Trinity College(CT) - All Greek Orgs Told to Go Co-ed

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by TSteven

I agree. What I meant was that the chapters would remain single-sex GLOs and (perhaps with the exception of Delta Psi which is already co-ed) and no longer be officially recognized by the university. Yet the HQs would continue to recognize the chapters.

I'm guessing that's what would happen for most of them.

[33girl]

That depends on whether the group's HQ thinks that the chapter/location is valuable enough to keep it running without any oversight by the school. I don't know about the fraternities, but I think for the most part, the sorority chapters at the schools TSteven mentioned have (knock wood) never had any real risk management problems. Which of course, makes what the school is trying to do look even stupider.

[dukemama]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

they even have a shuttle bus to the Hartford bars.

All 3 of them? (I kid, I kid)

As one who grew up in the Hartford suburbs, this just struck me as funny.

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by glittergal1985

If they don't want to have a culture of privilege and elitism, then they should probably relocate the college out of the Northeast...

Originally Posted by glittergal1985

That's not what I said. But if you look at it per-capita, this area is well known for having more than its share.

Not all of the Northeast is wealthy, and not every school with a larger wealthy population is in the Northeast.

Not to mention, the area surrounding Trinity is very impoverished.

[glittergal1985]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Not all of the Northeast is wealthy, and not every school with a larger wealthy population is in the Northeast.

Again, not what I said. My comment was simply meant as a sarcastic suggestion for a way that the college could eliminate the elitist and privileged culture it is supposedly troubled with (obviously the school can't actually relocate). I never said that everyone in the Northeast was wealthy,but it is true that we have an above average number of college students who were born with the proverbial "silver spoon" and thus feel entitled to do whatever they want. In my personal opinion, this attitude has little to do with being a member of a fraternity or sorority and is more of a product of growing up in such a region, as I myself have often observed. Anyways, my main point was to echo what others have said in that the school's elimination of single sex GLOs is not an effective way of solving the alleged problem.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Exactly. They think "ha ha, the rich kids can't have their fun now" when the rich kids will go right on having their fun - and will probably have even more fun since they will (the majority of them) no longer have to pay national dues. If they want to reform the campus culture, they have to change the kinds of students they admit.

I think this IS part of Trinity trying to change the kinds of students who would even be interested in applying there. Around here, it's got a reputation for being a place for upper middle-class white students from the New York and Boston suburbs, who had decent grades but no admissions "hook" for an Ivy, as well as for international students (who also tend to be wealthy because most colleges don't offer financial aid for international students).

Because of that reputation, they have a hard time attracting first-generation college students, as well as students of color. They also don't have very generous financial aid. They want to make themselves look more inclusive by getting rid of what some deanery see as a last bastion of white male dominance on college campus (their ire doesn't usually extend to NPHC groups).

Yes, there is a major irony in schools with tuition bills larger than the median US household income accusing the Greek system of being "elitist."

[glittergal1985]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

I repeat, oh, please. You can use faux-empirical language like "per capita," but that doesn't mean this is anything more than your personal opinion. People spoil their kids everywhere. The Northeast is not "well known" for this.

Lol well sorry if I was confusing, the "per capita" comes from the economics major in me. Anyways, as I said this all comes from my own observations. I attended school in Connecticut, and several students from far outside the area (Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, Kansas) commented that they perceived the Northeast to be far more materialistic than where they came from. Additionally, since graduation many local friends have scattered throughout the country and say that are much happier living around more down-to-earth people. I myself expect to soon relocate down South, and greatly look forward to being a place where you don't need a shiny rolex watch or hummer to be happy.

[glittergal1985]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I think this IS part of Trinity trying to change the kinds of students who would even be interested in applying there. Around here, it's got a reputation for being a place for upper middle-class white students from the New York and Boston suburbs, who had decent grades but no admissions "hook" for an Ivy, as well as for international students (who also tend to be wealthy because most colleges don't offer financial aid for international students).

Because of that reputation, they have a hard time attracting first-generation college students, as well as students of color. They also don't have very generous financial aid. They want to make themselves look more inclusive by getting rid of what some deanery see as a last bastion of white male dominance on college campus (their ire doesn't usually extend to NPHC groups).

