Fraternities

Special Housing for Greek Life Proves Detrimental for Women
Women's Commission

As the second article in a four-part series that deal with the status of women at Dickinson, this article discussed campus-affiliated organizations.The President's Commission on the Status of Women at Dickinson College had decided that Greek Life is most likely harming women's experiences at Dickinson and the atmosphere it creates allows for a "poor preparation for the kinds of relationships among women and men that they will face after College." The Women's Commission raised some important questions on Greek organizations, such as should Dickinson have Greek Life?

Date: October 9, 1980
All terms: 1980-1989, Fraternities, Greek life, President's Commission on the Status of Women, Sororities
Opinion: The status of Women
Letters: The status of Women

An opinion piece responding to many of the issues raised by the College's status of women report, incorporating discussion of the recent confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas.

Date: October 17, 1991
All terms: 1990-1999, Fraternities, President's Commission on the Status of Women, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stop the Violence, Women at Dickinson College report
Students adjust to sophomore rush- Over 250 women rush
Sophomore rush begins
Students adjust to sophomore rush

The Dickinsonian discusses the changes resulting from having a sophomore (rather than freshman) year sorority and fraternity rush. 250 women rushed the five on-campus sororities.

Date: September 26, 1991
All terms: 1990-1999, Administration, Affiliation Day, Beta Theta Pi, Bid Day, Boye, Hank, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Nu, Eddy, Wallace, Fraternities, Greek Life, Interfraternity Council, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Orben, Brad, Panhellenic Council, Price, Jan, Smith, Julie, Sororities, Steffen, Jennifer, Student Activities
Stop The Violence: "Forum addresses 'Violence' controversy"
Forum addresses 'Violence' controversy
Reaction, continued

 
Following up on the story from the previous week, The Dickinsonian discussed the continued controversy from the anonymous, anti-Greek publication "Stop the Violence" that accused Dickinson fraternities and sororities of crimes including hazing and even rape. 
The College Club and Peace Action co-sponsored an open forum in ATS to discuss the situation that was attended by over 400 members of the Dickinson community.  

Date: September 26, 1991
All terms: 1990-1999, Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, Bennett, Judy, College Club, Croghan, Laura, Dovinchin, Erin, Fraternities, Garrison, Eniah, Glasgow, David, Greek life, Harper, David, Hazing, Hickey, Mike, Katz, Stephen, Moore, Michelle, Morgan, Neil, Needleman, Martin, Neuberger, Carmen, Panhellenic Council, Peace Action, Raley, Becca, Sexual assault, Sororities, Stop the Violence, Student Senate, Walton, Diane
Stop The Violence: "Campus reacts to anti-Greek letter"
"Stop the Violence": Reaction, Sept 1991
Date: September 19, 1991
All terms: 1990-1999, Bennett, Judy, Beta Theta Pi, Boye, Hank, Domestic violence, Fraternities, Greek life, Harper, David, Hazing, Interfraternity Council, Lynch, Erin, Neuberger, Carmen, Panhellenic Council, Petersheim, Jacob, Reed, Thomas, Sexual assault, Sororities, Stop the Violence, Walton, Diane, Women's Center
Presidents' Council Minutes: Social Rules Evaluation Committee- Changes to Rules
blog.jpg

 
During the Presidents' Council (Women's Interdormitory Council) meeting of October 31, 1962, the Council's representative to SREC (Social Rules Evaluation Committee) was selected and new proposals regarding women drinking and fraternity parties were put forth:

Date: October 31, 1962
All terms: 1960-1969, Alcohol, Dean of Women's Office, Englert, Tina, Fraternities, Fraternity houses, McCauley Room, President's Council, Renshaw, Charlotte, Social codes/rules, Social Rules Evaluation Committee, Wishmeyer, Barbara, Women's Interdormitory Council
Lambda Sigma Pi: For the Science-Minded
1941 Lamba Sigma Pi Members

Lambda Sigma Pi, a "honorary science fraternity" was a recent extra-ciricular activity for female students at Dickinson College in 1941, as they began admiting female members the year before. The fraternity focused on raising student interest in the sciences by sharing their own scientific work and discussing current scientific events at their bi-monthly meetings.  In 1941, Lambda Sigma Pi could boast of three female members: Ruth Leavitt, Jane Raring, and Janet Thornley out of the twelve-person fraternity.

Date: 1941
All terms: 1940-1949, Fraternities, Lambda Sigma Pi, Leavitt, Ruth, Raring, Jane, Thornley, Janet
"Dating," "Dancing," and "Chaperonage" in Dean Meredith's Report "Women at Dickinson College"
Report

In her essay "Women at Dickinson College", Dean Meredith discussed dating, dances, and chaperonage at Dickinson College. She explained, "The college is sometimes criticized because boys and girls are together socially so much. Other criticism is not just but it is somewhat merited. About 8 couples can be so conspicuous that they give the college an unenviable reputation." Meredith argued that it is easier to control the relationships if the woman lived in Metzger, however, it was much more difficult to control commuters.

Date: circa 1935
All terms: 1930-1939, Dances, Dating, Fraternities, Meredith, Josephine B., Metzger Hall, Party, Sexual behavior, Women at Dickinson College report
"Girls' Fraternities" in Josephine Brunyate Meredith's report "Women at Dickinson College"
essay

In her essay "Women at Dickinson College," Josephine Brunyate Meredith has a section in which she discussed "Women's Fraternities" (now referred to as sororities) at Dickinson College. Meredith explained that "We have never had such good spirit existing between the Fraternities as exists at present. Pan-Hellenic rules and rushing methods, the result of years of hard work and experiment are now fairly satisfactory to everybody." Pleased with the women's work, Meredith argued that the college must provide better housing for the female fraternities as they do for the male fraternities.

Date: c1935
All terms: 1930-1939, Dances, Fraternities, Independent Women, Meredith, Josephine B., Panhellenic Council, Party, Social codes/rules, Sororities, Student housing
Female Students Infiltrate the All-Male Fraternity Quad
Article

According to the April 9th, 1976 Dickinsonian, 21 female students would be moving into the fraternity quad in the fall of 1976. The women are independent, having no greek connection. The women hoped to change the college's current "social scene."

Date: April 9, 1976
All terms: 1970-1979, Dickinsonian, Firsts, Fraternities, Fraternity houses, Greek life