Delta Zeta Reportedly Sues DePauw

Drolefille · #1 03-28-2007, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USA Today Article

Among other things, the lawsuit wants ... DePauw [to] be ordered to "affirmatively acknowledge" that Delta Zeta did not make any decision based on appearance or race.

How in the world would this change a thing? And how would DePauw know this one way or the other? This implies the DePauw itself had insight into the reorg. process. I'm not sure exactly what DePauw said in its press releases but I don't think they claimed to know anything unilaterally. If anything they were primarily concerned with the turning out of members without regards to finals and housing.

Quote:

"For a university to say, 'If you place this person on alumnae status, then we're not going to let you operate anymore,' the university is deciding that they get to choose the members," O'Neill says. "That's a major concern for all the fraternities."

Cause that's clearly what this is about.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DZHQ

As a result, Delta Zeta filed a federal lawsuit this morning in Indiana, alleging DePauw University has defamed our organization and our members, broken its contractual obligations to the sorority, and interfered with our business relationships. While a lawsuit was our least preferred alternative, DePauw University must be held accountable for this unprecedented attack on our members and on the legitimate membership activities of our organization.

What sort of contractual obligations does a university have to a student group on its campus? Particularly a GLO which does not usually (in my experience) receive funds from the university itself.

DZ also says:

Quote:

Originally Posted by USA Today Article

It argues that administrators at DePauw... made "clear and unambiguous promises" to help the sorority.

But that's not the same thing as "contractual obligations."

Surely they know this is just going to stir the pot, right? They can't be that naive right? I'm losing faith in humanity...

exlurker · #2 03-28-2007, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

. . . I'm losing faith in humanity...

Hello, Drolefille, and welcome to GreekChat

mystikchick · #3 03-28-2007, 05:11 PM

how could this possibly be a good idea? was the first round not enough of an exercise in pain and humiliation for all concerned?

BetteDavisEyes · #4 03-28-2007, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mystikchick

how could this possibly be a good idea? was the first round not enough of an exercise in pain and humiliation for all concerned?

Apparently not. One black eye isn't enough. They want to go for the kill.

I wish they'd let it go but then I'm not a member of DZ so it's different for me.

exlurker · #5 03-28-2007, 05:16 PM

DePauw has a response on its web site:

http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=19185

The response quotes Ken Owen, a media relations person at DePauw: "We are disappointed in Delta Zeta's decision to initiate legal action. We believe that this lawsuit completely lacks merit and have every confidence that the courts will determine that the University acted lawfully and in the best interests of its students."

BetteDavisEyes · #6 03-28-2007, 05:12 PM

How is this lawsuit going to repair the damage they did to themselves? The best thing would be to just let DePauw go and forget about that 100 year milestone. It obviously isn't worth it. We see it. Why can't they?

I feel for all the members of DZ who are seeing their GLO dragged through the mud. It's not fair to them and it really just sucks.

texas*princess · #7 03-28-2007, 08:34 PM

Quote:

From DZ's website:

DePauw's leadership has engaged in an intentional campaign to defame Delta Zeta and inflicted significant harm on many of the student members of the sorority by deliberately exposing them to national ridicule.

....

The university's actions leave us with little recourse for uncovering the truth and restoring the good reputation of Delta Zeta. As a result, Delta Zeta filed a federal lawsuit this morning in Indiana, alleging DePauw University has defamed our organization and our members, broken its contractual obligations to the sorority, and interfered with our business relationships. While a lawsuit was our least preferred alternative, DePauw University must be held accountable for this unprecedented attack on our members and on the legitimate membership activities of our organization.

I am a little confused.

What, besides the "hey, we're severing our ties with Delta Zeta" letter did DePauw do to "defame" and create an "intentional campaign"????

Also - what "contractual obligation" does a university have to any GLO?

Is this because they won't be able to celebrate their blessed 100th?

All of this came to light because the ousted girls spoke up about it. Is DZ gonna sue them too?

I'm really interested what kind of crap they are feeding the 5 girls who decided to stay. They probably created a media toolkit since this will be in the spotlight again.

And according to the USA Today article that DZ linked to, membership had been declining for the last DECADE. Why on EARTH do they want to be somewhere that no one wants to join???????? (besides the whole 100th celebration of course!)

Quote:

USA TODAY ARTICLE

http://www.usatoday.com/news/educati...sorority_N.htm

It is not unusual for sororities and fraternities to put less committed members on alumni status when a chapter is struggling. Typically, the strategy is used when students create disciplinary problems. In 1999, for example, DePauw's Phi Gamma Delta fraternity chapter placed current undergraduate members on graduate status, asked them moved out of the chapter house and started over with new members in 2000, the lawsuit notes.

