. There are chapters of Kappa Alpha Theta, Delta Gamma, and Kappa Kappa Gamma is colonizing - so that means either those 3 sororities are on the "will colonize if unrecognized" list, or they made an exception because it's Harvard.

[EEKappa]

Harvard doesn't recognize fraternities and sororities either. There are chapters of Kappa Alpha Theta, Delta Gamma, and Kappa Kappa Gamma is colonizing - so that means either those 3 sororities are on the "will colonize if unrecognized" list, or they made an exception because it's Harvard.

You are absolutely right, aephi alum, Harvard doesn't recognize its Greeks. I learned from one of our new members who is a tour guide for Harvard that she is required to answer "No" when potential students and their families ask if there are sororities and fraternities.

No exceptions were made in our case in colonizing at Harvard. We also have unrecognized chapters at Yale and Trinity (in Hartford, CT), and there must be others outside New England. More important extension criteria, as I understand the process, are demand at the college (number of potential new members unplaced after formal recruitment) and area alumnae support.

We'll install the new chapter, Eta Theta, in two weeks -- yay!

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by EEKappa
You are absolutely right, aephi alum, Harvard doesn't recognize its Greeks. I learned from one of our new members who is a tour guide for Harvard that she is required to answer "No" when potential students and their families ask if there are sororities and fraternities.

They're told to lie?? Wow...

I'm guessing Harvard greeks are not allowed to wear letters either? I've never seen anyone in letters on Harvard's campus, aside from the odd cross-registered MIT student.

We also used to have a chapter at Yale. I think the administration there took more of an attitude of "we won't formally recognize you, but we won't go out of our way to make your existence difficult" - unlike Harvard and Brandeis, where they seem to be openly hostile.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Senusret I
At my Alma Mater, social fraternities and sororities were not recognized by the administration, nor were they allowed access to university benefits. This was not a huge problem for most BGLO's and LGLO'sm which were quite acustomed to the idea of city-wide chapters.

By the time I graduated, a colony of Alpha Epsilon Pi had formed, and has since been officially chartered. They told me that their national organization did not require school recognition in their case. (I have seen similar on their website.) This was not a city-wide chapter, but a chapter of men exclusively from the one school.


My question is which national organizations allow chapters to form without university recognition?

I didn't realize that GLOs outside of BGLO's and LGLO's had city-wide chapter. AEPi does not. I also don't know too many nationaly fraternities that require administration approval.

-Rudey
--It's mostly sororities that have those fascist rules.

[madmax]

Originally posted by Senusret I



My question is which national organizations allow chapters to form without university recognition?

I think most of them allow it. Just look at all the schools that do not recognize greek life and if a national has a chapter on that campus then they obviously allow chapters to function without university recognition. Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Alfred and most schools in Canada don't recognize fraternities.

I know TKE, and DKE for sure.

[g41965]

IN my opinion DU prefers to have University Recognition and approaches non recognition on a case by case basis.
IE, DU is at Harvard and has many chapters in Canada.
On the other hand DU shut chapters at Middlebury, Maine Rutgers and numerous schools when University recognition was withdrawn.

[madmax]

Originally posted by g41965
IN my opinion DU prefers to have University Recognition and approaches non recognition on a case by case basis.
IE, DU is at Harvard and has many chapters in Canada.
On the other hand DU shut chapters at Middlebury, Naine Rugers and numerous schools when University recognition was withdrawn.

They would have had trouble staying at Middlebury even if they wanted to. Middlebury is a private school and if they continued to operate the school could have expelled their members. DKE sued and lost. Here is an article.

http://www.dke.org/quarterly4.html

[sugar and spice]

I'm not entirely sure of Tri Delta's position on this subject, but since they were one of the sororities that was being considered during the final round of Harvard's colonization process before they ultimately decided on Kappa, I imagine that they do it.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by madmax
They would have had trouble staying at Middlebury even if they wanted to. Middlebury is a private school and if they continued to operate the school could have expelled their members. DKE sued and lost. Here is an article.

http://www.dke.org/quarterly4.html

But Harvard, Yale, Alfred, etc, are also all private schools, that in theory could do this, but don't.

[lifesaver]

Originally posted by EEKappa

No exceptions were made in our case in colonizing at Harvard. We also have unrecognized chapters at Yale and Trinity (in Hartford, CT), and there must be others outside New England. More important extension criteria, as I understand the process, are demand at the college (number of potential new members unplaced after formal recruitment) and area alumnae support.

So my question is as follows. Who coordinates recruitment? Is there an unofficicial NPC? Who handeles infractions? Do they all just informally recruit? I dont understand.

[Tom Earp]

LXA will not go onto a campi in this day and age where it is not welcomed along with other Greek Orgs.

Alfred was unto it self as many of the private schools are. Large or small makes no difference.

The basic premis is "If the School sanctions or just goes along with Greek Orgs." Some schools who do not recognize Greeks will tollerate tham for their own reasons. They know there is a situation there and go with the flow. Realization of Hey, There are Alums from Greek Organizations who donate a lot of money may not!


$$$$$ is good, no money is bad!

[Senusret I]

Originally posted by lifesaver
So my question is as follows. Who coordinates recruitment? Is there an unofficicial NPC? Who handeles infractions? Do they all just informally recruit? I dont understand.

These were going to be all of my follow up questions!

[EEKappa]

There is a Panhellenic at Harvard. Since there is no Office of Greek Affairs or anything similar, a national Panhellenic representative serves as its advisor.