Harvard newspaper doesn't want a 4th sorority

[Low C Sharp]

DBB, the property being purchased won't be "shared living arrangements" because they'll only be used as lodges, not student housing. Everybody lives in the dorms.

Harvard will not recognize any organization which is a chapter of a larger organization.

This isn't right. Harvard recognizes many groups that are chapters of larger organizations -- Hillel, Amnesty International, College Republicans, etc. etc. However, all those organizations are not selective and they accept any undergraduate as a member. What they resist is (1) groups where outsiders are perceived to have a say in membership decisions and (2) single-gender groups.

I don't know if anyone has tried to start an Alpha Phi Omega chapter there, but it would be an interesting test case. My guess is that they would recognize it.
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WEB SHOWS

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

DBB, the property being purchased won't be "shared living arrangements" because they'll only be used as lodges, not student housing. Everybody lives in the dorms.

I'm not familiar with such an arrangement. Are there other campuses that have this model? I thought even campuses with smaller lodges typically had a few women living there, usually officers.

In any case, thanks for the info. It was woefully unclear in the editorial.

[Kappamd]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I'm not familiar with such an arrangement. Are there other campuses that have this model? I thought even campuses with smaller lodges typically had a few women living there, usually officers.

In any case, thanks for the info. It was woefully unclear in the editorial.

My chapter has a lodge with no housing. Everyone either lives in the dorms or off-campus. Three other sororities on campus have full houses, and one is completely unhoused.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Kappamd

My chapter has a lodge with no housing. Everyone either lives in the dorms or off-campus. Three other sororities on campus have full houses, and one is completely unhoused.

So, it's like a living room and kitchen?

[Kappamd]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

So, it's like a living room and kitchen?

Not really. We have a formal meeting room and a chapter meeting room on the top floor, and then a kitchen, an office, and living space on the bottom floor. And then 3 bathrooms. It's a house, just without bedrooms.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Kappamd

Not really. We have a formal meeting room and a chapter meeting room on the top floor, and then a kitchen, an office, and living space on the bottom floor. And then 3 bathrooms. It's a house, just without bedrooms.

That's kinda cool. I could see how this would be really appealing to some women, because not everyone wants to live in a chapter house, but not having a space at all is a bummer, too.

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

That's kinda cool. I could see how this would be really appealing to some women, because not everyone wants to live in a chapter house, but not having a space at all is a bummer, too.

The Crimson mentions meeting spaces / social spaces acquired by fraternities and sororities in the following article:

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/20...es-sigma-rush/

Excerpt:

“. . . Greek leaders . . . [said] that the purchase of spaces by fraternities and sororities may have contributed to increased interest.

Sigma Chi has had a house on Arrow Street for ten years and Sigma Alpha Epsilon recently purchased an apartment on Harvard Street, according to the fraternities’ respective presidents.

Delta Gamma said on its Facebook page that it acquired an apartment last year and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma said that the group is in the process of purchasing its own space.

Phillip J. Morris ’12, president of SAE, said that it was possible that the club’s recent acquisition of a social space contributed to the increase in rush numbers this year.

Morris also attributed the increase in rush numbers to the collaborative efforts of both fraternities and sororities to expand the Greek presence on campus.”
. . .

Comment or question: are apartment and house prices in the areas around the Square still high-to-breathtakingly high? Or have the Great Recession and burst housing bubble created greater affordability?

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

DBB, the property being purchased won't be "shared living arrangements" because they'll only be used as lodges, not student housing. Everybody lives in the dorms.



This isn't right. Harvard recognizes many groups that are chapters of larger organizations -- Hillel, Amnesty International, College Republicans, etc. etc. However, all those organizations are not selective and they accept any undergraduate as a member. What they resist is (1) groups where outsiders are perceived to have a say in membership decisions and (2) single-gender groups.

I don't know if anyone has tried to start an Alpha Phi Omega chapter there, but it would be an interesting test case. My guess is that they would recognize it.

From the Harvard Student Organization Handbook:


Local autonomy of the organization. The criterion for local autonomy shall be whether the College organization makes all policy decisions without obligation to any parent organization, national chapter, or charter.

From: http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do...icb.page365169

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

I don't know if anyone has tried to start an Alpha Phi Omega chapter there, but it would be an interesting test case. My guess is that they would recognize it.

Harvard is a no go for Alpha Phi Omega as well. We have (have had?) a member of the Alpha Phi Omega alumni staff that has worked APO extension throughout New England and beyond for over a decade and who is(was?) an employee of Harvard University. Given that she says that we aren't welcome there, nothing is happening.

Alpha Phi Omega *requires* school recognition for a chapter to exist. No recognition = no chartering and no recognition = loss of charter.

Having said that, the situation at Harvard led to a change in the APO bylaws. The rules on giving Honorary members *used* to say
"Honorary Brotherhood shall not be bestowed upon undergraduate students", *now* they say
"Honorary Membership shall not be bestowed upon undergraduate students, except for students at institutions where extension efforts would be allowed by the Fraternity but cannot be attempted due to institutional regulations. "