Alpha Xi Delta, Beta Theta Pi, & Alpha Phi Housing Concerns: Dartmouth

[33girl]

Originally Posted by srmom

And, give me a break... it is "unfair" and there is a "gender imbalance" - last time I heard, membership in greek organizations was voluntary - if more women signed up for recruitment, pledged and went through initiation then there would be more women involved in the greek system.

The problem is, the administration up until Alpha Phi's colonization (which was what, a year ago?) would not allow any new sororities to colonize. Women in the North are not as enamored of the 200 member chapters as those in the South and didn't want to raise total to what they believed were uncomfortable amounts, so women were going without bids. Hopefully now that the door has been kicked open, another sorority or two can colonize if the need is still there. But there's still the problem of where to house new chapters.

As I've said, I find Dartmouth's attitude refreshing. If this was most big Greek schools, it probably wouldn't even be on the radar - the girls would just shut up and leave because it's more "important" for the guys to be housed.

[exlurker]

Good point, 33girl! Looks like Dartmouth's administration is taking the women's housing issue seriously (or at least trying to appear they're taking it seriously):

Updates January 30, 2008

A little more on the housing issues and the possible re-colonization of a Beta Theta Pi chapter:

http://thedartmouth.com/2008/01/30/news/crady/

“Dean of the College Thomas Crady pledged to try to find better housing for Alpha Phi and Alpha Xi Delta sororities . . . .”


http://thedartmouth.com/2008/01/30/news/briefs/

“Beta Theta Pi national fraternity delayed discussion of the possible re-recognition of a chapter at Dartmouth at a meeting of the national organization’s Board of Trustees this weekend. The board decided it would wait to hear more from the Dartmouth Beta alumni group before discussing a decision . . . . Further dialogue between the two groups will occur at some point in the next two weeks . . . . [A Beta Theta Pi official] previously told The Dartmouth that the main factor hindering the alumni group’s petition for re-recognition was disagreement between Beta national and the Dartmouth alumni group over re-recognition protocols and the proposed structure of the new chapter, including national guidelines that would restrict alcohol use within the chapter’s physical plant.”

[exlurker]

Update March 7, 2008

Dartmouth's residential life office is looking at buying several properties, two of which might be used as housing for Alpha Xi Delta and Alpha Phi. Article is at:

http://thedartmouth.com/2008/03/07/news/orl/

By the way, the article hints that there may be interest in adding another NPC sorority in a year or so. This doesn't mean that it'll happen, and AFAIK there's been no announcement that the school is open for NPC expansion. We'll see, I guess.