Yes, there is a major irony in schools with tuition bills larger than the median US household income accusing the Greek system of being "elitist."

Co-sign. Unfortunately, they will never be able to attract a different type of student without greatly reducing tuition, which may then cause the school to have to reduce the program offerings which make it attractive to begin with.

[Kevin]

Here's an old picture of a Trinity Sigma Nu fraternity house room from way back. It's unfortunate that the administration wants to end decades of history like this.

[33girl]

My dad had that EXACT pipe holder. Kevin, did the pic say what year it's from?

[janssen2010]

Originally Posted by MaggieXi

How does forcing groups to go co-ed remove the culture of partying?

Agreed plus forcing them to go co-ed defeats what the core of a fraternity or sorority is....i like that alumni are threatening with holding donations just hope there is enough money at stake that the school releases how ridiculous this idea is

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by 33girl

My dad had that EXACT pipe holder. Kevin, did the pic say what year it's from?

No idea. It was a photo being auctioned on Ebay.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I think this IS part of Trinity trying to change the kinds of students who would even be interested in applying there. Around here, it's got a reputation for being a place for upper middle-class white students from the New York and Boston suburbs, who had decent grades but no admissions "hook" for an Ivy, as well as for international students (who also tend to be wealthy because most colleges don't offer financial aid for international students).

Because of that reputation, they have a hard time attracting first-generation college students, as well as students of color. They also don't have very generous financial aid. They want to make themselves look more inclusive by getting rid of what some deanery see as a last bastion of white male dominance on college campus (their ire doesn't usually extend to NPHC groups).

Yes, there is a major irony in schools with tuition bills larger than the median US household income accusing the Greek system of being "elitist."

Trinity is kind of a weird school. It's really not in a great area at all (I work in Hartford, grew up in the region and am familiar with the area), but markets itself as a upper-echelon school. Plus, there's a similar school nearby (Wesleyan) with a better academic reputation and in a safer area (Middletown). I work with some Trinity grads who are very bright and have done well, so they are doing something right academically.

I didn't realize they were stingy on aid; I got some academic prize in high school where they paid for my admission fee and I ended up with some solid academic scholarship offers. That may have been an effort to attract local kids, though.

ETA: For the list of orgs, I think Kappa Sig also has a chapter at the school.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by janssen2010

Agreed plus forcing them to go co-ed defeats what the core of a fraternity or sorority is....i like that alumni are threatening with holding donations just hope there is enough money at stake that the school releases how ridiculous this idea is

Sigh, I think there may be a few Psi Upsilon and Alpha Delta Phi brothers who may disagree with you.

BTW, does anyone know if those two are the only NIC members with female members? (Not sure if the ADPhi that is a member of the NIC is just the fraternity or if the Fraternity and the Society are represented)...

Also, does anyone know if this forced change to co-ed has ever happened before?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by janssen2010

Agreed plus forcing them to go co-ed defeats what the core of a fraternity or sorority is....

I guess all of the co-ed fraternities out there missed that memo.

I get what you're saying. After all, my fraternity has direct experience with this and fought to stay single-sex. For many, the single-sex nature of many GLOs is part of the appeal. But not for everyone.

The problem is not whether GLOs are single-sex or co-ed. The problem is someone on the outside trying to force them to be what they don't want to be.

Originally Posted by naraht

Sigh, I think there may be a few Psi Upsilon and Alpha Delta Phi brothers who may disagree with you.

BTW, does anyone know if those two are the only NIC members with female members? (Not sure if the ADPhi that is a member of the NIC is just the fraternity or if the Fraternity and the Society are represented)...

Just the fraternity is a member of the NIC. Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity is not co-ed. Alpha Delta Phi Society, formed of some chapters that broke away from Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity over the co-ed issue, considers itself a literary society, not a fraternity. The two groups share the Greek letters, symbols, history and (I think) ritual, but they are separate organizations.

Delta Psi (St. Anthony Hall) is co-ed and is an NIC member. It and Psi U are the only co-ed NIC fraternities I can think of right now.