To the Editor:
I have no problem with the Jewish-affiliated fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi being denied colony status by the Interfraternity Council. I would have no problem were they to be approved by the IFC. Frankly, I have no horse in this race -- my house is part of the Coed Council, not the IFC. My problem is with the Office of Residential Life reviewing the IFC's expansion policy in light of the vote denying AEPi colony status ("IFC policies face possible revisions," May 11).
Either the decision is in the hands of the IFC or it is in the hands of ORL. If this is truly a matter where students have the power to say yes or no, there should not be a "review" of the IFC's policy merely because the administration disagrees with the result of the IFC's vote. The IFC is supposed to be a student-run body. If the College can run roughshod over the sovereignty of the IFC and other student bodies whenever there is a result that the College disapproves of or disagrees with, there is no point in having these titular figureheads in place while the College pulls strings from the shadows.
Regardless of whether or not you believe that AEPi should be granted colony status, regardless of whether or not you believe that IFC members voted based on their own self-interests, regardless of whether or not you believe it was wrong for the votes to be behind closed doors, there is one thing that all students should be able to agree on: Student decisions should be made and reviewed by students.
Any tampering or "reviews" of policy by the College places a permanent taint on all future IFC decisions and proceedings and has a chilling effect on the independence of all other student bodies.