Wesleyan University To Force Fraternities To Admit Women
Wesleyan Greek life has taken another big hit. You might recall that the school’s chapter of Beta Theta Pi was suspended by its national organization last month when a student was injured after falling from the house’s third floor window. Today, the university made an announcement saying all fraternities “must become co-ed within three years, submit to additional oversight and eliminate freshman ‘rushing’ activities or students will no longer be allowed to reside there.”
Kate Carlisle, a spokesperson for the university, claimed, “This has been under discussion for a long time, probably for a number of years. It’s not really in reaction or prompted by any incidents or recent events, but really more it’s part of the progression toward making sure that our campus reflects our value of gender equality.”
It always sucks to hear that a fraternity system is being effectively disallowed, but in the case of Wesleyan, it’s probably been a long time coming. The Beta chapter in particular has had a contentious relationship with the university for the better part of a decade. The fraternity has had an on and off housing dispute with the administration, and the chapter hasn’t been an officially recognized campus organization since 2005. Beta was also the location of a widely covered 2010 sexual assault that came on the heels of the university itself sending a student-wide email advising students to avoid the house, which had apparently come to be known as “The Rape Factory.” The non-member suspect was found guilty and sentenced to 15 months in prison. A lawsuit stemming from that incident was settled out of court earlier this year.
The lesson, as always, is to keep your head down and don’t do anything stupid, because universities are always looking for reasons to neuter their fraternities. Also don’t rape people, because no shit.
[via Hartford Courant]
Image via Wesleyan University
I’m sure a guy rushing a sorority will be considered “oppressive” and “unsafe”.
11 years ago at 8:48 pmany girl who wants to join a fraternity is asking to be gangbanged.. that means you, Kate
11 years ago at 9:00 pmIn all seriousness, this is really fucked up. No IFC chapter should be forced to accept women as members and no Panhellenic sorority should be forced to admit men. I hope any national fraternity disaffiliates chapters that go along with this.
11 years ago at 9:13 pmJesus christ we are just sitting here watching the downfall of fraternities.
11 years ago at 10:09 pmPaddling chicks would be about the only good thing possible to come out of this. That being said, no mercy
11 years ago at 10:10 pmgame over.
11 years ago at 10:15 pmThere’s going to be a follow up story about sexual harrasment. I can feel it
11 years ago at 10:24 pmthis is why leaving CT mightve been the best thing ive done. state is filled with the most absurd people, they simply just don’t get it
11 years ago at 12:05 amGents, simply put fraternities are a bit like the game of golf.
G-entleman
11 years ago at 12:23 amO-nly
L-adies
F-orbidden
I guess almost all of the greek organizations but two are actually off campus, and therefore will not be subject to this incredibly stupid rule. The only ones that will be effected are Delta Kappa Epsilon and Psi Upsilon, they can move their organization’s off campus and not be subject to the rule but if they continue to call their current houses home, they will have to just not initiate new members and fade out. Letting any people who would rush with that new rule in place into the fraternity and teaching them our secrets would be absolutely preposterous and humiliating to our way of life.
11 years ago at 2:42 am