If you look at the numbers, the College's co-educational Greek houses are hurting.
The number of houses has dropped from five to three in the last three years and membership continues to dwindle.
But the presidents of the three existing co-ed houses -- Alpha Theta, Phi Tau and The Tabard -- say they are satisfied with their current situation and hope to increase the co-ed presence on campus.
Last year Panarchy left the ranks of the co-ed Greek system and established itself as an "undergraduate society" -- separate from the Greek system but still under the jurisdiction of the College.
Before Panarchy broke free, many members "didn't feel we should have anything to do with the Greek system," Panarchy Co-chair Lynn Webster '94 said. "Now we're in a better place to criticize the Greek system."
She said interest in Panarchy has increased since it disconnected from the Greek system. Any un-affiliated student can join Panarchy by simply filling out a card.
But Chris Broggi '95, president of Phi Tau, said his house has no intention of following suit.
"After the Greek panel last week we talked with some of the members of Panarchy, and we both have the same goals of a larger co-ed system," Broggi said. "We just have different ways for it to be implemented."
Broggi said Phi Tau got seven pledges this term in addition to its 20 junior and senior members.
Alpha Theta President Michael Stodghill '94 said his house also has no plans to leave the Greek system.
"We have no desire to become like an undergraduate society," he said. "We're happy with the current situation."
Broggi said he would like to see more co-ed houses in the Greek system.
"Personally I agree strongly with Terry Osborne's article where a statistically more accepted co-ed system would be better." Osborne wrote an opinion piece that appeared in The Dartmouth earlier this term advocating a Greek system in which co-ed houses are in the majority.
Marianne McKeever '95, president of The Tabard, said members of the co-ed system need to be more active on campus.
"Fraternity and sorority members are widely seen on campus doing random jobs and philanthropic events," she said. "We're not seen doing that. People see these people and they know they exist.
"I know people who are sophomores who can name every house on the row," McKeever said, "and they say 'What's that house between Phi Delt and Kappa Chi Kappa?'"
McKeever said Tabard got seven new members this term. Tabard has only three juniors and 16 seniors.
Broggi said he did not like the idea of a mandatory co-ed system, an idea proposed at Convocation last year by then-Student Assembly President Andrew Beebe '93.
Beebe suggested that the Trustees mandate the co-education of all houses. But any change that comes to the current situation should be mandated by the administration, Stodghill said.
"It has to come from within," he said. "I don't think it can be or should be imposed by the College."
McKeever said she is satisfied with the current situation.
"I think the way the system is now is the way the system should be," she said. "Maybe we could stand to have a couple extra co-eds. There are people I know who could never get along in a co-ed house."
Stodghill said he also does not want an exclusively co-ed system. He said to increase the their presence on campus, co-ed houses must shed their social stigma.
"There's definitely a social stigma, and it's very unfounded," he said. "It all stems from a bad reputation where people think we're all marginal and we're all weird. It's just not true."
Stodghill said Alpha Theta had a strong rush this year, and is also financially sound. Alpha Theta had only 12 members before this fall.
Many of the people who call for a completely co-ed system do not participate in co-ed rush, Stodghill said.
"I definitely think people should consider it before they make a decision to join any house," he said.
