End of Greeks at D'mouth?

A vote by the Ivy League school's Trustees may lead to the elimination of single-sex Greek houses. In a move that shocked Dartmouth College students, Dartmouth President James Wright said Tuesday that he wants to eliminate single-sex fraternities and sororities as part of a plan to overhaul the school's residential and social systems. Dartmouth's Board of Trustees announced last week that they intend to significantly change the social structure of the small Ivy League school. According to a statement released by the Trustees, the residential and social system should "be substantially coeducational and provide opportunities for greater interaction among all Dartmouth students," as well as foster "a greater choice and continuity in residential living." Though the statement never specifically mentions Greek life, both Wright and Dartmouth Trustees Chairperson Stephen Bosworth told The Dartmouth, the school's student newspaper, that the changes mean the end to the Greek system that inspired the 1978 film Animal House. But Jaime Paul, a Dartmouth junior who heads the council that oversees fraternities and sororities at the school, said last night that "it's not a set decision yet," and is, rather, Wright's vision for the Greek system. "Obviously since he's the president of the college it will influence things," she said. "But as of right now everything's up in the air." Student reaction to the announcement was strong and immediate. Approximately 1,000 students, mostly Greek members, marched to Wright's house late Wednesday night to protest the changes. And earlier that day, the fraternities and sororities voted to cancel their participation in the annual, tradition-laden Winter Carnival, which attracts thousands of alumni to campus for the Greek-organized festival. "We're making a pretty huge statement" in canceling the event, Paul said, adding that she thinks it will show the campus just how integral the Greek system is. Paul said the students at Dartmouth have come together to fight the possible change. "Right now, students are infuriated," she said. "They feel betrayed and I think they feel that they've lost control over something they've always had control over." Over the next several months, Dartmouth administrators plan to meet with groups of students to discuss the overhaul plans. Wright emphasized to The Dartmouth, however, that the discussions are not intended to be a "referendum" on the plans, and that the Trustees' decision is final. But according to Paul, Wright told her his statement was taken out of context. She said his referendum comment refers only to the redesign of the social system and does not imply that eliminating single-sex fraternities and sororities is set in stone. Jonathan Brant, executive vice president of the National Interfraternity Conference, said the news came as a "complete shock," and that he saw "no immediate warning" that the college's Trustees were planning such a change. The Indianapolis, Ind.-based NIC represents 67 national fraternities, with 5,500 chapters across the United States and Canada. All of the fraternities in the NIC are male-only. Brant said that he has heard of only about five colleges that have banned single-sex organizations during the past 30 years, calling such actions "pretty unusual." There are 25 single-sex fraternities and sororities and three coed groups at the Hanover, N.H., school, where 1,700 of the roughly 4,100 students are affiliated with Greek organizations. The changes to the residential system could begin as early as this fall, but it is still unclear when single-sex Greek houses would be eliminated.