Preston Wells '15 plans to establish a campus chapter of Phi Sigma Nu fraternity, a national fraternity for Native American students. He will apply for recognition from the national organization and approval from the College this spring.
The proposed fraternity could be a new space for male first-years who do not necessarily share values with other established social spaces and fraternities, Wells said.
Although plans are still in the works, Wells said he has received support from students and administrators and has high hopes for the project.
Wells met with Greek Letter Organizations and Societies director Wes Schaub and Phi Sigma Nu national president Derek Oxendine in the fall, Wells said. In the meeting, they discussed the operation of councils and insurance for Greek organizations at Dartmouth.
The College requires that at least 10 students formally indicate their interest in a fraternity for it to begin obtaining official recognition. Once the fraternity is established, at least four of the 10 students must affiliate with the organization in order for the College to count the organization as a part of the Greek community.
Wells said he does not have 10 signatures yet, but has received emails from students interested in joining the fraternity. He intends to procure signatures at the beginning of spring term, when he expects to begin the application process.
Applicants must file a petition in which they discuss the values of the proposed organization, how they expect to attain members, what services it could provide and whether alumni support it, among other requirements, Schaub said.
Wells expects that new members will begin Phi Sigma Nu's official initiation process in fall 2013.
Since the project is on hold until the spring, Schaub is unable to gauge student interest in the fraternity, he said.
In the past, students have tried to create a Native American fraternity but faced opposition. Wells was surprised by the positive response he has so far received from the College, especially from the members of the Dartmouth's Native American sorority, Alpha Pi Omega.
A Native American fraternity is "highly plausible," Alpha Pi Omega sorority member Christina Goodson '14 said.
"The community was pretty receptive to it," she said. "I think with a bit of a push, there will be enough people to make it happen."
Alpha Pi Omega provides a community that the Native American House does not provide, and the same would be true for a Native American fraternity, she said.
"The events of the Native American House are more geared to the Native American department or issues in the Native world at large." Goodson said. "I think the Greek community events, like in Alpha Pi Omega, promote things like discussion-based events, leadership development and traditionalism and how that plays a role at Dartmouth."
The fraternity and the Native American House would provide students with two distinct types of communities with different objectives, Office of Pluralism and Leadership director Alysson Satterlund said. While the Native American House provides a residential space for students to enjoy living-learning experiences, a fraternity could provide more formal structures to develop students' leadership and service potential, she said.
Wells hopes to give back to Dartmouth, both inside and outside the Native American community, in order to create a positive impact.
He said he worried about Dartmouth's Greek system and its influence on social life when he decided to enroll at the College.
"I wasn't a big partier," Wells said. "Coming here, I didn't feel like I was left out, but at the same time I wondered what can I do to feel comfortable."
Satturlund said she would welcome a Native American fraternity on campus.
Alpha Pi Omega provides a support group on campus, especially for Native American women, Goodson said. A Native American fraternity would be able to provide the same sort of support for Native American men.
"I think a Native American fraternity would be really beneficial," Goodman said. "It would provide a sense of leadership for these men to build upon."
Membership in Alpha Pi Omega is not restricted to students of Native American origin, Goodman said. If Phi Sigma Nu colonizes on campus, it would also be inclusive and open to non-Native American members, Wells said.
