Seven fraternities disaffiliate from Duke IFC

[ASTalumna06]

https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...he%20Chronicle.

Seven fraternities have decided to disaffiliate from the Interfraternity Council, and two more may soon.

The fraternities’ decisions to sever official links to the University come after administrators ended the recruitment of first years by Greek and non-Greek selective living groups. The mass exodus marks a permanent and dramatic change to Duke’s on-campus culture.

The seven fraternities that decided to disaffiliate are Alpha Delta Phi, Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Tau Delta, Kappa Alpha Order, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Chi and Sigma Nu, wrote Emilie Dye, director of student engagement and leadership, in an email to The Chronicle. Two more organizations have discussed disaffiliation, and a decision will ultimately be made by their national headquarters, Dye added.

“The consensus amongst the nine chapter presidents is disaffiliating from the University is the lesser of two evils,” said senior Rohan Singh, who served as IFC president until his fraternity, Sigma Nu, decided to disaffiliate from the IFC.

Singh claimed the IFC was not consulted by the University when it temporarily suspended spring recruitment in October and decided to move rush to sophomore year in November, a fundamental change to Duke’s social culture made by the Next Generation Living and Learning 2.0 Committee.

Mary Pat McMahon, vice provost and vice president of student affairs, said that IFC was the first student group she met with to seek input on changes to rush. McMahon met with fraternity presidents Oct. 12 to discuss the decision to move recruitment back to sophomore fall, she said. She consulted national Greek organizations, Duke Student Government and dozens of other student groups in over 100 preview meetings ahead of the November policy announcement, she added.

[carnation]

I don't blame them.

[navane]

Originally Posted by Article

On Feb. 8, McMahon and Dean of Students John Blackshear sent members of disaffiliating groups a message expressing “serious concerns” about the consequences of their departure. The University is in the process of officially removing the fraternities as recognized student groups, Dye wrote. Once that happens, it’ll be permanent: “Student Affairs will not commit to the future return of any group,” Dye wrote.

Ok.

Duke seems to have been having a few problems recently. I read the article but it's still not clear. Do I understand, then, that those disaffiliating fraternities intend to continue operations off-campus? Duke seems to be playing hard-ball in saying that the students will still be held to the student code of conduct, even when off campus.

[shadokat]

Whether you're on or off campus, if you're enrolled at the University, you're subject to the student code of conduct. Several universities have enacted student code of conduct rules that state if you join an unrecognized fraternity or sorority, you are in violation of the code of conduct. I don't know exactly how you enforce it, but it's already out there.

I really think that is being put into place because universities are having such a hard time getting unrecognized groups to cease operations. I'm interested if all these fraternities still have their national office backing them.

Originally Posted by navane

Ok.

Duke seems to have been having a few problems recently. I read the article but it's still not clear. Do I understand, then, that those disaffiliating fraternities intend to continue operations off-campus? Duke seems to be playing hard-ball in saying that the students will still be held to the student code of conduct, even when off campus.

[ASTalumna06]

AEPi becomes 8th fraternity to disaffiliate from Duke IFC

https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...l-rush-housing

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by shadokat

state if you join an unrecognized fraternity or sorority, you are in violation of the code of conduct. I don't know exactly how you enforce it, but it's already out there.

If you're a public university, that'd violate students' Constitutional Right of free association.

[shadokat]

Originally Posted by Kevin

If you're a public university, that'd violate students' Constitutional Right of free association.

While that may be true, these types of things are in place at many universities.

Here are just a few:

St. John's University, NY

A student who facilitates participation in an unrecognized student organization may be charged with violations of the Student Code of Conduct and referred to the student conduct process. The accused student may be subject to the full range of disciplinary sanctions available at the University, up to and including expulsion.

A list of unrecognized student organizations can be found on StormSync. Students who are recruited to join an unrecognized student organization are encouraged to report such action to the Office of Student Conduct. A student who was unknowingly recruited to join an unrecognized student organization but then recruits St. John’s students to join that organization at a later date, shall be charged with violations of the Student Code of Conduct and referred to the student conduct process. The accused student may be subject to the full range of disciplinary sanctions available at the University, up to and including expulsion.


Elon University

To support the educational integrity of co-curricular activities on campus and to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, Elon University has established expectations, policies, and processes for recognized student organizations. When an organization or group has had its university recognition denied, suspended, or withdrawn, students and student organizations are prohibited from affiliating with this group. Examples of affiliation include, but are not limited to: joining, accepting an offer of membership, or hosting social activities with the group.

