If you're not of that race or ethnicity, you can't join.
Completely untrue. While these organizations have roots in specific communities, they welcome all people interested in the goals of the organization. Their interests are also in uplifting entire communities through their outreach, not just specific groups of people. There is no racial requirement and all four organizations have emphasized how they have a diverse membership with people of different racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
You're not on the blitz list.
Not true. Most of these organizations blitz out to all of campus when they do programming, and welcome everyone interested to attend. For parties and social events held in apartments, the same amount of people cannot fit in an apartment as in a house. The only events that are ever closed are those strictly for the organization. So, there's no mystery or exclusivity involved.
Another aspect of the location involves stigmas. Often, events are held in spaces that are central to the specific cultural communities, which already make many people not of that ethnicity uncomfortable. While these spaces are actually open to everyone, each organization I spoke with emphasized how difficult it is to get people out of their comfort zones and into these spaces, which are actually quite welcoming. In fact, at the recent Meet the Greeks event, all of organizations present were disappointed at the poor turnout.
They haze hard
Wrong again. These Greek organizations at Dartmouth are under the same rules as any other. However, with any minority organization, some would argue that their small numbers make them easier targets for scrutiny. Though on a national scale minority Greeks seem to be in the news for various violations and problems with their processes, all national minority Greek organization currently established or previously residing at Dartmouth have been alcohol-free, or dry. Some organizations, such as Sigma Lambda Upsilon, do not even sponsor events where they know alcohol will be served. All four organizations have listed the lack of alcohol as a factor in why they think their social events have been stigmatized. Apparently a lack of pong makes a difference.
Looking at the other side of hazing, some groups spoke about the idea of an intimidation factor. They thought that a lot of campus viewed them as scary in some way, or intimidating.
"There are racial undertones everywhere ... some people honestly get scared when they see groups of minorities get together," Maldonado told me.
The Greeks also spoke to me against such perceptions, and one organization went so far as to tell me it was the opposite extreme, and that they felt at times that they were harassed, laughed at and generally disrespected for their emphasis on their culture.
Most minorities that don't pledge Greek are dissuaded by someone of another race.
By now I hope you realized the answer to all of these is false.
I was shocked to hear from these organizations that many people they talked to said a friend of the same ethnicity or culture dissuaded them from membership. Commonly the arguments leaned towards the organization being too "hard" and consuming too much time. Also mentioned was the idea of being stereotypical in being a minority joining a minority organization (see the Two Perspectives on Greeks). Though no organization denies that their programming is time-consuming, they all did mention that people don't give enough respect or recognition for the enormous amount of programming and coordination they do, including some other Greek organizations.
The Legacy of Diversity
While all of the Greek organizations listed below may no longer be an active part of the minority Greek tradition, in this section we recognize not only their contributions to the Greek system at Dartmouth, but also what they have contributed to the history and legacy of the Big Green.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda
Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Senoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc.
Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc.
Omega Psi Phi (colony in process)
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated
