Do all professional sororities have male members

[Luis]

Do all professional sororities have male members and do all professional fraternities have female members?

I have a friend who says SAI is the only single-sex professional sorority because received an exemption from Title IX. All the rest of the professional sororities went co-ed or mergered with another group in the late 70s in order not to violate Title IX. That is also why the Professional Panhellenic and Professional Interfraternity Conferences merged into the Professional Fraternity Association (PFA).

When I said there are still professional sororities in PFA, like Sigma Alpha. The other said that certain PFA groups, like other professional music sororities, do not advertise for male members but they cannot deny them membership based on being male.

I checked the Baird manual and sure enough, SAI is the only professional sorority that says they are specifically exempt from Title IX. However, that Baird's manual is so out of date! Are there any other professional fraternities or sororities, that have been specifically exempted from Title IX?

[MysticCat]

Professional fraternities are required by federal law (commonly referred to as "Title IX," enacted in 1972) to be co-ed. Federal funding, including money for student loans, can be withheld from any college or university (or elementary or high school) that discriminates on the basis of sex. Allowing a single-sex professional fraternity or sorority on campus is considered discrimination on the basis of sex. The reasoning is that professional fraternities/sororities exist primarily (1) to prepare a student for participation in a specific profession, and (2) to advance the interests of the profession itself. Under Title IX, it is discrimination to limit such opportunities to one sex.

The regulations adopted by what is now the Department of Education pursuant to Title IX, however, make an exception for "the membership practices of social fraternities and sororities." (34 C.F.R. Sec. 106.14(a)) Groups like Boy and Girl Scouts are also exempt.

Sigma Alpha Iota received an exemption from Title IX's co-ed requirements in the late 1970's, based on SAI's representation that it exists "... to foster interest in music and to promote social contact among persons sharing a general interest in that art form rather than to prepare persons for professional endeavors relating to muisc." (Source: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia: A Centennial History, T. Jervis Underwood, p. 6.17) In other words, SAI was found by the federal government to be a "social sorority," not a "professional sorority," and therefore to be exempt from Title IX's requirements. That is why/how it avoided going co-ed. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia received a similar determination in 1984. Since that time, Phi Mu Alpha has taken numerous steps to return to the social basis upon which we were founded.

As for the Professional Fraternity Association (membership in which has been the basis for Baird’s classification of a GLO as "professional"), it needs to be noted that the membership requirements of the PFA are broad enough to include GLOs that are not actually professional in status. The Constitution of the PFA (Article III) simply provides that: "The fraternity shall be identified by, or related to, a field of study or common interest."

Hope this helps.

[Senusret I]

There is a rather unique situation at Georgetown University, my alma mater.

The Alpha Chapters of Delta Phi Epsilon Professional Foreign Service Fraternity and Delta Phi Epsilon Professional Foreign Service Sorority may be found there. However, they are not recognized by the campus.

They are definitely two distinct entitities....as far as I know, there isn't even much joint programming. Personally, I do feel that it is important for women in foreign service to bond.

Anyway, my point is that IF there are professional, single-gendered sororities out there, it is unlikely that they are recongized or given access to benefits by their campuses.

[emb021]

Originally posted by MysticCat81
Professional fraternities are required by federal law (commonly referred to as "Title IX," enacted in 1972) to be co-ed. Federal funding, including money for student loans, can be withheld from any college or university (or elementary or high school) that discriminates on the basis of sex. Allowing a single-sex professional fraternity or sorority on campus is considered discrimination on the basis of sex. The reasoning is that professional fraternities/sororities exist primarily (1) to prepare a student for participation in a specific profession, and (2) to advance the interests of the profession itself. Under Title IX, it is discrimination to limit such opportunities to one sex.

The regulations adopted by what is now the Department of Education pursuant to Title IX, however, make an exception for "the membership practices of social fraternities and sororities." (34 C.F.R. Sec. 106.14(a)) Groups like Boy and Girl Scouts are also exempt.

Sigma Alpha Iota received an exemption from Title IX's co-ed requirements in the late 1970's, based on SAI's representation that it exists "... to foster interest in music and to promote social contact among persons sharing a general interest in that art form rather than to prepare persons for professional endeavors relating to muisc." (Source: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia: A Centennial History, T. Jervis Underwood, p. 6.17) In other words, SAI was found by the federal government to be a "social sorority," not a "professional sorority," and therefore to be exempt from Title IX's requirements. That is why/how it avoided going co-ed. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia received a similar determination in 1984. Since that time, Phi Mu Alpha has taken numerous steps to return to the social basis upon which we were founded.

As for the Professional Fraternity Association (membership in which has been the basis for Baird’s classification of a GLO as "professional"), it needs to be noted that the membership requirements of the PFA are broad enough to include GLOs that are not actually professional in status. The Constitution of the PFA (Article III) simply provides that: "The fraternity shall be identified by, or related to, a field of study or common interest."

Hope this helps.

Two comments to this regarding my fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, National Service Fraternity.

APO went co-ed in part due to the pressure of Title IX. (Many within the fraternity felt going co-ed was the right thing regardless of Title IX). To avoid loosing chapters due to Title IX if they weren't about to go co-ed (such decision can only come from the voting delegates at our National Convention) [schools to avoid loosing federal money would have shutdown chapters, hurting the fraternity], we tried to get ourselves re-defined at a 'social/service fraternity', but this didn't fly with the government.

Also, APO is a member of the PFA. Baird's does not list us as a professional, but as a 'recognition' GLO, in the service subcategory. While Baird's lists Gamma Sigma Sigma, the National Service Sorority, it doesn't like Omega Phi Alpha, National Service Sorority.

Who knows when Baird's will next be updated...

Hope this is of interest