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

[33girl]

Clarion has more sororities than fraternities right now, but it certainly isn't by design.

I'm sure there are more schools with more s than f, but I think in most cases the enrollment probably dictates it. (i.e. former all girls schools, etc.)

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by a.e.B.O.T.

I think it is unfair that there are only 7 sororities to 15 fraternities. That definitely does not provide balance, especially if the sororities have caps on how much they can recruit.

Most campuses (most, not all) have more fraternities than sororities. Illinois has 20 sororities and 42 fraternities.

Yes, sororities have caps (quotas, totals), but that isn't really a factor. Think of the SEC schools: Large sororities (in the 100s) and then the fraternities are on a bell curve with a few having 100+ guys, a large group with about 50-100, and then the rest with <50.

So, is it unfair? If more women wanted to join the system or were willing to give new groups or "lower-tiered" groups a chance, there could be a more equal amount of sororities to fraternities.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

Most campuses (most, not all) have more fraternities than sororities. Illinois has 20 sororities and 42 fraternities.

Yes, sororities have caps (quotas, totals), but that isn't really a factor. Think of the SEC schools: Large sororities (in the 100s) and then the fraternities are on a bell curve with a few having 100+ guys, a large group with about 50-100, and then the rest with <50.

So, is it unfair? If more women wanted to join the system or were willing to give new groups or "lower-tiered" groups a chance, there could be a more equal amount of sororities to fraternities.

I don't see how fewer chapters=unfair as long as male to female Greek participation is comparable. At my alma mater, we have 14 NPC sororities and 22ish IFC fraternities. As far as participation, there are comparable numbers of men and women who are Greek, it's just a question of chapter size. The sororities are larger and there is less variance in size (after formal recruitment last year, two chapters had around 85, and the largest had 115, with most over 100). The fraternities have much variance in size, but generally are smaller, most being within 40-60, a small group above 75, and a small group below 25.

[a.e.B.O.T.]

-By mentioning that i can see how it is unfair with the ratio, I was saying that I see the point in the articles on how the ladies didn't want to tip the gender balance further out of there favor. I generally think however that the amount of chapters there are is sort of irrelevant, its activity and spirit.

-I think the beta alums kicked the sorority out of the house as to not renew the contract they had going, so when they can get started, they could use the house (the current contract was apparently for like 5 or 10 years). I have heard rumors of the alums shopping around for a new fraternity, but those were strictly rumors. I haven't heard anything from nationals announcing a Dartmouth expansion, so it is all in the air. Nationals needs to go around the alums and figure out where they stand with the school.

[exlurker]

Rally and Petitions -- Article

The campus paper's January 18 article on the Thursday, January 17, rally and petitions related to the Beta and Alpha Xi housing situation, and to the concerns about sororities' "control" of "social spaces," is at:

http://thedartmouth.com/2008/01/18/news/social/

The paper's editorial in the same issue is at:

http://thedartmouth.com/2008/01/18/opinion/verbum/

[srmom]

If Beta has only petitioned, then why would AXiD be told to vacate the house?

Because Beta OWNS the house and can do anything they want with it. They could decide to turn it into a lovely little B&B if they wanted to. What happened to the constitutional idea of the "right to own property"?

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.

If they don't want a recurrence of this dilemna, they should buy their own house, then they would never be faced with being asked to leave a property at the end of a legally executed lease.

[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.