Outcomes – normally, not less than disciplinary probation with possible permanent separation, based on the severity of the violation; and educational and/or restorative program or project.

Lafayette College

No student may rush, pledge, join, recruit for, participate in, perpetuate, contribute funds to, or otherwise engage in activities as an actual or prospective member of an unrecognized organization while on any property owned or under the control of the College (referred to as “Lafayette campus”), including but not limited to the public and private areas of the College, residence halls or other living areas on campus, as well as other buildings and facilities, including the grounds, athletic fields, and other property of the College, or while otherwise using Lafayette’s resources, wherever they may be located. (Such conduct is hereinafter referred to as “Prohibited On-Campus Conduct.”) Prohibited On-Campus Conduct also extends to the use of College-provided electronic mail, telephone service, servers, or other College-supplied technology, even when physically off of campus property, if using Lafayette’s resources to reach onto campus to engage in conduct regarding an unrecognized organization. The foregoing broad prohibition on the use of any College property in connection with Prohibited On-Campus Conduct by unrecognized organizations is intended to make clear that any such conduct is undertaken without College approval or endorsement, and constitutes a violation of this policy.

An unrecognized organization is any fraternity, sorority, or other similar social organization that:

Previously was recognized by the College but is no longer so recognized; or
Has a membership and purpose substantially identical to a fraternity or sorority that previously was recognized by the College but is no longer recognized by the College, even if operating under a different name; or
Purports to be any other fraternity, sorority, or organization not recognized by the College, regardless of whether it has a national affiliation or is recognized elsewhere.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by shadokat

While that may be true, these types of things are in place at many universities.

Here are just a few:

These are all private schools. Public schools cannot do this.

[33girl]

So say I join the Elon County Cosplay association, which meets off campus. Say the majority of members happen to be college students. Will they get kicked out for that?

[Kevin]

If it violates the Student Code of Conduct, I'd say so.

In this case, your hypo did not have the Cosplay Club having been previously removed from school and students forbidden to join. So you can join this Club.

If, however, the school finds that the Freemasons violate school rules regarding diversity and inclusion and thereby ban students from associating with the FreeMasons, I would think students who associated with the Freemasons could be subject to discipline.

[shadokat]

SUNY Plattsburgh

NOTE: Students may NOT join organizations that have lost recognition from the College. These organizations have been closed by the College and international organizations because they were not upholding fraternal values and were engaging in risky behaviors that endangered themselves and other students. Students who join organizations that are not recognized by the College are subject to judicial action, including dismissal. The following groups ARE NOT recognized by SUNY Plattsburgh: Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity and Pi Alpha Nu Fraternity.

This is a public school.

Originally Posted by AGDee

These are all private schools. Public schools cannot do this.

[ASTalumna06]

Pi Kappa Alpha becomes 9th fraternity to disaffiliate from Duke, join Durham IFC

https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...ernity-council

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by shadokat

SUNY Plattsburgh

NOTE: Students may NOT join organizations that have lost recognition from the College. These organizations have been closed by the College and international organizations because they were not upholding fraternal values and were engaging in risky behaviors that endangered themselves and other students. Students who join organizations that are not recognized by the College are subject to judicial action, including dismissal. The following groups ARE NOT recognized by SUNY Plattsburgh: Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity and Pi Alpha Nu Fraternity.

This is a public school.

If SUNY Plattsburgh take action against Alpha Chi Rho or Pi Alpha Nu's members, then there'll be grounds for a lawsuit. A hypothetical policy not actually being enforced is not ripe for review. The organizations might have a legitimate case that said policy has depressed membership intake and has damaged them, so you might look at a tortuous interference in a business relationship type claim. Of course, that's all NY law, which I don't claim to know anything about.

[ASTalumna06]

https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...y-disaffiliate

Wait, so... am I reading this correctly?

Shreyas Gupta, founding member of Abolish Duke IFC & Panhel, wanted to abolish Greek Life by pushing for anti-fraternity policies disguised as being what's best for all of Duke, then when the fraternities found a way around it, he became frustrated with that, claiming they don't want to push for diversity and inclusivity, and the very nature of now being "underground" - due to these revised policies - will make them less inclusive?

Uh... you reap what you sow?

[dukedg]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Uh... you reap what you sow?

I agree entirely. They didn't come at this from a cooperative place, they forced these changes onto IFC and Panhel. The fact that the AGL group consider these changes "very modest" shows how little knowledge they have about these orgs and that they never engaged IFC and Panhel in conversations to come to compromised solutions that could have been beneficial for everyone.