The first sorority to demand equal rights

[oldu]

In the early days the founding of a fraternity on campus where Greeks were not welcomed often caused political turmoil, and fortunately more often than not the fraternity won. Rarely was a sorority so bold -- until University of Maryland met Mary Love-Collins of Chi Omega.

The two local sororities refused bids to a group of co-eds who had the audacity to challenge University rules that they felt unfair and biased toward women. They became very vocal in challenging the system (no smoking, ironing after hours, etc.) until the president of the University suspended two of them. Baltimore and Washington newspapers got wind of the story and it suddenly developed into a "cause."

Chi Omega was run by a very strong-willed executive who also happened to be an attorney and a strong feminist. Ms. Collins took up the women's cause, and to rub salt into the president's wounds she installed them as a chapter of Chi Omega in 1923. the first national sorority on campus. To make a long story short, accusations amped up on both sides, resulting in the state legislature to actually question closing the institution, causing the president to lose his job by 1926, and Chi Omega so angry at the institution that it closed the chapter shortly thereafter.

The incident was the first widely publicized case of women openly challenging the double standards placed upon them by public institutions. Unfortunately it took another half century before women truly had equal rights on campus. Vivian Simpson, the ring-leader of the challengers, became a prominent lawyer. Many have wondered why a sorority as strong as Chi Omega has no chapter at University of Maryland. Now you know.