I agree this is good, but I can't help thinking that most sororities do exactly what this one did, all the time. Delta Zeta's mistake just did this in the middle of the year, conspicuously. I don't know much about sororities, but my sense is that the whole POINT is that they're about popularity, looks, and vapidity. So it's nice for De Pauw to make this gesture, but isn't the Greek system rotten to the core anyway?

I'm not one to lump everybody into one category so I'm not going to say that all Greeks are bad, but there is that element to a lot of them and while this is a nice gesture I can't help but think that the other Greek fraternities and sororities are finding this amusing. Had they not taken the poll which other Greeks labeled this sorority as unpopular/unattractive in the first place, non of this would have happened. What happens if they do it to another sorority on campus? Who's next in line to be labeled as "undesirable?" and then if they are, how are they to change that?

*If* (as in we already know the answer to that) the sorority system is based on how popular/attractive/fuckable you are then they can stand by their members and watch their number dwindle till the point where they won't have enough to stay on the campus (and once it gets out you're the "dog" house it will) or you can do what Delta Zeta did and be punished doubly (they're off the campus anyway).

I in no way am saying they were right to do what they did, they weren't. But the greek system is one of the few areas where I will concede and go, "Well, that's just the way it is and you have to either stay in or get out."

We can hope and talk about it all we want but there's just no way the Greek system is going to be changing any time soon. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

What I find funny is that my college's DZ chapter was the one sorority who accepted members of whatever race, size, sexual orientation. One of my best friends was in DZ and she was extremely proud of their diversity.

That being said, the girls of DZ were constantly ridiculed as "the ugly sorority", and during the time of the year when students were "courted" by different sororities (rush? I think?), other sorority girls would discourage me from joining DZ. Ugh. I don't see anything changing any time soon. I just feel sorry for the fact that the DZ girls at DePauw didn't have my friend's mentality.

"I just feel sorry for the fact that the DZ girls at DePauw didn't have my friend's mentality."

I thought the DZ women *at the DePauw* did have your friend's mentality and were kicked out of DZ by women at DZ national HQ who didn't have your friend's mentality.

The whole system is sick, archaic, and patriarchical. I'm a surprised that on a blog where a shitty advertisement can inspire page upon page of irate comments (often deserved, I agree), that this ugly system which directly affects the lives of probably a third of all college students, and indirectly affects most of the others, doesn't inspire more animosity.

I got to localize this story for my college paper, as we have a DZ chapter here, and the chapter president said that the Greek system is inclusive, and has a code to ensure diversity with non-discriminatory practices, and in the very same breath said that the DePauw DZ chapter just followed standard procedure.

She still insists that the membership purging was just about commitment to the sorority. Apparently the brown women and chubby women are just incapable of dedication? What?

I managed, somehow, to keep my cool during the interview.

I find this all bewildering but, sadly, expected. At my university the greeks are only about 12% of the population, and most of the sorority girls I see definitely fit the stereotype. Especially with the "big" ones on campus. We do have quite a few minority sororities but their membership is much smaller than the "regular" ones. Of course, at my school none of the sororities have houses (local housing laws dictate that more than 4 women co-habitating is legally a brothel. Charming.) so I don't think the reasoning applied to the DePauw case would make sense here.

I hope the women who were in this sorority were able to maintain the sisterhood that they found in it, even without the organization behind them.

Although I am not here to stick up for the DZ headquarters and their actions I am here to stick up for greek life in general. Every sorority on every campus is different and it is unfair to assume the whole greek system is corrupt. I loved my experience in my sorority (kappa Delta) and learned a lot about myself and women in general. I also learned a lot about compromising, mature ways to handle disagrements and I also became in touch with many different philantrophic organizations I never would have known. Unfortunately stereotypes are around but they hardest thing we experience in greek life is showing potential new members that they should NOT base their idea of what sorority they want to join based on looks. It is a mutually selective process which has both its benefits and disadvantages.
I have witnessed greek members being discrimminated against by teachers as well as other organizations. I had a sister who no longer felt welcome at IVCF (intervarsity christian fellowship) because they told her she was in an organization that did not support christian views. I have witnessed bad behavior within sororities but I have witnessed the same bad behavior on college althlectic teams as well as just in groups of friends.
I do not think the problem is specifically sororities as I feel it is a problem that can develop in any group setting.

i will agree with you natmusk. while certainly some fit the ugly stereotype, not all do, and to insist that they all are the same, with all the same type of women, is very ignorant. my sorority was full of girls who loved to party like they were one of the guys. there was little to no drama, no bitchiness clearly many of you assume are part of the greek system, and most of us were not your typical girls, much less typical sorority girls. we were not perfect and eating disorders were not encouraged nor rampant. I do find it a bit shocking that here alot of you are basically assuming the stereotype of sororities are true, while most of feministing is dedicated to breaking down stereotypes that are ascribed to various groups of people. which of course, is how it should be, but you cant pick and choose.