WILL THEY PLEASE GIVE UP THE LESS COMMITTED CRAP!

Thanks & have a great day

TSteven · #8 03-28-2007, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texas*princess

I am a little confused.

Join the club.

Quote:

What, besides the "hey, we're severing our ties with Delta Zeta" letter did DePauw do to "defame" and create an "intentional campaign"????

It was what and how it was said in that letter that has many GLOs concerned. Simply put that a GLO can be kicked off campus for conducting "their" (the GLO's) internal business when it may not have been in violation of any university policy.

Quote:

Also - what "contractual obligation" does a university have to any GLO?

I don't rightly know. But I'm sure there is something legal between the university and GLOs. My guess is that it might be something as simple as allowing the chapter to govern itself as long as the chapter does not break any university, city, state or federal laws etc.

Quote:

Is this because they won't be able to celebrate their blessed 100th?

No. It might have been a long time ago, but it isn't now. I'm sure the ladies of Delta Zeta know they most likely won't have a celebration. Even in victory. This is more about Delta Zeta having the right to govern and make their own policy regarding membership. And clearing their name.

(Please note that I am not advocating for Delta Zeta or necessarily supporting any of their positions. Simply presenting what appears to be their case.)

Quote:

All of this came to light because the ousted girls spoke up about it. Is DZ gonna sue them too?

Not yet.

Quote:

I'm really interested what kind of crap they are feeding the 5 girls who decided to stay. They probably created a media toolkit since this will be in the spotlight again.

I hope Delta Zeta HQ is smart enough to provide Delta Chapter with guidance and support on how to respond to the media.

Quote:

And according to the USA Today article that DZ linked to, membership had been declining for the last DECADE. Why on EARTH do they want to be somewhere that no one wants to join???????? (besides the whole 100th celebration of course!)

At this point, it doesn't seem to be about wanting a a chapter at DePauw but about what the university said about Delta Zeta in their statements and about how Delta Zeta conducts their internal business.

BlueNYC2 · #9 03-29-2007, 06:53 PM

23 people in a chapther equals a struggling chapter???? you've got to be fuckin kiddin me!!! shit, i know plenty of undergrad chapters that wished they had 10 people active in their chapter, let alone 23...ionno, maybe i'm just lookin @ it from the NPHC perspective & also from someone who went to a HBCU...

UGAalum94 · #10 03-29-2007, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueNYC2

23 people in a chapther equals a struggling chapter???? you've got to be fuckin kiddin me!!! shit, i know plenty of undergrad chapters that wished they had 10 people active in their chapter, let alone 23...ionno, maybe i'm just lookin @ it from the NPHC perspective & also from someone who went to a HBCU...

Yeah, I can imagine it does seem nuts. But it's kind of a question of what's expected on a particular campus. I'm from a campus (I mean back in the day) on which chapters of 100+ girls can be considered struggling or weak because the average is 175 or something.

This kind of thread makes me wistful and wishful about NPHC rules and ideas.

(Sometimes it's a question of meeting housing obligations too. If you've got a 75 bed house. . . )

ASUADPi · #11 03-29-2007, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueNYC2

23 people in a chapther equals a struggling chapter???? you've got to be fuckin kiddin me!!! shit, i know plenty of undergrad chapters that wished they had 10 people active in their chapter, let alone 23...ionno, maybe i'm just lookin @ it from the NPHC perspective & also from someone who went to a HBCU...

But if total for houses is around 150 yeah it's struggling. No doubt about it. Even if their (DePauw) has total at 100, they are struggling.

Also, your are misunderstanding the number, 23 women were asked to leave DZ. They only had a total of 35. Then of the 12 left, 6 quit because of what happened, which means they had a total of 6 active members when they were closed.

cuteASAbug · #12 05-17-2007, 01:19 PM

Don't you just love it when guys act as the know-it-all source of sorority life and functions?

NutBrnHair · #13 05-17-2007, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cuteASAbug

Don't you just love it when guys act as the know-it-all source of sorority life and functions?

Give the guy a chance -- he might know more about it than you do.

AlexMack · #14 05-17-2007, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

Give the guy a chance -- he might know more about it than you do.

He's from California so I really doubt it.

BTW...how's that owl doing? Do you have a personal grudge against ASA you're not telling us about?

AlexMack · #15 05-17-2007, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnuKnight172

What is that supposed to mean? I am not the stereotypical Californian. I am a conservative not a west coast liberal. If that is what you were trying to say.

That has nothing to do with it actually. Have you actually read anything here like the mega-thread about the whole situation, or are you just completely buying what DZ is saying officially? Also you readily admit that you don't know the chapter or the members, yet you have these magical opinions about how DZ was right and the whole chapter was wrong. Odd. Is your wife a DZ?