Leaders of Greek houses on campus expressed almost universal regret in response to reports that The Tabard and Alpha Theta coeducational fraternities are considering seceding from the Greek system.
Meanwhile, members of Amarna -- currently, one of only two undergraduate societies at Dartmouth -- are closely monitoring the possibility that the two houses may join their ranks.
Most Greek leaders said the loss of coed houses, which bring an important element of diversity of membership as well as different viewpoints to the Coed Fraternity Sorority system, would be unfortunate.
"Every house brings with it a different perspective, a different group of people. The diversity of the system is part of what makes it so great," Ashley Frechette '02, the president of Delta Delta Delta sorority, said, echoing comments made by CFS Council President Shihwan Chung '02 last week.
Frechette -- whose house, Tri-Delt, seceded from the CFSC last spring -- said that while she would support the secession of Tabard and Alpha Theta from the CFS system's umbrella organization, she would like to see the two houses remain within the Greek system.
"I think [the secessions] will weaken the Greek system," Frechette said.
That was a sentiment that most Greek leaders agreed with, saying that members of the CFS system must work to address the reasons for secession cited by the coed houses in an effort to keep them from seceding.
"I think more should be done by us as a Greek community to understand and address the specific issues and needs that might be unique to the coed houses," Sigma Alpha Epsilon President Nicholas Morinigo '01 wrote in a BlitzMail message received by The Dartmouth.
Zeta Psi fraternity President Austin Wheeler '02 said the responsibility of addressing coed concerns may fall in large part to the CFSC and the presidents of the individual houses.
He noted that he expects the secessions to be a major topic of conversation at this week's meeting of the CFSC.
"The CFSC needs to work harder in helping the coed houses to fit into the system," Chung said last week.
Many said they believe the Greek system needs to change, but that change will best be achieved if it comes from inside the system. One leader noted the Initiative as an ineffectual attempt to impose change from outside the system.
Chung said on Thursday that the best way for the coed houses to affect change will be to work within the system.
"If they try to work with us, there is potential for great change and the potential for the Greek system to be able to address their ideas and concerns," he continued.
"Our house has also had a lot of problems with the whole Greek image that sort of seems to predominate. Our feeling has always been that we'd rather change it from the inside," Allan Klinge '02, the president of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, said.
At Amarna, however, students are taking a very different view of the possibility that Tabard and Alpha Theta may become undergraduate societies.
For undergraduate societies, the discussions reportedly taking place at the two Greek houses could mean a stronger position heading into their review by an Initiative committee, scheduled to start this spring.
"I think it's interesting and I'm glad that they want to escape from the stigma of being a fraternity," Bente Shoen '02, the president of Amarna, said.
Amarna would likely support a decision by one or both of the houses to join their ranks, she said, but expressed some concern that the term "undergraduate society" does not become a "label."
"The general consensus is that we'd love to support them doing it. We highly recommend it for other people," Shoen said, but qualified that statement, saying, "if that's the character of their house."
