Conversations about the Greek system are ubiquitous on this campus, as well as in the pages of this publication. Despite its relentless presence, however, campus discourse consistently overlooks a significant portion of students who belong to the Greek community. Coed houses and undergraduate societies — both of which are listed in the GLOS handbook — experience significantly lower visibility on campus than those houses awarded “mainstream status” — those that are single-sex. Although 96 percent of affiliated students join single-sex houses, the remaining 4 percent cannot be ignored. Excluding coed organizations from both campus consciousness and tangible privileges is harmful to both coed members and the greater Greek system.
Coed houses exist on the outskirts of the Dartmouth social scene, labeled as “other” simply because they are not single-sex. When comparing coed houses with single-sex houses, it is important to remember that by their very nature these two groups offer different experiences. Students who join coeds may feel uncomfortable with the single-sex Greek system; therefore, a difference in the practices and policies of single-sex and coed houses is to be expected. As Abigail Bard, last year’s Coed Council president, wrote in The Dartmouth, coeds can welcome those who “don’t feel comfortable conforming to a strict gender label” and those who worry about membership fees and exclusive spaces. These houses, then, offer safe spaces for many Dartmouth students who can’t find them elsewhere.
As a community, we must recognize coed houses as safe and accepting spaces, but it is also important to examine the ways in which they are systematically excluded from the prevailing social circuit. Coeds are often not included in tails rotations with single-sex Greek houses. In addition, a fun sophomore summer tradition like Masters, seemingly totally inclusive, becomes complicated when one considers whether coeds should play in the sorority bracket or the fraternity bracket. Often rather than dealing with complications like this, the Greek mainstream dismisses coeds, casts coeds as outside the system. This dismissal, unfortunately, is not limited to social activities. Coeds can be inadvertently missing from College events meant to reflect the Greek system as a whole — including an April panel in which four students and two professors debated whether the Greek system should be abolished. Because of this oversight, attendees of this at-capacity event left with no perspective on the coed experience within the greater system.
Instead of continuing to overlook coed houses, members of single-sex Greek houses should consider why including coed houses would benefit all involved. At a time when Greek life at the College faces criticism from both campus and national media, it is important to remember that coed houses foster a palpably more inclusive environment regarding gender and socioeconomic status within the same social framework. Single-sex houses should look at the policies coeds institute to create this environment — including open rush and recent initiatives to provide members full financial aid for dues — especially when many of the critiques of Greek life center around exclusion and entitlement.
We want to acknowledge our own culpability in giving more coverage to events that focus on single-sex Greek organizations. Our article covering the Greek Life debate, for example, did not include any reference to coed organizations or their absence from the discussion. Moving forward, we hope that the entire Dartmouth community recognizes that coeds are an integral part of the Greek system. In addition, any conversation about coed houses should accompany critical reflection on other marginalized groups within the Dartmouth Greek system.