Administration Cracks Down on the Greek Underground

In an email to the campus community on February 5, President Daniel H. Weiss announced a policy prohibiting “unrecognized Greek organizations from operating on property owned or under the control of the College.”

The Board of Trustees voted to adopt the policy at their winter meeting last Saturday, Weiss said.

“No student may rush, pledge, join, recruit for, participate in, perpetuate, contribute funds to, or otherwise engage in activities as an actual or prospective member of an Unrecognized Greek Organization while on any property owned or under the control of the College,” according to the policy, as proposed for the January meeting.  

Such organizations are defined as those previously recognized by the college, possessing membership and purpose “identical to a fraternity or sorority that was previously recognized,” or alleging to be any “Greek organization not recognized by the College, regardless of whether it has a national affiliation,” according to the policy.

Weiss was clear in his email that the Board is not aiming to limit students’ freedom of association with off-campus organizations. Though, he wrote, “Students will, of course, be held accountable for their behavior whether on-campus or off-campus.”  

If a student violates the policy, he or she will be brought before the Student Conduct Committee and subject to a wide range of disciplinary actions, “including expulsion,” the policy reads.

The new policy takes effect immediately, Weiss said.