hould students be able to create exclusive clubs? Does the process of admission into these clubs become similar to college admissions officers selecting excellent students to be admitted to Dartmouth? Or is it like the coolest kids in a high school selecting who should belong to the “in” clique? These questions frame debate about the future of the Greek system. On May 14th, the faculty again voted that single-sex and otherwise exclusionary College-recognized social organizations should be abolished.
As a member of an exclusive, co-ed, Greek organization, Alpha Theta, I react ambivalently to the faculty’s vote. I would argue that “exclusive” (I prefer the word selective) organizations should be allowed to exist; however, category-based exclusion should not be allowed. No organization should be allowed to exclude members based on sex, gender, race, class, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that one cannot not choose to be, but simply is. Every student should be allowed to apply to be a member of any organization based on his or her merits.
Merit-based selection may be used (and often must be used) to create groups of individuals that can together accomplish an objective. Selection based on clearly definable categories that are central to the mission of the institution allows all individuals to attempt to gain entry into an organization, regardless of group membership, yet allows the organization to pick the best candidates. Logically, Dartmouth College should be able to select students who have shown high grades and intellectual capacity. Similarly, musical groups should be able to select students on the basis of talent and artistic goals, and community service groups should be able to select students based on their service records.
Selecting based on merit makes sense for Dartmouth College or the Glee Club, but what characteristics make a student a worthy member of a Greek house? Sorority rush seems to be an absurd process of marching women around campus, dressed in black and sporting three-inch heels, to meet members for minute amounts of time. Fraternity rush might be less organized, but it seems that men are “dinged” simply for not fitting in or not being “cool” enough for the house. With the exception of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (historically black houses), a student’s academic, behavioral, service, or activity records are never examined, nor are their ideas to improve or contribute to the Greek organization heard.
Most Greek organizations have yet to define the characteristics desirable in a member, in order to further the house’s goals. I think that this belies a larger problem with the Greek system $mdash; a lack of Greek and often house identity. What does it mean to be Greek? Surely it stands for more than the pong and parties (at least, it did for me).
Frankly, I think that any sort of social exclusion is suspect. One fundamental characteristic of a potential member for any socially motivated organization is an ability to “fit in” and get along with current members of the group. Too often, this quality can be a guise for an ethereal idea of “coolness.” While no one may be able to define “coolness,” those who possess it often have large amounts of disposable income to spend on social (read alcoholic) activities, excel in pong, and fit multiple Dartmouth class/race/gender stereotypes. Most importantly, selection based on “fitting in” excludes free thinkers, or those willing to rock the boat and challenge the group’s behavior..
Twenty-two of Dartmouth’s Greek houses discriminate on the basis of sex. Single-sex Greeks often argue that the closeness and support they find with members of their own sex justifies the exclusivity of their house. However, why can only members of the same sex provide support? Real families usually include brothers and sisters, not just members of one sex. Additionally, College-recognized Greek houses gain benefits from their association with the College and should adhere to its mission, which includes a commitment to diversity and co-education. One should not be able to use a College-recognized organization to create a homogeneous group simply for personal comfort.
Single-sex houses should be challenged to open membership to any interested student, regardless of sex. A co-ed model exists for Greek houses, and the institutions have no inherent need to be single-sex. Unless single-sex houses can demonstrate a need for exclusionary space based on their mission that does not conflict with the mission of the College, these organizations deny opportunities for membership to Dartmouth students in an unacceptable manner.
