Last month, with little fanfare, College administrators made an exception to one of their most controversial policies. Beta Alpha Omega fraternity, formerly Beta Theta Pi fraternity, was recognized by the Inter-Fraternity Council on March 8 as a local fraternity, going against a six-year College prohibition of new local Greek organizations ("Beta returns as College examines ban on locals," April 8). The Board of Trustees, which will meet on campus this weekend, now has the opportunity to re-evaluate College protocol. The eradication of the rule would be a step in the right direction toward more equitable and gender-balanced social options on campus.
A variety of individuals and groups have called for the abolishment of the ban for many years. Advocates of the policy reversal have argued that the ban impedes Dartmouth women's agency over their social life, as national Greek sororities are unable to host open campus parties. In order to participate in social events attended by both men and women, members of national sororities and unaffiliated students must visit fraternities or one of campus' three local sororities.
It is clear to those familiar with Dartmouth's Greek system that new local sororities would be an important step toward achieving gender balance in Dartmouth social life. However, in the absence of significant College support, the establishment of new local organizations remains unrealistic. There is currently little funding available to create local sororities, and no existing campus organization could marshal the resources necessary for such a financial undertaking. Furthermore, it is unlikely that the College will consider establishing any new local sororities until campus' newest sorority, Kappa Delta, receives plans and funding for a house. The example of Alpha Phi sorority, which waited three years before receiving permission to begin construction on a house, does not provide cause for optimism about how long we may be waiting for a new local sorority.
While we encourage the College to lift the moratorium, we realize that this is only part of a long and difficult movement to solve issues of gender inequality on this campus. Administrators must ensure that the end of the ban would not become a purely symbolic gesture. The College should actively work to establish a house for KD and then provide the strong leadership and support that will be needed to establish new local sororities. Such leadership entails lobbying alumni and especially alumnae for donations that would fund a new sorority, identifying female students and alumni to spearhead the project and providing a site for a new physical plant.
True gender parity will not arrive overnight, but with sincere administrative attention, we can start making inroads on this longstanding problem.
