De Pauw University Delta Zeta Discrimination Controversy - Effects

Effects

In the months following the review, reports began appearing on the Internet alleging that the evicted women had been threatened with expulsion if they refused to take alumnae status, and accusing the national team of choosing which women got to stay active according to their perceived attractiveness. In response to growing criticism from DePauw students and administrators, Delta Zeta representatives stated that the women who had been asked to leave lacked commitment to the chapter's future, but according to the New York Times report, the 23 evicted members included all of the overweight women in the chapter, as well as 3 of the 4 minorities; conversely, the 12 women invited to stay "were slender and popular with fraternity men," but eventually half of that group also resigned as a show of solidarity. In the days following the NYT article, other national media outlets picked up the story, including CNN, CBS News, Good Morning America, MSNBC, Newsweek, and People. On February 19, 2007, DePauw President Robert Bottoms formally reprimanded Delta Zeta's national headquarters for its actions and instituted a new rule requiring that all housed fraternities and sororities at the university provide housing for their members throughout the school year, except when risk-management violations or behavioral problems make eviction necessary.

During a February 26 interview with Paula Zahn of CNN, Menges denied the chapter's allegations of discrimination based on religion, race, or ethnicity and maintained that the 23 affected women left voluntarily. She also justified the reorganization on the grounds that the chapter had voted to close anyway and that DePauw officials would not guarantee ΔΖ an opportunity to return in the near future. Asked whether appearance had played a part in the evictions, Menges did not directly respond.

On March 1, 2007, Delta Zeta headquarters announced that it would no longer respond to media inquiries about the DePauw chapter. As of March 6, the sorority's national Web site features an apology to the evicted students but still includes a letter calling into question those women's loyalty to the chapter and blaming them in part for its recent struggles.

On March 12, 2007, Bottoms withdrew Delta Zeta's status as a recognized campus organization, stating that the national organization's values, as demonstrated by the evictions, are not compatible with the university's. The sorority was required to leave DePauw following the conclusion of the 2006–2007 academic year. Delta Zeta responded with a statement on the front page of its Web site expressing disappointment with Bottoms's decision and reiterating its position that the review was necessary, but conceding that the 23 alumnae should probably have been notified of their change in status in person and at a different point in the school year. Bottoms characterized the New York Times story as inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the school.

Meanwhile, 10 Delta Chapter alumnae have formed a college-sanctioned student organization, Psi Lambda Xi, with the goal of becoming a new sorority. A founder said, "The founding purpose of the sorority is to promote a positive self-image in each other, the University and the community."