Former TriDelt seeks equality in Panhel policies

Many students may be familiar with the following rumor: sorority chapter houses are prohibited from hosting events with alcohol in accordance with an antiquated Pennsylvania law stating that a residence occupied by more than 16 women — where alcoholic beverages are served — constitutes a brothel.

While Pennsylvania has no such law, sorority chapter houses are prohibited from hosting events with alcohol. According to College senior Darby Nelson, the outgoing Panhellenic Council president, this is not in observance of any University policy either. Rather, it’s a National Panhellenic Conference regulation.

College senior and former member of Delta Delta Delta, Chloe Castellon says the policy represents “blatant sexism” in the Greek system and is currently organizing a “feminist activist initiative to provide fair and equal experiences of Greek life to both men and women.”

“Women are discriminated against within the context of Greek life at Penn, and other universities and colleges,” Castellon wrote in an e-mail.

“I had been wanting to do something about this for years, as I felt our sorority was disadvantaged compared to fraternities,” Castellon added.

Castellon deactivated from TriDelta this year for unrelated reasons. According to her, other rules imposed on sororities come with tougher punitive repercussions than for fraternities. For example, she wrote, having a man in a chapter house after hours could result in months of social probation for a sorority. Though fraternities face a similar regulation, consequences of breaching it “would amount to a slap on the wrist,” Castellon claimed.

From an administrative standpoint, the policy has much less to do with sexism or discrimination and more to do with risk management. According to Panhel adviser Stacy Kraus, Greek national organizations write their risk management policies “in conjunction with their insurance agency.”

In addressing the issue of risk management, Castellon argued that ultimately, women controlling their own “party environment” would improve risk management and enhance the safety of affiliated women, as opposed to an “entirely male dominated” party situation.

Tyler Ernst, Wharton junior and director of the student life committee for the Undergraduate Assembly, stated the UA is supporting Castellon’s independent project.

“To be fair,” Ernst responded in an e-mail to Castellon’s remarks about the gender-oriented imbalance of Greek event rules, the policy has nothing to do with the national InterFraternity Council “since they are independent of the national Panhellenic Council.”

He stressed further that the policy is a national Panhel regulation, which is “willingly self-enforced” by chapters under Panhel.

Kraus affirmed this statement in an e-mail. “It is up to each individual group to create, manage and enforce their policies.”

Castellon says she plans to meet with Panhel officials to evaluate the current policy and garner support from fellow students. Afterward, she wants to approach the Office of Student Affairs/Fraternity Sorority Life with a petition and a presentation to explain the ineffectiveness of the current policy.

The end goal, she wrote, would be for the University to issue a statement affirming Castellon’s claims and from there, approach the National Panhellenic Conference.

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